I have a different take on private school K-12 education than some in the public system. I like it. I think private schools are good for the public education system; the competition for enrolment from private schools forces us to stay at the top of our game. While some debate the funding they receive from government, their existence, and the choice they offer for parents in the community ensures public education is not just a default option. This choice is especially true in a community like West Vancouver, with many families who can afford a private school education and excellent private schools in the community. While we rattle off a lot of statistics over graduation rates, and post-secondary transition, one statistic I am most proud of is the decade-long trend we have seen in West Vancouver, with families increasingly selecting public school for their children. We have outstanding teachers, and our schools continue to refine their programs to meet the needs of the community.
In public education, we generally go quietly about our business, the work we do in our schools, in all public schools, the important work of improving life chances for the next generation. And I usually let the most outlandish critiques of our system roll off. But not this time.
When reading the most recent Business in Vancouver, and seeing an article: “What are the real costs of private school?” on page 14 of the September 4-10, 2012 edition under Member News, (unfortunately I have not been able to locate an online link,) I didn’t expect to find this quote:
Given that private schools have proven to give students a leg up when it comes to attending university, networking, and surpassing academic standards, a private school graduate is very likely to land a high-pay job. Tuition can be considered a down payment for a child’s future salary.
With all due respect to author Carly Maga, ENOUGH. I just can’t let you get away with saying something like this. I am the first to admit we often do ourselves a disservice in the public system; the decades long labour tension takes it toll on everyone, and yes, we have a system that can improve, but I will put our public schools side-by-side private schools any day. And it is more than a “gut feel”, just last week the Globe and Mail brought attention to a recent UBC study of over 4,500 students that indicated public school graduates outperformed private school graduates in first year sciences. As I said to our staff at our Opening Professional Development Day for the year:
We are in a profession that is regularly challenged and often undervalued and underappreciated by those who look from the outside. Our world is changing so quickly – it is an exciting time to be a teacher; and teaching is still the greatest job in the world.
I struggle to properly compliment the excellence I see and hear about in our classrooms – too often comments like “we have great teachers”, or “fabulous things are happening in our classrooms” appear trite. We have a great system, great schools and great teachers.
And, as a parent, I understand it is not just what my kids get from school, it is also what they give. A K-12 education is not like buying a dishwasher, it is a relationship. My three older children are right now getting “a leg up” by attending the public school in our neighbourhood. My kids and our family have a lot to offer the school. And while I want my children to receive an excellent education, I also want all students to receive an excellent education. I am less concerned about “winning” school, and far more interested in the rich learning experiences that arise when a complex and diverse student population pushes boundaries to create an organic jolt of innovation in a classroom. Siphoning off some students, particularly those of affluence, to exclusive private schools is a “real cost” both to these children who have so much to gain and contribute, as well as their public school peers.
Of course, public schools need to be more than just a default, and strong private schools help public schools get better. We also need to be exceptionally clear about the state of public education – the world is changing rapidly, and schools need to change as well, but there is no system with the diversity that we see in British Columbia, and in Canada, meeting the levels of academic excellence we have here. You do not need to go to a private school to “get a leg up” – my experiences as a public school graduate, as an educator in three districts, and as a parent of three children in the public system, say you need to go to your local public school to gain an advantage. And, if you have an extra $20,000 you want to spend on your children, put it toward opportunities for life-long learning and take an extra family vacation (or two) each year.
On a related note, I will be participating in a forum for CBC Radio this Wednesday, (September 12) entitled “Is Our Education System Broken?” The forum is hosted by Stephen Quinn and begins at 4:00 p.m., and I encourage you to come and participate live at Vancouver Technical Secondary School (2600 E. Broadway) in Vancouver. Of course you can also follow along on the radio, online and engage on Twitter with the hashtag #otcforum.
Bravo Chris!
Thanks Kevin. We have a tremendous system – a lot to celebrate!
Nicely stated Chris.
Thanks Craig.
I find it encouraging to see a School District Superintendent speak out publicly in defense of our Public Education system even if it is in response to errors of fact in a local periodical.
I look forward to the day when we regularly witness a representative proportion of BC “Ed Leaders” publicly speaking out, respectfully, authentically and constructively against any and all government policies and actions that are harmful to our public education system and the democracy upon which it is founded. It is not as easy to speak out or stand up when your point of view is not in alignment with that of your government, employer, friend or family member, but that is when it is most valuable!
Education professionals have a duty to the public interest, and there are always times when that duty is not served by silence and/or cheer-leading; leading and participating in public discussion, debate, constructive criticism, opposition and dissent are also required.
Although too often perceived as negative, those actions are cornerstones of public education and democracy, and it is well past time for many “Ed Leaders” in BC to lead in those essential and positive practices.
The heavy lifting should not be left to teachers, students and their families alone.
Thank you for your passionate, articulate piece — very necessary, well-observed and stated ! Anecdotally, if there had been any true, evident educational advantage for private school graduates over public school graduates when I attended UVic years back, they quickly disappeared in my cohort within a month or two of our beginning first year.
Prior to becoming a teacher, I spent some decades working and volunteering in the public, private and non-profit sectors in both Victoria and Vancouver. Of all the exemplary leaders, executive directors, elected representatives, managers, lawyers, public servants, and other stellar people I worked, or came into close contact with, perhaps two had any private school background that I am aware of. The rest were fully-fledged public school vintage.
Besides, like most of us, I’m here for every student, including the struggling ones. This is one fundamentally important story which continues to inspire me each day. Perhaps you are already familiar with it:
“In Teacher and Child, noted psychologist Haim Ginott includes a copy of a letter that a principal sent to his teachers at the beginning of each new school year. Heartfelt and genuine, it evokes Facing History’s mission admirably.
Dear Teacher,
I am a survivor of a concentration camp. My eyes saw what no man should witness:
Gas chambers built by learned engineers.
Children poisoned by educated physicians.
Infants killed by trained nurses.
Women and babies shot and burned by high school and college graduates.
So I am suspicious of education. My request is: Help your students become human. Your efforts must never produce learned monsters, skilled psychopaths, educated Eichmanns. Reading, writing, arithmetic are important only if they serve to make our children more human.”
Good luck and enjoy your visit to Vancouver Technical Secondary ! I did my teaching practicum there and loved it.
Kari Hewett, VSB teacher
Thanks Kari. Yes, the public system produces tremendous graduates – so much to be proud of! It is very frustrating when others suggest it is a second-class graduation – my experiences have been that public school graduates do tremendously well.
Dear Chris,
I share many of the sentiments that you express her in your post and believe that our public system is doing well. Where I disagree is that we even make a comparison with private schools…it is like comparing apples to oranges. When we look at both under a microscope, the private school does not accept everyone that comes to their doors, be it a child with special needs or behavioural problems or a low S.E.S.. Private schools also skew their scores when it comes to the testing that most use to compare, by spending weeks and months teaching to the test instead of allowing students to learn what one deems necessary for their development…anyone can do well on a standardized test if they practice it enough. Finally if we look at graduation rates and percentage of students that go on to college/university, they were on that path before entering the school and the public schools do not often have that ability to pick from a pool of purely university driven individuals.
That is just my perspective on a system of reporting successes that must change. Now if we take a look at a system that is outpacing ours, we can learn from what is being done in Alberta and looking further a field to Finland where it is all about equity, fairness, early intervention, respect for the profession which dearly lacks here and the proper funding.
Thanks for driving my thinking and learning…
Absolutely – they play by a different set of rules, and there is a very good conversation to be had about funding – should they receive the funding they currently do in BC? That said, even without the same money, our graduates perform at the same levels. A public school graduation in BC is something of great distinction.
I enjoyed and appreciated this piece, Chris. It’s a fine summary of why public education is so effective and important to prepare young Canadians for their future life paths. I visited with many excited teachers and principals and enthusiastic students on a tour of our schools and classrooms last week. It is a privilege see what actually happens in public education on a day to day basis. All schools in B.C. have so much to be proud of and are absolutely second to none.
Thanks Patrick – like you I had the chance to see amazing schools in action last week. We have so much to be proud of – public education can improve but it is an outstanding system we have in BC.
Chris
I am wondering if it is competition with other schools or the sharing/stealing of ideas that other schools are doing that make our schools better? Do public schools make other schools better too? I hear what you are saying but we steal ideas from many other schools – not just those that are ‘competing’ with us.
Is it truly competition for students that drives us to be better or the sharing of ideas and stories?
I fear that simplifying it to competition with private schools as something that “forces schools to the top” is a statement that may take away from people that pushing education forward through collaboration and in different ways than competing with private schools.
I realize that competition for students in our districts is a whole different world than in West Van – so if competition drives West Van schools what drives schools that do not have competition? Is it competition of the students or the passion of educators striving to do the best of their kids (regardless of what is happening at the Private School down the road).
I guess what I am rambling about is that the competition may be a factor but there is much more that I fear people will not see because of statements like the one I mentioned. I also fear that people will believe that market theory and the business model of education is the route we need to go.
Great push back for public education… but I think that the power of educators in majority of BC public education does not come mainly from competition with private schools.
Thoughts?
If I was to re-write the post, I would remove the word “competition” it really takes away from the point. Like you, and as I have written many times before I think it is the culture of sharing in BC that is key. I actually said on Opening Day (the same speech I quoted from in the post) – the era of competition is over – students vs. student, school vs. school, district vs. district. The argument I was trying to make is that the parents ability to choose private (Independent) schools is a factor in driving our work at a systems level and the programs we offer.
I agree with others – I have never heard of a teacher being motivated by the presence of private schools and that notion is ridiculous, but I also know public school systems are driven by trying to build programs to attract students who are currently not in the system – in West Vancouver that is about asking the questions around why students are choosing private schools, and what can / should we do to better meet these students needs to they would select public education. Whether it is home learners, students attending independent schools or otherwise not engaged in the system – trying to meet these students needs is absolutely on the radar.
As an administrator in a private school, I would like to offer some thoughts on this posting as well. There are certainly those private schools who charge a high tuition and who only accept the top students. However, there are also those private schools, like mine, who have a large special education population and many students who have a low S.E.S. We offer a level of support that other (public) schools do not (seem to) offer and seek to help every student reach the level of success they can. Yes, we charge a tuition, but it is a relatively low amount. We don’t have the facilities that most public schools can offer, but we do have a dedicated staff. (I understand that many schools, both public and private, have a dedicated staff as well.) Our dedicated staff is our niche; it is what sets us apart in our area.
I would like to believe that we challenge the public schools down the road; not based on our facilities, the academic level of our students, but in the desire of our staff to help every student succeed. We would like to be challenged by the public school sin our area in the same way. The purpose is not to compete with one another, but to spur on one another to each help the students we have been entrusted with.
Why is it OK for children of wealthy or well off parents to have a “choice” that other children do not? Private schools (and some forms of school “choice” within the public system) create an advantage for those children. This compounds in a myriad of subtle way and is the reason you can find statistical correlations behind socio-economic well being and attending private schools. Allowing private schooling simply exacerbates income and social inequality.
You have demonstrated what is so missing from the “educational leadership” in BC – a belief that public schooling is not just about publicly paid for, but about a more equal and just society, that is democratically controlled, not privately controlled.
I appreciate Chris’s article but must take exception to the last comment. Why exactly shouldn’t “well off” parents be entited to choose to spend their money on private education or their children? What if the child has a learning disability or other challenges that would not be adequately addressed in the public system? For that matter, even if the child does not have any special needs, why shouldn’t parents who can afford private education not be allowed to provide their children with enhanced second language, music, and phys ed instruction, state of the art facilities, small class sizes, extra learning resources and not having to deal with disruptive teachers’ action? Some “wealthy” (and for that matter, some “not wealthy”) people choose to blow their money on designer clothes and flashy cars; other choose to spend it on providing their children with experiences they would not have at a public school. To each their own.
I also don’t understand the debate about government funding of private schools. The funding is derived from property taxes. The wealthy definitely pay their share, if not more than their share, of property taxes. The argument that they should not also benefit from this is nonsensical. If anything, the “wealthy” are subsidizing public school education.
As parents we all seek to provide what we believe to be the best for our children. Criticizing some parents’ choice for private over public education is, quite frankly, not only insulting, but uneducated, and takes the focus away from the informed and thought provoking comments made in the article.