Private vs. Public School

by J. R., Lakeville, CT

I live in a town in northwestern Connecticut that is the home of two excellent private schools, Hotchkiss School and Salisbury Boys School. A neighboring town hosts Berkshire School. Another neighboring town is the home of Marrelwood School. Kent School and South Kent Boys Schools are found in yet another neighboring town.

In 1990, I graduated from Salisbury Central School, the public elementary school that nearly all Salisbury residents attend. I graduated with twenty-seven others, and now attend Housatonic Valley Regional Public High School with only eleven of those original twenty-eight. The others attend one of the nearby private high schools.

Why do teenagers decide to attend a private school when the government provides education for free? In areas of the country that have poor to mediocre public school systems [children] attend private school to get the education they need to succeed, but Housatonic Valley Regional High School places in the top 10% of high schools in America educationally.

I feel that the only difference between my high school and the private schools in the area is not the quality of the education one leaves with. That difference is simply this: At a private school, a student is forced to learn and to succeed academically. At my public school, the excellent education is within reach, but a student must take control, strive, and want the education. If one wants it, the education is there, and it's just as good as that acquired at a preparatory school.

I am not saying that these prep schools are bad. Every youth should learn, and what type of education he or she wants - the imposed , or the desired - is up to the individual. I do think, however, that people should be aware that if a student truly desires to learn, private preparatory school is not the only option.