Private School Vs. Public School

When I think of all of the words that crossed my palate when I was in my 20s that I wished I could swallow and take back at this much later age, these words certainly win the prize for "the dumbest words I ever spoke."  "I dont see any reason to send any child of mine to private school. Public school was good enough for me, and it will be good enough for my child."  Now, in looking back, I view what I said as being the equivalent of a child abuse survivor saying, "I got beat and see how well I turned out."

But actually, when I said this, I meant it. However, about 7 years ago, (sixteen years after the fact), I had a change of heart. Some of this change came after I had endured bussing 2 children from first grade to twelfth grade to Valley Schools in the Los Angeles area (in order to afford the optimal education provided by Magnet schools.) But the biggest reason was this. When I spoke those words, I hadnt lived long enough yet to go through having my youngest childs bus window being shot out. At the time, he was in the sixth grade.

All I remember about that day is being at work, when a dark feeling came over me. I called home and there was no answer. My youngest son, Aaron, usually got home around 4. I worked nearby and was on a 4 day, 10 hour work schedule. Just before I got off work at 6:00 Pm, I called home and Aaron, then 11, said, "Im late because they had to call the police. Someone shot through the window in front of me. No one was sitting there."

Needless to say, I was stressed out. After that, something inside of me snapped. I was not up to 6 more years of waiting for buses that sometimes didnt show up until midnight, or worrying through earthquakes, which in my writers mind would split Los Angeles in half from the Valley, and separate me from my offspring.

So I opted for a local private school. Now mind you, this shooting could have happened at a private school. In fact, there have been shootings at the three private schools that he went to over the next 6 years. However, looking back, since his high school graduation in June of this year, these have been some of the benefits of private school.

1. Private schools tend to offer closer supervision. For example, back in the early 90s, both my teenaged niece and nephew had skipped 17 days of high school before the schools counselor contacted my brothers wife. When she confronted the school for not reporting this to her earlier, they told her, "We have too many students to call you every time your child doesnt show up. Thats your responsibility." In contrast, I remember Aarons first summer in private high school. When Aaron was late to class, the school called me at work to report that he had been seen shooting hoops between classes, instead of getting to class on time
2. Private schools tend to have smaller class sizes. I noticed that the average class size was under 30. If my youngest was late or absent, I received a call throughout the years. Teachers knew who was supposed to be in their classrooms!
3. Private schools tend to offer better curriculums. I noticed that the classes read books (such as Invisible Man, Jane Eyre, etc.) in the tenth grade, which I had read in college. They also offered computer training.
4.  All the privates schools Aaron attended were Catholic. Although this wasnt my religion, a class in Religion did not hurt through the mischievous junior high, high school years.
5. Last, private schools can offer Rites of Passage for young African American Men. St. Bernards High in Playa Del Rey, (where Aaron graduated from,) is the high school featured in the new movie, "The Wood." Some of the rites of passage that this particular school offered were religious retreats and training throughout the high school years. The week before prom, all the seniors were assigned 10 pound sacks of potatoes to care for like a "mock baby." Aaron's potato sack looked so bedraggled at the end of the week it was hardly recognizable. Teenaged parenthood was hardly glorified in their minds after this experiment.

In a similar manner, I view the movie, "The Wood," as being about the "rites of passage" of three young African American men raised in Inglewood, (where I happened to live) CA. This movie dispels the Hollywood myth of all South Central black youths being in gangs. But on a deeper level, I saw factors such as this private school, good parents, and basically good kids, as being a deterrent to crime and gang involvement.

So, although the downside of private school, can be paying tuition similar to college tuition, the upside can be peace of mind for a parent in todays violent world.

Maxine Thompson may be contacted at http://www.maxinethompson.com maxtho@aol.com.Click here to view more of their articles.
A former social worker of 23 years, I have published 2 novels, The Ebony Tree and No Pockets in a Shroud. I have had numerous short stories, articles and essays published in magazines, anthologies and e-zines. Recently I began an on-line column to promote the works of new and self-published writers. The column is called, On The Same Page. I aspire to publish and promote the works of new writers. Effective 9-20-99, I began doing book reviews on www.netnoir.com/entertainment.

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