3 things never to talk about
Paul Barlow
Managing Director at carsales | Global Leadership Team at CAR Group Limited (ASX: CAR)
People say you should never talk politics or religion with friends (you could throw footy in there with some).
I'll add schooling preferences in there as well. It is an argument not worth winning.
You've probably heard it before, "I didn't go to a private school and I've done alright" or "so and so went to the local high school and he's a multi millionaire".
From my perspective sending my kids to a private school is an investment
I read an interesting article in a Saturday newspaper recently comparing kids coming through public and private schools in regards to their readiness for the AFL (Australian Football League) system.
Looking at the data, players from private schools are coming into the system a long way ahead of those from public schools in terms of coping with the professionalism required.
The debate around public vs private school regularly comes up with people I associate with, usually after a few drinks have been consumed, and it was this article that spawned my last "conversation" on the topic and reasoning for putting down my thoughts.
Before I go further let me lay out these things:
1. I went to a catholic high school, definitely not private and not public;
2. My kids have/are attending a private school; and
3. I sometimes question the cost/wisdom of our choice for number 2
The reasons I have chosen to send my kids to private school are the experiences, opportunities and beyond all, playing the percentages; if this isn't the advantage of a private school education then there a lot of highly educated, smart people wasting their hard earned (not to mention the parents busting their backsides, going without to give their children a leg up).
I suppose the gist of the before-mentioned article backs up my argument.
My friends usually bring up 2 topics that stem from talking private schooling:
1. Private schools are a waste of money, they know heaps of people from public schools who have done better than people they know from private schools.
2. It isn't fair that private school education holds more weight than a public school education - this is in reference to comparing two resumes of people you do not know and having to choose one to interview (maybe a bit of unconscious bias here, which we all have).
The unfortunate reality is that we are not all in a position to have the choice to send our kids to a private school; I know and respect that and it is probably why I didn't go to one.
And yes there are some who make the choice not to; we are different and it would be a boring place if we weren't.
When someone has a choice and another doesn't, the conversation usually goes just one way and not the good way, again especially in a social setting with a few drinks.
From a job perspective, should the school one attended come into the equation? There are a lot of factors as to should it or shouldn't it.
From my perspective sending my kids to a private school is an investment I made in them as people and I would hope that the rounded experience gained from this would help them get the jump on those that haven't. If I haven't achieved that then my investment decision hasn't been great has it?
Like politics and religion, discussing the merits of sending your kids to private schools when you are and they aren't (and visa versa) can only lead one way and it is a way you don't want to go.
Investor
7 年Having put three kids through Wesley, we made a conscious decision to put zero pressure on results while encouraging them to try what was on offer and never mention the money. It worked out well for all although I feel probably would have got the same result if we had a decent local government school, which simply wasn't on offer at the time. Given hindsight is not available up front, I guess many like us go the seemingly safe route.
Showroom Front of House/Customer Service
7 年Thoroughly enjoyed that article. An ongoing debate I always have with parents I feel unconfident in the decision they have made for their own kids.
General Manager at Cleanaway
7 年Agree with your point on it's an argument not worth having and there are definitely never any winners in the conversation. Unfortunately in today's day and age, many parents simply want to "compete with the Jones's" and this is apparent in plenty of the conversations I am having at the moment about where my son will be attending Year 7 in 2018. Some parents rightly or wrongly are passing on undue stress and pressure to their children for that all important school interview. I know many parents spent days and days trying to coach their child into what to say in the interview only for the child to apparently freeze up in the interview. When a few kids didn't get in the parents then decided that it wasn't really a school for them anyway and then the conversation turns in a completely different direction. I agree with you completely that spending money on your child's education is certainly an investment worth making if you have the means to do so. Equally, it's just as important to make sure they are surrounded by the right role models either through local sporting clubs or through other similar networks.