Public Schools vs Private Schools
Alexa Smith 04/9/24
When thinking of public schools, you probably think: Color, expression, fun, and just genuinely more enjoyable. But when it comes to thinking about private schools, most people, like Schaeffer Smith, a student at EJHS, say that private schools seem more strict, more rules, more dress codes, mean, and just plain boring and bland. Here’s what Schaeffer had to say about the topic, “I think public schools are better because people tell me that private schools are harder and more complex than public schools." and many other people agree with her words.
Private schools have way stricter rules, like dress code for instance. In private schools, most spread around the country have strict rules where it states that you have to wear a uniform that the school board chooses, and usually you only get one day a week to express yourself and the school allows you to wear your own clothes, also, these uniforms are expensive! $150-200 per year! That leaves an average of $750-$1,000 every 5 years for their education. Uniforms can also have specific cotton or fabric in them that some kids could be allergic to. Addison Clark, a student at EJHS who has actually been in a private school (She hasn’t gone to one she’s just visited one.), actually disagrees and thinks that private schools are better, “I feel like private schools are just more connected with people.”
According to the newest data from the National Center for Education Statistics, public schools still have way more students attending than private schools, with 50.8 million students attending public school as of 2019. Private schools enrollment in the fall of 2019 had actually subtracted in students from 5.7 million students in 2017, to 4.7 million students in 2019. That’s a literal million difference in numbers which shows how much more public schools are loved and are being more attended to. Alana Armstrong, a student at EJHS, says “Public Schools are better than private schools because you can interact with students and teachers and it is a lot more fun and active.”
When you want to get your child in a private school, a very important thing to think about is price. First of all, teachers in private schools get paid 53% more than public school teachers. It’s such an unfair system! You also need to think about the price to get your child into a private school to begin with, it can cost up to $7,161 per year in tuition fees. Public schools are funded by taxpayer dollars, but private schools represent an additional expense for parents. Micah Lawrence, a student at EJHS, says that he prefers public schools and says, “Because private school doesn’t sound fun and also it is cheaper to go to a public school.” which both statements are true in my opinion!
Why I say both statements are true is because as I said above, private schools cost a big number when it comes to tuition and school uniforms, and when Micah says it doesn’t sound fun, he’s also not wrong about that. Public schools are known to have more freedom, like I said in the second paragraph, and actually have more activities to play and more fun things to do. Public schools can sponsor more activities than private schools, like for instance, rock wall climbing, bouncy castles, fair (as in an amusement park) games, and even dunk tanks! All of which the Edgewood community has done, a public school. Johnny Laughlin, a 5th grader who has gone to both private and public schools and is now at St. Charles private school, says, "I prefer my private school that I'm at now but I miss the playground at my old school."
In private schools, you also need to think about the well-being of going there and even your emotions. In private schools, there is an average number of 176 students in the school building, which can affect a kid’s emotions, it can affect children’s emotions by being that there are not that many kids to play with, to make friends with, to socialize with. The well being of a kid can also change in private schools, it is known that private school teachers are stricter than public school teachers, I’m not saying it’s their fault because they're probably just being told by the school board to be firm with students because of the rules, but it can also hurt a child’s feelings as well if their too harsh, some teachers, not just private school teachers by the way, have even caused students to have panic attacks because of the strictness, for example, yelling at kids.
In conclusion, private schools are stricter, more expensive, hardly many kids to meet, and even meaner teachers. Tinley Jablonski, a student at EJHS, also thinks that public schools are better, and says, “Because you get to talk to more friends and you get a little more freedom.” after asking her why she likes public schools more than private schools. So before thinking about enrolling into a private school, think about the bad things, even some good things too, like a good thing being that private schools have a higher educational level, before making your decision.
My sources are Statista.com, Gitnux.com, and U.S.newsandworldreport.com.
Author's bio
Alexa is a sixth grader who enjoys swimming, piano, volleyball, and goofing around with friends.