The Financial and Fundamental Harms of Private School Education

 The Financial and Fundamental Harms of 

Private School Education

By: Hope Geisel                                                                                                                                                                      November 24, 2024

Miserable Private School Students

    The debate surrounding whether or not private school is more beneficial or more harmful for students is a prominent and important argument that needs to be discussed. Private schools are often viewed as a "head start" or a "future advantage" for kids. However, it is quite the opposite when you take into account the financial and fundamental harms it will have on you and your child. Private schools are expensive, uninclusive, and unreliable. Instead of challenging the student academically, private schools create future challenges and obstacles for the child to deal with. 

    In order to attend private school, you must pay a tuition. Private school tuition can cost as much as, or even more than, college tuition. Public schools are funded by the government using taxpayer dollars. It is free to attend public schools. However, private schools are purely funded from tuition along with sponsors and donations. Private schools are also known for instilling a strict dress code where uniforms are most likely mandatory. The uniforms usually exhibit modesty along with unison. Modesty should not be a main pressing issue that families have to worry about. Uniforms are generally expensive. You will constantly have to keep rebuying uniforms every time your child grows and her skirt no longer reaches the bottom of her knee. Children are also messy, every time your kid gets a stain on their uniform, you will need to buy a new one. The yearly cost of private school can quickly become a substantial burden on your family. Altogether, the expensive cost of private schools creates a barrier which separates upper class families from lower class families. The majority of esteemed private schools have one specific demographic: white and wealthy. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, over 65% of private school students are white. However, less than 10% of private school students are black. This disparity highlights the significant absence of diversity in private schools. The United States is becoming more and more diverse every day. It is crucial that young students are exposed to diversity, especially in their formative years. If a student is not able to interact with daily with a diverse group of people, that student will have a harder time in the future adapting to the real world where diversity is so prominent.

    Most private schools have a particular religious denomination that they follow and teach. According to the Pew Research Center,77% of private schools are affiliated with a specific religion. 35% of all private schools are Catholic private schools. Generally, religious private schools dedicate class periods to teaching religion. To some people, this may be preferred. Many private school parents chose their specific private school in order to teach their children about their religion. However, in order to teach that religion class, they are shortening or removing other critical classes. Instead of using that class period to further teach an important area of study, like a math, a science, or an english class, they sacrifice that time to teach a religion class. Many Catholic private schools will also hold school sponsored mass or services that can last an hour or even longer. By doing this, they are cutting into other class periods even further and taking time away from important and foundational classes. The religious aspect of private school may also be a concern for the students who do not share the same faith or beliefs. It may also be a concern if you believe in separation of religion from the classroom. Additionally, private schools create their own curriculum. They do not have a specific curriculum that is sanctioned by the government that they are required to teach. There is no certain way to know if the private school is teaching your child what they should be or need to be learning.  The curriculum taught at one private school can be far different from the curriculum taught at the next one. They could be dedicating multiple hours of teaching to one area of study, while also only having 30 minutes dedicated to a different, more important area of study.The lack of standardized curriculum interferes with academic prosperity which can harm the student in the future. 

    In conclusion, private schools do more harm than good for students. Instead of giving students head starts, they hold students back and prevent future success. It is also a large financial burden. You are paying tuition that is comparable to college tuition.  The cost of attending private school, not just financially, but also fundamentally, will have an enormous impact on you and your student. The lack of diversity and inclusion is detrimental especially when it is lacking in their most fundamentally important years. Do not make the grave mistake of sending your child to private school.