It seems these days that public schools are getting a bad rap, and honestly, some of them do deserve it. I believe however, that the vast majority of public schools are great places to educate children. I am a bit biased because I was a public school teacher for almost ten years and I do plan on going back when my boys are both in school.
I do agree with some critics, there are some awful public schools out there. There are also some awful charter schools, some awful private schools and some awful magnate schools. Every school is going to have its flaws, but not every public school is a bad one.
I will also agree that if we lived in certain parts of the country, I would probably have to think twice about public schools for my children. This does break my heart, because I am such an advocate of the public school system. But, if we lived in a city that had horrible public schools, with horrible leaders that were understaffed and in a high-crime area, I would most likely not send my children there to be educated. I will admit that in the short time we lived in South Carolina, I was very hesitant about my son possibly starting kindergarten there.
From the research I had done, I had found out that South Carolina had the worst schools in the country (based on test scores), or very close to it. It was hard for me to think about sending my sons into a school system that may not have been a great one. Many of the women I got to know down there sent their children to public school and they were great kids getting a good education. But, the statistics spoke to me even more than my friends and I was anxious to move back to Iowa, to some of the best schools in the country. That was pretty biased of me, and now that we no longer live in South Carolina, it isn’t an issue. Would I have sent my children to public school there? Yes, I am sure of it. We don’t have the money for private school and the area we lived in was really making a huge effort in their education system. I am sure my boys would have been fine.
That said, we don’t live in Iowa anymore either. We reside in Missouri and I am not overly fond of the schools here, even though I am told they are some of the best in the state. Still, my kids will go to public school here. I have met several teachers in this city through my work at the local Sylvan Learning Center. I am nothing but impressed with the quality of work they do and just how great they are at teaching. I am confident that if we continue to live here, my boys will be well educated in the public school system, regardless of my feelings on the statistics I have read.
My point is this: Don’t always let the statistics you read or hear about sway you from choosing the public school system. Check the schools out in your area, watch the news, talk to other parents and see what they have to say. Numbers on paper are not always indicative of what the teachers are doing in the classrooms.
Why will I choose public schools for my children? I believe in them. I believe in the right public school, a child can get a great education. I believe that there are some tremendous teachers out there just waiting to educate my kids. I believe that there are public schools that use their funding for educational purposes. I believe that there are wonderful support staff who genuinely care about kids out there in public schools.
Why else will I send my children to public school? Because I know that I will be at home to help them should they need homework help. I know that I will be available after school to help on a project. I know that I will also be teaching concepts to my boys at home, which is the one of the best things a parent can do, regardless of whether their child is in public school or not. I will choose public school for my child and I am proud of it.