Friday, June 2nd 2006
Someone is ignorant. It’s just that simple.
The Chronicle has been running an interesting series about schools in the city this past week. For additional reading, see the Patriot story on the topic from our May issue.
Anyway, in today’s Letters to the Chronicle, Julie Billington explains why public schools are better:
When we made the choice to go to public school, I heard comments from parents sending their kids to private school such as “I wouldn’t sacrifice my children for a principle” — referring to our public-school choice.
In the end, what I see from the private-school parents in most cases is racism and elitism. They don’t want their hothouse flowers mixing with underprivileged or minority kids. It’s just that simple. Of course, they won’t admit it and probably don’t even acknowledge it to themselves. But, I see it from their comments and their actions.
Interestingly, right next to non-racist and non-elitist Mrs. Billington is a letter by Maureen Huntington, the Superintendent of Catholic Schools in SF, shooting out statistics:
Overall, the 32 Catholic elementary/middle schools in the city have a student population that is 29 percent white, 22 percent Latino, 17 percent Chinese, 14 percent Filipino, 9 percent multiracial, 5 percent African American and 4 percent other Asian. The seven high school/college prep Catholic schools in San Francisco have a student population that is approximately 39 percent white, 14 percent Latino, 14 percent multiracial, 13 percent Filipino, 9 percent Chinese, 4 percent other Asian and 4 percent African American.
It would be interesting to see the demographics of the school that Mrs. Billington’s “hothouse flowers” attend.
I don’t understand the crusade against private schools. While there are a few ultra elite ones, many of the Catholic schools produce students better prepared for later schooling at a fraction of the cost. I hope the articles explore other factors such as parent involvement.
My parents sent me to Catholic schools because they wanted me to get a Catholic education. For grades 6-8 I went to school in Santa Ana, where the school is overwhelmingly Hispanic.
Comment by Chris Page — 6/2/2006 @ 2:17 pm
It is ironic that Mrs. Billington levys the charge of elitism at private schools, considering that her divisive sentiments mark her as a liberal. Liberals are notorious for their insufferable attitudes of “Oh, I know more than you. I am more knowledgeable than you, so I am correct and you should let me make the decision for you.” All that’s missing from her letter is a graphic of her typing with her eyes closed and getting high on her own odious emissions.
Mrs. Billington, if you like your public schools so much, by all means, stick with them. No one is stopping you. Let those who desire so, choose private schools. Or are you that insecure in your choice?
I thought that freedom of choice is one of the hallmarks of American culture. Oh, wait, nevermind. We have new self-appointed guardians that presume to make choices for the rest of society now. They call themselves liberals.
Comment by -ben — 6/2/2006 @ 2:28 pm
We wouldn’t even be having this discussion if Americans had a full, truly diverse choice of schools with vouchers. And, by the way, a graduate of a SF private/Catholic high school, I can say the student body was quite diverse. And that’s a good thing - it was chosen by parents. Not mandated by the government.
Comment by Tommy Owens — 6/2/2006 @ 8:33 pm
I was in a private school from kindergarten and sixth grade. In those years, my teachers expected me to learn the multiplication table in the fourth grade, algebra in the sixth grade, and also world history in the sixth grade. Judging my from experience, I have had a good experience with the private school system, because it taught me a rigorous educational curriculum and the energy to compete in a world that is truly based on the competition between individuals.. Granted that I my private school experience was in the Philippines, I truly believe that public schools in America can achieve parity with the private school in my Old Country. Of course, when I was in the Old Country, I always struggle against my peers particularly in math and science. However, I simply don’t believe that American students are dumb. What is lacking in schools these days, and this is my observation when I was in a public high school, is that teachers do not teach competition. Yes, competition matters. When students know that they future is at stake based on their work habits and academic skills in high schools, I have no doubt that they will strive to do better in high school. In fact, based on my observation, the low socio-economic status of my friends becomes a catalyst, not a burden, to do better in school. Right now, most of them have transfered from community college to more competitive college like UCLA. By simply instilling a culture of competition and hardwork, there is no doubt that those students will achieve higher education levels. Of course, the onus is on the students to work harder in school, and for the teachers to actually create an environment that is conducive to learning. I mean, aren’t the adults supposed to teach the children, and not the other way around?
Comment by ktp — 6/3/2006 @ 12:41 am
“When we made the choice to go to public school, I heard comments from parents sending their kids to private school such as “I wouldn’t sacrifice my children for a principle’’ — referring to our public-school choice.”
Public schools are run by lefty- Teacher Associations that give plenty of campaign donations to the Democratic Party. Why not the republicans? No one needs to debate that – it is quite simple. I call for private schools with vouchers. America is becoming stupid, and that is the way to disaster. Actually our representatives, our Congress people are running scared because they cannot even try to explain governmental positions because people know nothing of political survival. All people have come to know is that government programs and a handout is life itself. I have yet to find lefty-democrats in public volunteer organization. They only work if there is a financial incentive. Most right-wing churches actually feed the homeless, and many of them do it with money from their own pockets. Cannot say that about the lefty-democrats that need government financial assistance before they lift a crooked finger.
Lefty teachers to put the hand out, but not to use the hand for good.
Comment by what — 6/3/2006 @ 4:32 pm
Ms Billington, like most liberal/leftist types, assumes that any attempt on the part of a parent to make their kids BETTER is elistist and, of course, “racist”. The fact that parents might not want to send their kids to urban public schools filled with gang members, junior thugs, and violence never crosses her mind. The fact that perhaps some parents actually want their kids to be taught facts than the usual leftie social agenda is impossible for her to accept. At some point, when vouchers are available, we will see a mass exodus from the public schools. And liberals like Ms Billington will be on the steps of the public schools, shrieking at poor and minority parents for taking their kids out of public schools to put them in quality private schools. How dare they not be interested in “diversity”!
Comment by Scott in CA — 6/5/2006 @ 8:40 am
Do some of you understand the the problem here? You’re comparing what one woman said about public schools vs. private schools in San Francisco to only Catholic private schools in San Francisco (or whichever schools reported and by whatever methods- I know where I’m from a half-Asian half-Black was both an Asian student and African American student at my local Catholic school). Anyway, your strawman argument is ridiculous (besides talking about “liberals are notorious for these attitudes” and other generalizations.
Chris Page, some Catholic schools are cheaper for students than commuting to magnets or other private schools (especially those that give generous or full aid to the poor), but many cost far more than public schools do. Just curious, did you go to either Servite or Mater Dei?
-ben, don’t be so hypocritcal- do any conservatives make choices for society in similar ways that liberals do?
what, do you do anything but generalize?
Scott, do you really think crime and drug use don’t occur in many private schools? I bet AP and IB classes and magnet programs are dominated by junior thugs, gang members, and violence.
Why is the trend of these comments starwmen arguments and generalizations?
Comment by anon — 6/6/2006 @ 11:28 pm
Anon, by a fraction of the cost I was referring to the amount of money spent by the system per pupil. As people who stalk me on facebook know, I went to MD.
Comment by Chris Page — 6/7/2006 @ 2:17 am
anon, here are a few specifics to ponder. First, Ms. Billington’s comments concerned Berkeley schools, not S.F.’s. I attended public schools in Berkeley for K-12, and can understand why NO middle or upper-class parent would want to send their kids there–the schools are geared towards addressing the interests (and class resentments) of Berkeley’s poor. Kids from the hills are treated with contempt by those from the flatlands. Poor kids are the real agenda in Berkeley schools, and they and their advocates run the show. Consider…after she was shot dead, Berkeley High grad and ’social justice’ activist Meleia Willis-Starbuck was hailed as a ‘true Berkeley hero’ by Mayor Bates…only to have it revealed that Willis-Starbuck, by summoning her gun-toting friend (’bring the heat’), had inadvertently ordered her own drive-by shooting! This thug/’hero’ was eulogized in a memorial service held on the BHS campus–one absurdity among many for the school. Historically, the woman most responsible for Berkeley’s desegregation program (begun in 1968), Louise Stoll, moved out of town 10 years after implementation–and sent her OWN KID TO PRIVATE SCHOOL. (Ms. Stoll had guaranteed that the busing program would ’solve’ the achievement gap.) Currently, Joan Blades, a Berkeley resident and founder of Moveon.org (and a classmate of mine during K-8th grade) SENDS HER SON TO PRIVATE SCHOOL IN OAKLAND. Do you suppose these two women–dedicated lefties both–may have concluded (correctly) that the local public schools are just really awful?
Comment by BHS'74 — 6/7/2006 @ 2:20 am