In recent
years the percentage of school students enrolled in the public sector has
decreased continually. While privatization of the schooling system has always
existed, it seems parents are choosing private over public now more than ever.
The Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation showed that less than 66% of
students were enrolled in the government system, this is the lowest proportion
since Federation in 1901. (Tovey, Public primary school numbers up but
it tends to get private after that, 2013).
Ho (2011) argues that this trend towards private education in the later years of schooling is due to a desire for “quality” education or education within a specific faith. (page 610). As a result of this, public schools are generally left with the “residual” population who may not be in a financial position to gain access to private education for their children. This segregation of communities through school choice, can result in a loss of the acknowledgement of others within our everyday lives.
Ho discusses the concept that schools are a “micropublic” and can be greatly influential in determining the acceptance of others and differing cultures. Private schools and schools in particular geographic locations have typically become social grounds for “white Anglo-Australians”. Tovey (August 24, 2013) focuses on one particular mother living on the North Shore of Sydney. She acknowledges that many families in this area are almost “obsessive” about school choice.
Though one argument stated by Geoff Newcombe, the executive director of the Association of Independent Schools NSW, suggests that “There’s got to be a pretty strong reason for you to pay for something you can get for free.” (Tovey, August 24, 2013). This statement can be taken from two viewpoints. Firstly, the state system is failing and parents feel a strong pull to send their students to private schools to receive a “quality” education as Ho suggests (2011, page 610). Secondly, it can be viewed that parents would only pay for a private education if they had strong reasons not to believe in the teaching and achievements within their local public schools.
Personally, I quite agree with the second perspective. My education was completed entirely within the public school system. While my high school wasn’t a brilliant performing high school, it was not substantially underachieving. I would choose public over private, so long as the local high school was of a standard to good quality, in teaching and results achieved. The mother interviewed for Tovey’s article holds the same view, as must many other families who choose to send their children to public schools, not just due to financial necessity. While school choice is a major decision in the job of raising children, I think it should be carefully considered from multiple angles, not merely the binary opposites of private versus public.
Ho (2011) argues that this trend towards private education in the later years of schooling is due to a desire for “quality” education or education within a specific faith. (page 610). As a result of this, public schools are generally left with the “residual” population who may not be in a financial position to gain access to private education for their children. This segregation of communities through school choice, can result in a loss of the acknowledgement of others within our everyday lives.
Ho discusses the concept that schools are a “micropublic” and can be greatly influential in determining the acceptance of others and differing cultures. Private schools and schools in particular geographic locations have typically become social grounds for “white Anglo-Australians”. Tovey (August 24, 2013) focuses on one particular mother living on the North Shore of Sydney. She acknowledges that many families in this area are almost “obsessive” about school choice.
Though one argument stated by Geoff Newcombe, the executive director of the Association of Independent Schools NSW, suggests that “There’s got to be a pretty strong reason for you to pay for something you can get for free.” (Tovey, August 24, 2013). This statement can be taken from two viewpoints. Firstly, the state system is failing and parents feel a strong pull to send their students to private schools to receive a “quality” education as Ho suggests (2011, page 610). Secondly, it can be viewed that parents would only pay for a private education if they had strong reasons not to believe in the teaching and achievements within their local public schools.
Personally, I quite agree with the second perspective. My education was completed entirely within the public school system. While my high school wasn’t a brilliant performing high school, it was not substantially underachieving. I would choose public over private, so long as the local high school was of a standard to good quality, in teaching and results achieved. The mother interviewed for Tovey’s article holds the same view, as must many other families who choose to send their children to public schools, not just due to financial necessity. While school choice is a major decision in the job of raising children, I think it should be carefully considered from multiple angles, not merely the binary opposites of private versus public.
WORKS REFERNECED:
Ho, C. (2011, December). Respecting the Presence of Others: School
Micropublics and Everyday Multiculturalism. Journal of Intercultural Studies
, 603-619.
Tovey, J. (2013, August 24). Public primary school numbers
up but it tends to get private after that. Retrieved October 25, 2013, from
Sydney Morning Herald: www.smh.com.au/national/education/public-primary-school-numbers-up-but-it-tends-to-get-private-after-that-20130823-2sh7r.html
Posted by Emily Mitchell
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