Re: Do public schools look down on private schools?

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I taught in Catholic schools for a number of years and really
enjoyed it. I left because I needed more money. I've now been
in public schools more than 20 years. I nearly didn't get
hired because the principal had concerns about whether a
private school teacher could manage a class in a public school.
The perception is that discipline problems are few in a private
school compared to public. That is true based on my
experience. While I had to deal with VERY INVOLVED parents in
the Catholic school, the stresses of public education are huge.
We have to teach whoever walks through our doors and public
schools get a much wider cross section of the world than any
private school, and we are expected to make everyone above
average on state testing (a hard statistical feat).

There are good teachers in both public and private schools.
Public school teachers often regard private school teachers as
sheltered. Private school teachers often think they provide
superior education, can teach circles around public teachers,
and are able to accomplish so much with so little Public
school teachers think they could provide superior education if
they could handpick their students as they perceive private
schools can. They think they accomplish a considerable amount
anyway and are tired of being the whipping boys for all of
society's problems.

On 6/28/10, Tricia wrote:
> I'd appreciate some input on this question. I live in
> central Texas and taught at a private Catholic school
> several years and now I'm in public school. I've begun
> to feel that some public administrators and teachers don't
> really respect private schools. Someone told me that it's a
> matter of jealousy against the private schools because they
> accomplish so much with so little. I was also told that
> it's a case of not knowing-that many public school people
> simply have no clue as to what private schools really do.
> Sometimes I felt I had to work extra hard to prove myself
> and my abilties, so my colleagues would take me seriously.
> Making the transition was trying at times, but worth it.
> The private school I was at paid experienced teachers a
> wage that was approximately $13,000 below state minimum.
> So, financially I could not stay there. But, it was
> disappointing to get the feeling that some people thought
> you "wasted" most of your career, or somehow you just
> didn't "add up", even though you could teach circles around
> them.
 

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