Private Schools are hurting Public Schools

[countrypk]

Chattanooga has 4 private schools over 100 years with the oldest being Notre Dame at 132. It also has the highest private school attendance per capita in the state and maybe in the nation. I imagine the early success of private school influenced the numbers in Hamilton County. The debate about whether their existence hurts public schools has been going on a long time. Most of those arguments have already been made on this string. I believe the most important variable which determines the quality of public education as measured by graduation rates, standardized test scores, truancy, etc., is demographics. Demographics trump every variable including amount spent per capita. Williamson County has excellent public schools despite a high number of alternatives. Shelby County has legendarily bad public schools despite a relatively low number of private schools.

 

Private schools probably have some effect one way or another on the margin but the characteristics of an area's population ultimately determine the quality of public schools.

[Baldcoach]

A greater emphasis doesn't mean an absence.

 

 

I agree, at least for the rural publics. If your community is a religious one then that certainly is reflected in your community school. You won't find much of that at all in the metro publics. People sue and teachers get fired if you add Christianity to your classroom.

 

Thus one of the reasons the small privates are virtually all in metro areas.

[VolunteerGeneral]

Anyone that pays taxes should hug the next private school parent they meet for keeping their taxes low.

 

 

 

That is simply ignorant. /dry.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

[MetFan]

That is simply ignorant. /dry.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

 

You left out the math calculation in your quote. Care to defend your statement or is it just a gratuitous assertion?

[VolunteerGeneral]

I agree, at least for the rural publics. If your community is a religious one then that certainly is reflected in your community school. You won't find much of that at all in the metro publics. People sue and teachers get fired if you add Christianity to your classroom.

 

Thus one of the reasons the small privates are virtually all in metro areas.

 

 

Please define what you mean by adding Christianity to your classroom.

[noonesfool]

You left out the math calculation in your quote. Care to defend your statement or is it just a gratuitous assertion?

 

I tend to agree with VG. 42 years ago, my Father sent me to a Military School and a few years later I asked him about paying taxes that went to Public Education.

 

After calling me a knot head, he explained that all Americans were obligated to keep public Education financed. Public education created a strong middle class and it was our tool to avoid class war. He told me it was my behavior and attitude that took me to a military school. It was an OPTION that he could afford. It straighten me out and I went to a great public HS. I did not feel the academics were superior to one over the other.

 

When I buy an SUV or a house with more bedrooms than I need (and I have) I chose to pay more. Because I have certain tastes and needs I pay more taxes and yes that money goes into public housing and streets on the other side of town that I never drive on.

 

Education is considered an entitlement and a privelage in America (I go nuts when people don't take advantage of it) and private schools are choice.

 

On the other hand, I go nuts at some of the backward rural and do nothing inner city schools and they expect to keep their students! But that is another post.

[westtnman]

You left out the math calculation in your quote. Care to defend your statement or is it just a gratuitous assertion?

 

 

 

I can almost hear the dictionary pages turning from here /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

[VolunteerGeneral]

I tend to agree with VG. 42 years ago, my Father sent me to a Military School and a few years later I asked him about paying taxes that went to Public Education.

 

After calling me a knot head, he explained that all Americans were obligated to keep public Education financed. Public educated created a strong middle class and it was our tool to avoid class war. He told me it was my behavior and attitude that took me to a military school. It was an OPTION that he could afford. It straighten me out and I went to a great public HS. I did not feel the academics were superior to one over the other.

 

When I buy an SUV or a house with more bedrooms than I need (and I have) I choose to pay more. Because I have certain tastes and needs I pay more taxes and yes that money goes into public housing and streets on the other side of town that I never drive on.

 

Education is considered an entitlement in America (I go nuts when people don't take advantage of it) and private schools are choice.

 

On the other hand, I go nuts at some of the backward rural and do nothing inner city schools and they expect to keep their students! But that is another post.

 

 

Hush nooney. I`m busy giving Metfan a hug. /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

[MetFan]

I tend to agree with VG. 42 years ago, my Father sent me to a Military School and a few years later I asked him about paying taxes that went to Public Education.

 

After calling me a knot head, he explained that all Americans were obligated to keep public Education financed. Public educated created a strong middle class and it was our tool to avoid class war. He told me it was my behavior and attitude that took me to a military school. It was an OPTION that he could afford. It straighten me out and I went to a great public HS. I did not feel the academics were superior to one over the other.

 

When I buy an SUV or a house with more bedrooms than I need (and I have) I choose to pay more. Because I have certain tastes and needs I pay more taxes and yes that money goes into public housing and streets on the other side of town that I never drive on.

 

Education is considered an entitlement in America (I go nuts when people don't take advantage of it) and private schools are choice.

 

On the other hand, I go nuts at some of the backward rural and do nothing inner city schools and they expect to keep their students! But that is another post.

 

Very good post but I stand by my statement that the 2500 kids in Jackson/Madison county private schools are making residents taxes lower by not taking their entitlement. I attended public school here 25 years ago and received an adequate education with little effort on my part. Public education in metro areas today is in shambles. The smart kids will emerge just as prepared as private school kids. The marginal ones may fall through the cracks due to the lack of discipline and enormous size. I can't remember the police ever being called to North Side while I attended there. Today we have police officers stationed in the schools and the police are called regularly for incidents that break out on campus. 2 years ago, I was walking down the hallway of my son??™s high school looking at the decorations that had been placed on students lockers. Something seemed strange and then I realized none of the lockers had locks on them! Public education is a noble ideal but social decay has ruined it in the metro areas. I guess you would call me middle class. I work a swing shift at a factory and our gross income is about 65K. The 3 cars my family drives are worth about 10K total. I am struggling to send my son to a private out of state Christian college (saving Tennesseans those tax dollars again, how bout a hug VG). I could have had a bigger house, nice cars, been able to take vacations but I would do it all over again. The blessings my family received cannot be quantified and material possessions pale in comparison. If you feel public education meets you family??™s needs, great for you.

[MetFan]

I can almost hear the dictionary pages turning from here /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

 

Didnt have to use one. Mrs. Harding was an excellent english teacher during her years at NorthSide. I beleive she still teaches at Madison Academic.

[noonesfool]

Very good post but I stand by my statement that the 2500 kids in Jackson/Madison county private schools are making residents taxes lower by not taking their entitlement. I attended public school here 25 years ago and received an adequate education with little effort on my part. Public education in metro areas today is in shambles. The smart kids will emerge just as prepared as private school kids. The marginal ones may fall through the cracks due to the lack of discipline and enormous size. I can't remember the police ever being called to North Side while I attended there. Today we have police officers stationed in the schools and the police are called regularly for incidents that break out on campus. 2 years ago, I was walking down the hallway of my son??™s high school looking at the decorations that had been placed on students lockers. Something seemed strange and then I realized none of the lockers had locks on them! Public education is a noble ideal but social decay has ruined it in the metro areas. I guess you would call me middle class. I work a swing shift at a factory and our gross income is about 65K. The 3 cars my family drives are worth about 10K total. I am struggling to send my son to a private out of state Christian college (saving Tennesseans those tax dollars again, how bout a hug VG). I could have had a bigger house, nice cars, been able to take vacations but I would do it all over again. The blessings my family received cannot be quantified and material possessions pale in comparison. If you feel public education meets you family??™s needs, great for you.

 

I understand your situation. If my community had not provided such an outstanding school system for my daughters, I would have been in your shoes in a heartbeat. However I still believe that we must support public education for the survival of our nation. But I do struggle with letting the rats run the ship in some cities and communities.

[Baldcoach]

I understand your situation. If my community had not provided such an outstanding school system for my daughters, I would have been in your shoes in a heartbeat. However I still believe that we must support public education for the survival of our nation. But I do struggle with letting the rats run the ship in some cities and communities.

 

 

I happily pay my taxes that go to education. I'd like a little more accountablility for what they go for, but I am willing to pay even more as I believe that public ed is a cornerstone of any free society.