Private vs Public School.

[CheekyChick]

I want to thank everyone for their input. Although alot of the points mentioned, I had already considered, there were several very good points I had not thought about. The decision was therefore more difficult to make, but I am more comfortable having made it with all these points considered. For anyone still interested, I decided to give the school a chance. I might revisit this a year from now. Once again, you guys are the best. Thank you for ALL your help.

CC

 

[onthebottom]

My strategy has always been to live in a great school district and send my kids to public schools.

OTB

 

[lakebear]

For a seven year old, I would not recommend this..maybe hire a tutor for an upgraded program...get you kid involved in sports...etc..spend money thyis way..Then when the kid is in grade 9, maybe make the move then...

 

[CheekyChick]

Great strategy onthebottom. I might have followed that principle if I had the money to access those better areas of Toronto. I am of course, assuming the better neighbourhoods have the better school. I know I am generalizing, but its probably true.

Lakebear: we also thought of this. But the school recruits grade 3 and grade 4 boys. By grade 9, integration into the school will be near impossible (although apparently not unheard of).

 

[onthebottom]

Great strategy onthebottom. I might have followed that principle if I had the money to access those better areas of Toronto. I am of course, assuming the better neighbourhoods have the better school. I know I am generalizing, but its probably true.

Lakebear: we also thought of this. But the school recruits grade 3 and grade 4 boys. By grade 9, integration into the school will be near impossible (although apparently not unheard of).

I've always viewed the cost of a private school (1st grade was 3k in Sydney, 23k in NYC) as incremental mortgage expense. I paid for a good percentage of my home in Short Hills NJ (top public high-school in the US the year I moved into town) by not having to pay 23k a year for private school in NYC - at the time the over/under was 300-400k of mortgage.

OTB

 

[markvee]

Great strategy onthebottom. I might have followed that principle if I had the money to access those better areas of Toronto. I am of course, assuming the better neighbourhoods have the better school. I know I am generalizing, but its probably true.

I wouldn't make this assumption. You can compare how individual schools compare on standardized tests at the Toronto District School Board website: http://www.tdsb.on.ca/

 

[jimmyt]

Both my kids go to Private school.....it IMHO does not compare to the public system. If you can afford it go private.......

 

[lh888]

Be aware that NOT all private schools are equal, just as not all public schools are equal.

If you compare the bottom of the private schools with the top of the public schools, you will find the public schools better. However, comparing the top private schools to the top public schools can give you a better perspective.

The top public schools, IMHO, can give a "better" education in SOME areas (but NOT all), and the top private schools can definitely give a "better" education in SOME areas (but NOT all).

What you do get out of the private system is smaller class sizes and more individual attention (hopefully.... NOT ALL PRIVATE SCHOOL TEACHERS are good or motivated to do so, there are bad teachers and BAD private school principals as well, even in the top schools).

The point is, your child will have a different social experience. Yes, most people that go to private schools can afford more... (what do you expect when the parents are paying $20K+/year). It is different. In the public system you see people not having enough money to pay for food at McDonalds, whereas in the private system, the kids are throwing money away (IMHO a really bad habit). Case in point, for school teams, private schools just expect the kids to fork out $100+ for the team uniforms. In public schools, it is a struggle to get kids to pay for a $30 team uniform.

 

[escortsxxx]

Aggrement

Schooling various, not all schools are equal. Some private schools don't meet Ontario standards, and are removed from the system, some dishonestly say they are part of the system - a group of schools was caught a few years back issueing fake diplomas. On the other hand, private schools that offer training in the Ontario system, the SAT USA system and the British system DO have higher standards, at least for what universities your child can easily go to. You can do this prep via extra training in the public system. there are a few "A plus" public schools known for there quality, one at least has been mentioned in this post. These schools are rumoured to push kids to leave if they don't make their standards - and connections can be made in these schools to since the rich kids tend to go here. But private schools have connections too. Its a tough call.

Be aware that NOT all private schools are equal, just as not all public schools are equal.

If you compare the bottom of the private schools with the top of the public schools, you will find the public schools better. However, comparing the top private schools to the top public schools can give you a better perspective.

The top public schools, IMHO, can give a "better" education in SOME areas (but NOT all), and the top private schools can definitely give a "better" education in SOME areas (but NOT all).

What you do get out of the private system is smaller class sizes and more individual attention (hopefully.... NOT ALL PRIVATE SCHOOL TEACHERS are good or motivated to do so, there are bad teachers and BAD private school principals as well, even in the top schools).

The point is, your child will have a different social experience. Yes, most people that go to private schools can afford more... (what do you expect when the parents are paying $20K+/year). It is different. In the public system you see people not having enough money to pay for food at McDonalds, whereas in the private system, the kids are throwing money away (IMHO a really bad habit). Case in point, for school teams, private schools just expect the kids to fork out $100+ for the team uniforms. In public schools, it is a struggle to get kids to pay for a $30 team uniform.

 

[Don]

Much depends on what public school and what private school.

Exactly. All depends on what the public school is in your area.

 

[buttman*]

The point is, your child will have a different social experience. Yes, most people that go to private schools can afford more... (what do you expect when the parents are paying $20K+/year). It is different. In the public system you see people not having enough money to pay for food at McDonalds, whereas in the private system, the kids are throwing money away (IMHO a really bad habit). Case in point, for school teams, private schools just expect the kids to fork out $100+ for the team uniforms. In public schools, it is a struggle to get kids to pay for a $30 team uniform.

this re-iterates the point that if you live in a good area, every kid at the public school will be able to afford mcdonalds etc while still not treating $20's like loonies as the private school kids do

private school you're paying for the environment

public school - location location location

 

[CheekyChick]

For those who helped me come to a decision on this, I ended up enrolling him in the school. Its alot of work, and the homework is already pretty heavy, but I am hoping for the best. The commute downtown is a killer (almost regretting it already!!LOL) Its a music oriented school, and I dont know much about music. Its sure to be an adventure. Seriously, for those that did help me decide (either yea or nay), thank you. Much appreciated. I will keep you in the loop, if you guys want to know the adventures we face this year.

 

[Yoga Face]

For those who helped me come to a decision on this, I ended up enrolling him in the school. Its alot of work, and the homework is already pretty heavy, but I am hoping for the best. The commute downtown is a killer (almost regretting it already!!LOL) Its a music oriented school, and I dont know much about music. Its sure to be an adventure. Seriously, for those that did help me decide (either yea or nay), thank you. Much appreciated. I will keep you in the loop, if you guys want to know the adventures we face this year.

Now get together with other parents and sue the government for your taxes back

You found the public school wanting so why should you pay twice for a government failure?

Public schools spend more per child than private so what is the point of them when they deliver less?

 

[danmand]

Now get together with other parents and sue the government for your taxes back

You found the public school wanting so why should you pay twice for a government failure?

Public schools spend more per child than private so what is the point of them when they deliver less?

Won't happen, why should the government pay the rich to send their children
to alternative schools.

Actually, they should stop funding catholic schools also.

 

[Mongrel4u]

If your kid was meant to do good in school, he/she will do good no matter which school they attend.

Pure truth there.

But private school does help in the way of hook ups later on down the rowad.

However in the end of the day when you turn these kids out to the big scarey world....nothing matches a combination of cleverness/street smarts/opportunism. Your kid has those 3 things and he/she is set...Many of the most successful people came from humble backgrounds and did not go to private schools.

 

[Noir@heart]

Agreed

private school kids are not better behaved. All of my siblings and I went to private schools. My sister went to a private school in Toronto where the kids were dropped off in Lamborghins, Bentley's etc. If you looked in the parking lot at the back of the school for the kids there were mostly european cars with the odd Mustang GT, Lexus or Hummer.

Do you know what these kids did in the classroom? They smoked pot. And this school is supposed to be on the list of schools that UofT, Waterloo, Queens like to get students from. (Told to my dad from a former dean at UofT).

There is one positive thing you can say about private schools and that is the kids can do a lot of networking. Half of my friends when I went to HS were kids of diplomats and CEOs. Most are doing very well now and I'm sure are going to be very influential.

 

[Yoga Face]

Won't happen, why should the government pay the rich to send their children
to alternative schools.

Actually, they should stop funding catholic schools also.

Your perspective is wrong here

The government has established a two tiered system one for the rich and public schools for everyone else


Everyone gets vouchers and the public schools can compete for them

It would be cheaper as private schools spend less per child and still make a profit !


Public schools are the number one form of child abuse !

Why should gays be forced to be abused in schools that are not gay friendly? same with racism, bright kids, fat ugly kids etc and why cant we sue the government for this abuse?


Get education out of the control of the state, what will happen when the fundamentalists get in power !?

 

[danmand]

Your perspective is wrong here

The government has established a two tiered system one for the rich and public schools for everyone else


Everyone gets vouchers and the public schools can compete for them

It would be cheaper as private schools spend less per child and still make a profit !


Public schools are the number one form of child abuse !

Why should gays be forced to be abused in schools that are not gay friendly? same with racism, bright kids, fat ugly kids etc and why cant we sue the government for this abuse?


Get education out of the control of the state, what will happen when the fundamentalists get in power !?

I believe it is the governments responsibility to provide free education to the
master`s degree level for averybody who has the talent to do so.

If anyone choses to send their children to private schools in Switzerland or
somewhere in Ontario, they should pay for that themselves.

 

[punter]

I have two cousins, both over 30, now, whose father is a doctor. They both went to private schools since day one. The parents didn't provide much guidance. I guess they thought that the private school would handle most of that. One ended up failing to get into medical school, disappointing the father (it's not easy to get into medical school, even if your dad's rich and you go to private school), and ended up going back to school to do law, after wasting some time, so a partial success. The other cousin, fucked around a lot, went to community college, and ended up selling cars. A huge failure in daddy's eyes.

My son is 13, goes to public school in a good area. I used to help him with his homework since I'm good at math and science. Now, he doesn't ask me for help much. The little fucker is going to be smart than me!

 

[canucklehead]

I went to SAC UCC and Ashbury in Ottawa .... connections are great ..... after that i was never truly engaged at any of them...
My kids go to private and it is a different world now... teacher student ratio is the biggest thing. Curriculum is the same one supported by the Ministry and needs to meet the Ministry's requirements... but after that they go above and beyond.
If u have the chance give it a try and he is your kid ... watch his development. My biggest problem is the competition that takes place with these kids.