Would you go into debt for your childs secondary education?

[fionas]

Ask me in 10 years!

Look, in theory I'm against private education because my biggest core belief is about equality of opportunity. At a very simplistic level, I think it's unfair that people can buy a better education for their kids than those that can't. And I say this as someone who will be able to afford it so it's not sour grapes from that respect.

However, we also live in the real world and obviously I will want the best for DD. I imagine my leftie principles will go out the window if I see her struggling in a public school. But I still find it very hard to come to terms with the fact that my money means that DD may squeeze into uni with the best education that money can buy ahead of some really bright kid who's recently arrived as a refugee living in a housing commission flat doing their homework whilst sharing a bedroom with two other siblings. An extreme example I know.

As I said, ask me in 10 years.

[Phteven]

Ask me in 10 years!

Look, in theory I'm against private education because my biggest core belief is about equality of opportunity. At a very simplistic level, I think it's unfair that people can buy a better education for their kids than those that can't. And I say this as someone who will be able to afford it so it's not sour grapes from that respect.

However, we also live in the real world and obviously I will want the best for DD. I imagine my leftie principles will go out the window if I see her struggling in a public school.

:yeahthat:

I guess I'm very lucky because I'm in a position to stick to my ideological beliefs without sacrificing my childrens' education. For primary I'm not too fussed about where they go and for high school I'll just move close to a high school that suits my children. Unfortunately many other people just don't have that freedom.

I think this article is relevant - it just shows what a student with passion can achieve regardless of their school.
Refugee children HSC high achievers - National - smh.com.au

[christy]

I've been thinking about this and I suddenly realised that DD1 is in a private school I forgot... she's in an independant school that costs less than most public schools in our areas, but its an alternative to home schooling and we participate much more than you would expect in another school.

She's doing a transition year at school, but will be going there until she starts year 7. Its not that I don't like the public schools in our area, its just that her special needs are met perfectly where she is.

[Liz]

Short answer - nope, wouldn't go into debt.

it just shows what a student with passion can achieve regardless of their school.

Agree that students can excel perfectly well in the public system. Yes shop around for a suitable school, but you'd do that even in private wouldn't you? Just handing over dollars doesn't ensure a good education.

Can you really line up a row of doctors and tell which ones were privately educated? In DH's industry, can you really tell the ones that flunked their HSC twice!! and those that are uni grads? (well you can actually... uni grads are pretty clueless in the real world LOL). I'll leave it there, or I'll start sounding anti-education, which I'm not LOL.. we just don't see it as the be all and end all, and so no, wouldn't fork out $$$ for it

[Nicambhar]

wowzers, didn't think that I would get that many responses to my question..

Don't anyone get me wrong, whilst my son was in my care I had him in a private high school but it just didn't cost as much as XH is paying for DD's $17K per year..it was paid for with money I actually had. I think my point in the post was not really private against public schooling it was more would you spent the money that you don't have sitting in your savings account on educational costs IYGWIM, ummm, having a bit of a blank trying to put my point to paper/pc....
The only secondary experience with public schooling is the one I got and cripes, that was years ago so I am sure it has changed over the years. I am however, very happy too with the private system. Like Bath said, the pastoral care and sporting programs are excellent.

Hoping I make some sense here

[prama]

IMO i think there are both good and bad to public and private schools. I grew up in Malaysia and went to a public school (yes not western education), my friends and i are all doing very well. Just about everyone of us in my class went to uni, I'm an engineer, there are accountants, teachers, a lawyer for a top firm in London, one who did a phd in statistics!, a marine biologist who's now a very happy SAHM. My brother is an engineer, cousins who are doctors, lawyers.
My brother and I were from a very tough background, very tough. But we did well, and our school taught us so much. I had some very good teachers and some bad.
School was not just academic but also taught us a lot about life..

I had friends from all different backgrounds, rich/poor, it was hard for me when when some of my rich friends could buy lots of things etc but tehre were also other kids who struggled in school (financially hard background with abusive parents).
I;d like DS to learn that the world consists of people of different levels.

This is again my opinion, but i dont agree how the government helps private schools, while public schools are in need. but this is another debate.

IMHO - there's nothing wrong w public education, i dont see private as one up on public. private can teach a child a lot things, give them lots of opportunities (maybe), luxuries, etc. but public, DH and I feel reflect the real world more. We feel DS needs to learn what hardship is too.

MrsMac - it's teachers like you that made me who I am today


AND to Nic - gosh, i hope this situation doesnt repeat.. If XH is behaving like that, is it any wonder DD is being rude.

[Bathsheba]

But how exactly do you "shop around" for a public education??? You get what you are given in your suburb unless you are in the top percentage of academically gifted children and then you might be lucky to be able to attend a selective school which from what I have observed here in Melbourne are run in a very similar manner to private/independant schools. If you want your child to go to a school that reflects the "real world" then you wouldn't send them to a selective school... because in the real world not everyone is as intelligent as all your classmates. Your other option is to move out of your suburb. I just don't understand why children should be forced to go to the local school if it's just not up to scratch.

Nic: getting back onto your question: we don't have the cash for school fees in our bank accounts. Each term we pay the bill using a credit card. Over the course of the term we pay it off and like I said it's usually paid off in full before we get the next bill. So does this count as going into debt? You can pay the whole year's school fees upfront... but most people pay as you go... so to answer your question: if we couldn't keep up with the fee payments then we would move to an area with the public highschool with the best reputation. We would never just send our children to the local one regardless of it's reputation just to adhere to a principle. Just as I would never go to a local hospital if it had a bad reputation for the particular service I needed. And just like I don't eat only food that is grown locally (I pay extra in both money and cost to the environment to have the product I want) and like most people drive their private car when with a little extra effort they could catch public transport.

I think that in life you aim to follow your principles but at the end of the day you have to be realistic... you can't be expected to lead a perfectly idealistic life. I know that many people will think that morally I have sold out by sending my children to private schools and I would dread the thought of the public system collapsing with a mass migration to the private system. When I vote my preference goes to Labor, not Liberal who would gladly love to see the public system fold But I do see the bigger picture and I have priorities like my faith and a need for my children to receive pastoral care amongst other cultural aspects of education and when the public schools meet these needs I will gladly use the system. Until then I am happy to pay the school fees. If that money wasn't going toward a school then it would go on "stuff" and I really can't see why people begrudge me for giving my money to an instituion that serves many rather than using it to feather our nest? What's the big deal?