Does this make me a Hypocrite?

I am a primary school teacher in the public education system in WA, and I love what i do and I believe in what I do and what I teach. However, recently we have moved to an area where I have previously worked in some of the schools and know of people that have worked in others and unfortunatley they are plauged with behaviour and social problems- so we have decided to send our kids to the local catholic school (it is also the closest school to where we live, the only one the kids can walk to and from).

Anyway my dilema is I feel like a hyporcrite for not sending my kids through the public system when that is where I work, it is not that I dont believe the teachers are capable of teaching the kids, nor that the schools aren't any good- it is just I know from experience that teaching in a classroom with lots of behaviour problems means that so much time and focus goes into behaviour management that learning takes a back seat. I dont for a minute think that my DD is a genius, but she is clever and I dont want her education to be compromised because she is in a class with naughty kids IYKWIM. I guess at the end of the day I have to do what is best for my children's education, dont I?

I don't think so.. you do whats right for your kids :)

I think that you have done what you feel is best for your child and that is the most important thing.

I wouldn't feel bad about it at all. My mum was a public school teacher and I went to a private school. I'm sure she never thought twice about it.

I am actually wondering if we are hypocrites for considering the local catholic school when we aren't religious at all, it just happens to be the closest one and has a good reputation. I think we do whatever is best when considering our kids education.

Nah, I'm moving DD from one public school to another for the behaviour reason. Also because they have a big focus on actually keeping the kids at school, not celebrating the academics.

I will say that I chose not to send DD to any of the private schools in the area due to the kdis behaviour I have seen at the bus/train station. I wasn't too impressed.

Not at all, a friend of ours is a principle at a state high school and is sending her daughter to a private primary school because of the same thing. And she isn't sending her to the local public school either...

We are having issues with the same things, the state schools we love are 2 suburbs over & we can't get in because of the catchment areas, so we have to figure out what to do.

Definitely not a hypocrite. I am sending DS to a private school, and I haven't graduated yet so who knows where I'll end up teaching lol!! In the end you have to do what you think is best for your children.

Not at all hun, I would do exactly the same in your position and being a teacher I know exactly what you mean. Depending on the area we are living in once Izzy starts school, will depend on which school she goes to and if that means that she goes to a Catholic/Independent school then so be it.

As you said, you have your kids best interest at heart, it doesn't mean that you don't believe strongly in and support the public school system. I fully support it and love working in a school that has challenging children and parents, I get frustrated by the lack of support and resources but that doesn't mean I feel any less passionate about teaching there or in any state school for that matter.

Would I send Izzy to the same school? Probably not even though I love the staff and children there!
Waffling on but hope that helps!

ALI ... my older sister is a secondary school teacher in the public system ... and she & her DH decided to send their only child (my 12.5yr old nephew) to a Catholic secondary school for many different reasons.

Mind you they are openly non-religious & certainly don't pretend to be Catholic. My Mum carried on a bit about that but we tried to explain to her that one of the reason he is going to this school is because both my sister & bro-in-law are teachers & are well aware that it is one of the better schools in the area :dance:

It's not like he is practicing religion all day :rolleyes:

Mum still struggles to understand it as she went to a all girl's Catholic school back in the 1950's & we think she thinks it's mostly about being taught religion :doh:

Like you ALI, my sister & BIL want the best education they can offer to their son :clap:

After all it's his future in their hands & being teachers themselves they would clearly have an understanding of what is a better school to the next one in their area ;)

Thanks for all your replies it makes me feel better. I know at the end of the day what is best for my children is more important than what people think, but i would hate for people to think that don't believe in the system i teach in, and if we lived in another area then i would def. send them to the local public school- the only school in our area that I would consider, we are out of the catchment for, and because of the other schools around it is really hard to get across the boundaries.
I actualley feel quite excited that we have made the decision- i am one of those people that has to know- so knowing where my children will be educated makes me feel much happier.