Betty goes to private school

Today, we dropped our daughter off to her first day of kindergarten. She has been in daycare her whole life, so it wasn't a heart string tugging moment as it might be for other parents. And Betty* couldn't wait to run through the doors of her Catholic school. And, yes, I am a public school teacher and send her to private school and I have no qualms about that at all. Even though you might.

From time to time articles and OpEds appear in the local newspapers purporting disgust that public school teachers send their kids to private schools. The tone of these pieces all seem to imply, and some state out right, that there must be something wrong with the teachers. Wrong. The teachers in the Chicago Public School systems are devoted, highly educated, individuals who believe in giving the best to some of the neediest students. I would be thrilled to have any of my colleagues teach my child, but not in a CPS school. The classrooms are too crowded and the security system, espeically in the elementary schools, is weak.

My family lives in a very nice neighborhood with one of the best public schools in the Chicago Public School System walking distance from our home. In fact, Arne Duncan, the Secretary of Education for the United States of America, often points to this school as an example of what a public, urban, school can be. And it is a very good school. There is a fabulous art program; local businesses sponsor events in conjunction with the school that nurture and excite the neighborhood kids; after-school programs abound; and a summer camp provides much needed care for many kids with working parents.

But, when we were investigating schools for Betty, my good friends took a tour of this neighborhood school. My good friend who has heard the stories that I am blahging asked the parent guide: "How is security?" The answer from the tour guide was "poor, but we're working on it."

So, Betty goes to private school.

I teach in a pre-k to 8 school. There are no metal detectors. And there are gangs. Last year for the CPS writing test, the question posed to the students was "what is one thing you would do to improve your school." Paper after paper from the kids suggested better security and metal detectors because as one young scholar wrote, "kids come to school with weapons."

Betty goes to private school.

I'm not naive. I'm sure Betty's private school has problems. And I'm sure there are students who have attended who have been diagnosed with behavioral problems. But, you know what? If a kid comes to Betty's school with a weapon. That student would be kicked out the next day. Two years ago, I had a student come to school with a knife. He was suspended for three days instead of ten because as was explained to me by a higher up, "the knife was less than ten inches long and was not serated."

So, seriously, can you blame me for sending Betty to private school?




*Names changed