PRIVATE SCHOOL KIDS, NOT WHAT THEY SEEM?

Private School Kids, Not What They Seem?

Halie Laubach
University of Kentucky

Laubach

PRIVATE SCHOOL KIDS, NOT WHAT THEY SEEM?

Laubach

Abstract
The portrayal of private schools in popular culture isnt an accurate depiction; not
everything is what it seems. Sometimes the student isnt given a choice in whether or not to
attend a private institution and, more often than not, is following a parents instruction. And,
while some of these parents do have money and are considered wealthy, there is no direct
correlation that the student is spoiled or entitled. A lot of the attendants of these schools go solely
for the religious education. Another issue is the uniforms that have become the staple of a rich,
white, private school stereotype. The uniforms that private school students wear were not chosen
by them, they dont wear them to look on trend, they are worn because it is required. The
representation of Private school students may come off as entitled or snobbish because of their
intense course load and pressure put on them by society.

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All of my life Ive grown up attending Kentucky public schools. I have little knowledge
of private schools and their beliefs and customs. My understanding of the subject is based
entirely on what I have seen portrayed in popular culture. Television series such as Zoey 101,
Gossip Girl and Victorious are what formed the ideas in my head of what I thought private
school was all about. I, like most, thought that it was rich, white, preppy, snobby kids going to a
school with other students exactly like themselves. After conducting two interviews and doing
some research I have realized my assumptions were unfounded and very biased. Like most
stereotypes, students that attend/attended private schools, dont live up to the likeness of what is
portrayed in the media.
The first private schools were established by Catholic priests in Louisiana and Florida in
the early 19th century. The Catholic Church also established schools in Texas and California
later in the century (Garrett-Hatfield). Public schools had already been mandated and up and
running since 1647. To this day private schools are still far outnumbered by public schools
though; there are nearly three times as many public schools as there are private.
Through my research I learned the main differences between public and private schools
were not wealth or prestige, but more focused on the atmosphere and learning environment.
One of those differences being, that private schools offer better learning environments for
their students. The atmosphere of a private school has a much more serious, business like tone
and makes it more conducive for learning. Private schools offer smaller class sizes that help
ensure a greater degree of attention for each individual than in public schools. Private schools
often expect higher performance levels, and place more pressure on students to achieve the
highest standards.
Another key difference is the level of supervision. Private school attendants are watched
more closely than those who attend public schools. A 2002 U.S. Department of Education report

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showed private schools averaging 13 students per full-time equivalent teacher, versus 16 students
per teacher in public schools. Thirty-six percent of private schools averaged student-teacher
ratios of 10:1 or lower, compared to 10 percent for public schools. As a result of smaller class
sizes, teachers can spend more time ensuring that students understand the material.
The amount of discipline also is very different between private and public schools.
Typically, kids that attend private schools are less likely to act out because they know the
consequences will not be pleasant. In public schools, there usually is a less harsh punishment.
Private schools typically offer a more consistent approach to student discipline than public
schools. The "Private School Review" stated that as a condition of enrollment, private school
students usually are required to show that they've read and understood the particular schools code
of conduct. The majority of private schools impose zero-tolerance policies for major behavioral
offenses such as cheating, stealing or substance abuse. Violating the schools policies means
immediate expulsion unlike in the majority of public school systems. (Heibutzki)
Bellers study found the following: In the fall of 2011, there were 30,861 private
elementary and secondary schools that had 4,494,845 students in attendance and 420,880 fulltime equivalent teachers in the United States. Sixty eight percent of those private schools,
enrolling 80 percent of private school students and employing 72 percent of private school
teachers in 2011-12, had a religious orientation or purpose. Private schools are everywhere and
so is their stereotype.
I had originally believed (and think that others may have as well) that kids who attended
private school did it because they believed that they were too good for public school. Shockingly
though, I discovered that a majority of the kids that go to these schools go for the religious
education that they will acquire going there. Kolko (2014) found in his study that just 20 percent
of private school students attend non-sectarian schools (not religiously affiliated); the other 80

PRIVATE SCHOOL KIDS, NOT WHAT THEY SEEM?

Laubach

percent are in religiously- affiliated private schools, of which half are Catholic. So, a larger part
of the private school attendees, went for the religious affiliation. Although, most public schools
provide quality education because they are not allowed by law to work religion into the
curriculum, it is lacking an essential aspect for some students. For a lot of people, church on
Sunday mornings just isnt enough spiritual enrichment. Therefore, private catholic school is a
way to work more religion into the students daily lives.
On the other end of the spectrum, sometime it just isnt the childs choice. What I found
out during my second interview with someone who attended a private school, was that the
interviewee, Taylor Fink did not get to make the decision of where she attended elementary or
middle school. Thats typical for a lot of people. Most kids until they turn 18 are not allowed to
make substantial, life changing decisions on their own; such as where they will attend
elementary, middle or high school. Where you attend school can make or break your future. A lot
of parents believe that their child will attain a higher quality education from a private school. In
this situation how can a kid be grouped with the reputation of the other people who attend these
schools, when they didnt even make the decision to go there on their own? Parents want what is
best for their child. And what is best for their child is getting the best possible education. High
school and middle school is what shapes you into who you are. It gives you the base for
everything you need to know in order to be prepared for college. If a parent thinks that going to
private school is the way for their child to achieve that, then most likely their child is going to a
private school. Another reason parents think sending there child to a private school is a wise
choice is because of the community service opportunities. Private schools offer various volunteer
opportunities each year. For many parents, giving back to the community is essential to them.
The Council for American Private Education said that; involving America's students in
community service activities is one of the objectives established under the third National

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Education Goal for the year 2000, which seeks to prepare students for responsible citizenship.
Because it is required for students to serve the community when they attend these schools, it
makes private school appealing to those parents that feel this way. These are just a few reasons
why parents dont give there kids a choice on whether or not they attend private school.
Another reason that Ive learned that the students do not fit into the stereotypes is because
theyre not rich. The students themselves are almost never the ones who pay their tuition at a
private school. Their parents are the ones who have the money to put them through these schools,
not them. On average, tuition is almost $11,000, not counting the discounts or scholarships that
students could potentially attain. This ranges from $7,000 for Catholic schools and $9,000 for
other religious schools to $22,000 for non-sectarian private schools. Tuition tops out at about
$40,000 for the most expensive prep schools (Kolko). Do you really think that the kids attending
these schools have that kind of money? Let me answer that for you, most likely they do not.
Typically, if a student is attending a private school they have a full course load, so the chances of
them being able to maintain that and a job are slim. So these students chances of being able to
earn money while going through school is not very high. Therefore, they do not have the large
amount of money required to go there and do not fit in with the rich part of the private school
stereotypes.
A big reason private school kids are labeled preppy is because of the way that they
dress. The truth of the matter is though that they dont get to choose what they wear to school
everyday. Private school kids have to follow a very strict dress code setup by the school,
everyday. After my interview with Tori Nevius, I found out just how strict they are. She told me
that if your socks didnt match or that you had colored under garments that showed through even
the slightest bit, you would receive a detention. That means that if you over slept and had to get
dressed in a hurry, you had better grab the right socks or the correct colored undergarment or you

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could face a punishment because of it. It is unfair to them that they have been categorized by
their what they where, when they have absolutely no say in what they have to put on for school
everyday. Private schools have been required to wear uniforms for generations in order to create
conformity through out the school. It doesnt look like private schools are going to get rid of
these requirements anytime in the foreseeable future. Therefore, they should not be labeled
preppy, based off of the clothes that they are wearing.
Private school students are often considered snobby and depicted as such in the media. I
believe, however, that they are only perceived as entitled because of the stress caused by the
intense course load that they are given and are unable to relate to a public school student. The
different environments create a separation and create a barrier between these two types of
students. The private school students simply value their studies and education more heavily than
a public school student and are then perceived as snobbish because they cant to the different
values of a public school student.
According to Kennedys Study: Private schools can be more academically rigorous than
public schools, and private school students may have to meet more criteria to keep up their
grade point averages. According to The Condition of Education 2001, from the National Center
for Education Statistics, Private high schools typically have more demanding graduation
requirements than do public high schools. Compared with public schools, private schools
required more coursework.

This is why private school students have gotten the reputation of snobby. I think that they
are just stressed out a lot of the time because they have so much on their plate at once. Most
people when they are stressed tend to not be in the best mood. So the chance of them being less
friendly towards others is higher. Consequently, they come off as unapproachable and obtain a
bad reputation.
The final reason that I believe that private school students do not fit into the stereotype

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that society has given them is because everyone is different. No one person is exactly like
another. We cannot and should not group an entire culture of people into one category. Yes there
will be some that attend private schools and fit the stereotype to the tee. However, that is not true
of everyone there. Some of the nicest and most genuine people you may ever meet couldve
attended private schools.
The choice of a private or public institution doesnt determine the kind of person you are
anymore than the state you decide to live in. Of course there are correlations between things
valued because of experiences and beliefs but no direct outcome of someones personality can be
determined because they attended a private school or decided to live in Kentucky for a year.
Many of the conflicts in todays society stem from snap judgments and assumptions about people
we encounter in our daily lives. There is always a deeper reason for the way a person acts,
dresses, and conducts them selves in a social setting and if we as a culture take the time to
determine these reasons the world would be a much less complicated place.

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Reference
Beller, N.D. (1984). Private Elementary and Secondary Education, 1983 Enrollment, Teachers,
and Schools (Bulletin). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center
for Education Statistics.
Kolko, J. (2014, August 13). Where Private School Enrollment Is Highest and Lowest Across the
U.S. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
CAPE | Council for American Private Education. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2014.
T. Nevius, Personal Communication, October 10 2014.
T. Fink, Personal Communication, October 10 2014.
Kennedy, R. (2013, November 16). Why Private School? | PrivateSchoolReview.com. Retrieved
October 20, 2014.
Heibutzki, R. (n.d.). The Advantages of Private School Education. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
Garrett-Hatfield, L. (n.d.). Advantages & Disadvantages of Private & Public Secondary Schools.
Retrieved October 29, 2014.