I wonder if they kind of neighborhood one can afford on a teacher's salary has anything to do with it. Just a thought. I used to live right at the edge of poor-performing grade school. It was the same school district, and I didn't think the teachers were poorer quality, but I did think the children's parents spent more time with a beer in front of the TV than most of my close neighbors up "on the hill". The school that we wouldn't have been enrolled in was actually quite close to me had far superior standardized test scores (29th%ile vs 70th%ile), but the average house had 4 bedrooms and 3 garages instead of the >70 year old houses with ramshackle sheds for garages down in the valley. As for paying for private school, the secular alternative here is 20K for 1st grade, but there are many more small religious private schools with very reasonable tuition.
I am a former public school teacher; my husband is currently one. As a result, there is NO WAY I would send my children to those schools; my husband actually taught in our "neighborhood" high school for two years. I would guess that some of those "big city" schools would have a higher rate, but I also feel that even the "good" schools have lots of teachers' kids attending private schools. I would be interested in how many teachers' kids are hs'ed!
I am wondering how many would still be public school teachers if it was a requirement that they send their children to public schools. Is the NEA's silent on this matter of public school teachers not supporting their union brothers and sisters by enrolling their children in private schools? (I always am fascinated by hypocrisies.)
The article said there was no comment from them. I know some districts fuss about it, but IMO, it's none of the district's business how/where the teacher's kids are educated!
I wonder what the statistic is now and whether it has changed significantly. That article was published 8 years ago. HS'ing grows more and more popular each year, and of course, who's in office has a lot to do with the overall tone of PS acceptance.
When I read the title of this thread, my first thought was, "No surprise to me!" In the district I worked in, ALL the central office supervisors/directors and a surprising number of the secretaries' kids all went to the Catholic school, whether they were Catholic or not. And as many of the teachers' kids as could afford it (if their husbands has good-paying jobs or professions) sent theirs too, IF there was room. From the school's point of view, children of alums got first choice, then sibs of current students, and the last few slots could be given to the general public as there was room.
I was a teacher's aid for summer school and in some cases I taught a class or two, and I wont put my kids in Public School ecause I've seen what;s it's like through the eyes of a child and an adult and I don't like it one it!
We know a young woman who got here teaching degree, taught at a public high school for 2 years, quit her job, and has decided to homeschool her two young sons. She said that the things that she had to put up with were terrible and he kids will never attend public school.
