# Should parents be allowed to decide whether their children go to private school? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 17, 2006, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-parents-be-allowed-to-decide-whether-their-children-go-to-private-school/380820 "2006-11-17T13:29:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mrrealtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@mrrealtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrrealtime)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-parents-be-allowed-to-decide-whether-their-children-go-to-private-school/380820/1 "2006-11-17T13:29:52Z")
After watching a news report on CNN about the contraversial “gay penguins” kids book, it occurred to me immediately that if that book is left on the shelves of kids libraries, it will be an effective justification for many of our evangelically leaning citizens to pull their kids out of public school and shunt them into private Christian school, well out of the influence of the liberal left leaning state. IF that’s the case, where do parent’s rights over children start and end, I mean, parents can go to jail for physical abuse, malnourishment, etc. As well, they can be penalized for neglect, and more Im sure. Now, what about depraving a child of a state-regulated education? That is, the state supposedly tries to give a completely unbiased perspective to kids, but should parents have the right to deprive children of the right to a fair and balanced perspective? A perspective that is held to some kind of account and standard? So in short, the debate is, should parents be allowed to decide whether their children go to public or private schools…and if so, should private schools be allowed to exist without the same content/bias rules as public schools? ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-parents-be-allowed-to-decide-whether-their-children-go-to-private-school/380820/2 "2006-11-17T14:13:58Z")
Psst. They already do. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-parents-be-allowed-to-decide-whether-their-children-go-to-private-school/380820/3 "2006-11-17T14:19:26Z")
Of course parents should continue to have that right. Public school, private school or homeschooling. There are some excellent private schools. And not _every_ homeschooler is a wacko. Some states do regulate these “other” educational options to an extent. However, education taxes are earmarked for the _public_ schools. They definitely need the money–some more than others. That means–no vouchers. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-parents-be-allowed-to-decide-whether-their-children-go-to-private-school/380820/4 "2006-11-17T14:22:34Z")
[QUOTE=dahfisheroo] Psst. They already do. [/QUOTE] Right- that’s the question- should they (continue) to be allowed… My answer- as much as I would like for every child to have the very liberal secular education my kids have… Yes, parents shoud retain the right to have their kids educated as fits their family and ethics. I don’t think you can make the assumption that the state regulated school is more tolerant, less biased than all private schools. Not all public schools are created equal, some are more conservative than private schools out there. As far as acedmics go, even private schools (all?) need to meet minimal state requirements for general education. ---
**Author:** ![Renob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8c91f0/32.png) [@Renob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renob)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-parents-be-allowed-to-decide-whether-their-children-go-to-private-school/380820/5 "2006-11-17T14:23:27Z")
[QUOTE=Bridget Burke] However, education taxes are earmarked for the _public_ schools. [/quote] They are earmarked for public schools because our elected officials have said so. If our elected officials allow vouchers, then they will be earmarked for private schools. > [@](#): > > They definitely need the money–some more than others. Please provide any evidence that increasing funding for schools actually increases student performance. To the OP, of course parents should decide if their kids go to private or public schools. Parents, not the state, have the responsibility for raising kids. ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-parents-be-allowed-to-decide-whether-their-children-go-to-private-school/380820/6 "2006-11-17T14:43:01Z")
Not all private schools are based on religion. And even some of the religious schools, are pretty laid back with their teachings. And this may vary depending on your location, but most “evangelically leaning citizens” prefer homeschooling. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-parents-be-allowed-to-decide-whether-their-children-go-to-private-school/380820/7 "2006-11-17T14:48:21Z")
[QUOTE=mrrealtime] After watching a news report on CNN about the contraversial “gay penguins” kids book, it occurred to me immediately that if that book is left on the shelves of kids libraries, it will be an effective justification for many of our evangelically leaning citizens to pull their kids out of public school and shunt them into private Christian school, well out of the influence of the liberal left leaning state. [/QUOTE] In which case, the student-teacher ratio at the public school will be better, and students in those schools will probably get a better education, while the kids in the Christian school get a more expensive one? Works for me. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-parents-be-allowed-to-decide-whether-their-children-go-to-private-school/380820/8 "2006-11-17T14:57:12Z")
[QUOTE=Renob] They are earmarked for public schools because our elected officials have said so. If our elected officials allow vouchers, then they will be earmarked for private schools. \ To the OP, of course parents should decide if their kids go to private or public schools. Parents, not the state, have the responsibility for raising kids. [/QUOTE] Parents, not the state, have the responsibility for paying for private schooling. The state pays for \*public \* schooling, which every parent and child has the right to utilize. If I decide that my local police force is inadequate to my needs and hire private security, should the state pay for it? ---
**Author:** ![GLWasteful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f05b48/32.png) [@GLWasteful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GLWasteful)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-parents-be-allowed-to-decide-whether-their-children-go-to-private-school/380820/9 "2006-11-17T15:00:49Z")
[QUOTE=Batsinma Belfry] And this may vary depending on your location, but most “evangelically leaning citizens” prefer homeschooling. [/QUOTE] This has certainly proven true in my experience. As to the OP: why in hell not? If parents are going to get their collective tit in a wringer over gay penguin titles appearing in a school library, then every other student in that school will very probably be better served if the children of those parents go elsewhere. Not to mention the administrators, teachers, poor put upon secretaries (someone’s gotta field the calls and appearances of those parents) and pretty much everyone else up and down the line. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-parents-be-allowed-to-decide-whether-their-children-go-to-private-school/380820/10 "2006-11-17T15:35:11Z")
[QUOTE=Batsinma Belfry] Not all private schools are based on religion. And even some of the religious schools, are pretty laid back with their teachings. [/QUOTE] The parochial school my husband attended was one of those. He says that they had a religion class, but it taught about religions all over the world with no particular emphasis on Catholicism. The private school I attended, by contrast was nothing _but_ religion. It was stirred into every subject. In English, we parsed sentences from the Bible and in math, the word problems were phrased thusly: “If Jesus has two fishes and turned them into 1000 fishes, what percentage increase does that represent?” ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-parents-be-allowed-to-decide-whether-their-children-go-to-private-school/380820/11 "2006-11-17T15:50:38Z")
[QUOTE=mrrealtime] Now, what about depraving a child of a state-regulated education? That is, the state supposedly tries to give a completely unbiased perspective to kids, but should parents have the right to deprive children of the right to a fair and balanced perspective? A perspective that is held to some kind of account and standard? [/QUOTE] I know of no document granting anyone the right to a completely unbiased perspective. Kids are guaranteed an education; in other words, the opportunity to learn a skill set that will, in theory, serve them well in life. Trying to enofrce unbiased perspectives would be unworkable, since one parent’s bias is another’s straight-shooting. ---
**Author:** ![GLWasteful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f05b48/32.png) [@GLWasteful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GLWasteful)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-parents-be-allowed-to-decide-whether-their-children-go-to-private-school/380820/12 "2006-11-17T15:53:27Z")
[QUOTE=Lissa] “If Jesus has two fishes and turned them into 1000 fishes, what percentage increase does that represent?” [/QUOTE] Um. . .a miraculous percentage increase? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-parents-be-allowed-to-decide-whether-their-children-go-to-private-school/380820/13 "2006-11-17T15:57:27Z")
[QUOTE=Lissa] The private school I attended, by contrast was nothing _but_ religion. It was stirred into every subject. In English, we parsed sentences from the Bible and in math, the word problems were phrased thusly: “If Jesus has two fishes and turned them into 1000 fishes, what percentage increase does that represent?” [/QUOTE] !!! **Please** tell me you’re making this up! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-parents-be-allowed-to-decide-whether-their-children-go-to-private-school/380820/14 "2006-11-17T16:01:40Z")
[QUOTE=DianaG] If I decide that my local police force is inadequate to my needs and hire private security, should the state pay for it? [/QUOTE] A fine _reductio ad absurdum_ . . . and I predict, at some point, a Libertarian is going to drop into this thread and argue exactly that. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-parents-be-allowed-to-decide-whether-their-children-go-to-private-school/380820/15 "2006-11-17T16:23:37Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] !!! **Please** tell me you’re making this up! [/QUOTE] Nope. I wish I were. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-parents-be-allowed-to-decide-whether-their-children-go-to-private-school/380820/16 "2006-11-17T16:36:10Z")
[QUOTE=ITR champion] Trying to enofrce unbiased perspectives would be unworkable, since one parent’s bias is another’s straight-shooting. [/QUOTE] Exactly. From some perspectives, it’s the state schools which are trying to brainwash our children, into believing that it’s normal and healthy for penguins to be gay. What, for example, would be an “unbiased perspective” on the Creation vs. Evolution issue? ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-parents-be-allowed-to-decide-whether-their-children-go-to-private-school/380820/17 "2006-11-17T17:06:14Z")
[QUOTE=Thudlow Boink] Exactly. From some perspectives, it’s the state schools which are trying to brainwash our children, into believing that it’s normal and healthy for penguins to be gay. What, for example, would be an “unbiased perspective” on the Creation vs. Evolution issue? [/QUOTE] Or, for that matter, any controversial issue. Any school run by the state _should_ be completely neutral on any controversial issue. Of course, they can’t be, because the schools are run by people, who have their own biases. In another thread, the one about whether we should teach about religion in public schools, I read [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7972567&postcount=71), in which **Wallet** says: [QUOTE=Wallet] Chiming in as a First Grade teacher. No, there isn’t a course in my elementary school that deals exclusively with religion. However, I do my best to sneak some references in when no one is watching… After discussing Thanksgiving and the Pilgrim’s search for religious freedom, we did touch upon agnostics and atheists. Freedom of religion can also mean freedom _from_ religion. We’ve discussed Ramadan and Eid al Fitr (thanks to my little girl from Bangledesh). I also have some very simple books that discuss Islam, Hinduism, Taoist beliefs, etc. We’ve talked about the similarities between Jainism and Orthodox Judiaism (I brought in an article that discussed similar water filters some members of both religions used, to filter out even the smallest of bugs). Sadly, I seem to be the only one in my school that wants to expose the children to other beliefs and cultures. Shame… [/QUOTE] One may or may not agree with the message **Wallet** is trying to impart to the kids, but the bottom line is that the kids in **Wallet’s** class may be learning something different than the kids in other teacher’s classes. This is based on what she, one person, thinks should be taught. In other classes, I’m sure other teachers are doing the same, and from their own perspective, colored by their own opinions and biases. The truth is, no one knows exactly what the kids are going to hear in their school day, unless we go there with them. I can understand why this would drive some parents to think that they want to find a school that has a philosophy similar to theirs, and hires teachers who share the same philosophy, too. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-parents-be-allowed-to-decide-whether-their-children-go-to-private-school/380820/18 "2006-11-17T17:22:20Z")
[QUOTE=Sarahfeena] Or, for that matter, any controversial issue. Any school run by the state _should_ be completely neutral on any controversial issue. Of course, they can’t be, because the schools are run by people, who have their own biases. I/QUOTE] But people with an agenda can turn _any_ issue into a controversial one. Teach about the Holocaust? No, there are deniers. Teach that it was a good thing to free the slaves? Really, evolution should be no more controversial than these. We should forget about controversy, and teach what is overwhelmingly supported by the experts in the particular field. Flat-earthers don’t deserve equal time or a veto. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-parents-be-allowed-to-decide-whether-their-children-go-to-private-school/380820/19 "2006-11-17T17:24:56Z")
[QUOTE=Renob] They are earmarked for public schools because our elected officials have said so. If our elected officials allow vouchers, then they will be earmarked for private schools. [/QUOTE] If the state helps pay for private schools, then the state will have a voice in how the private schools are run and what they teach (like it does for private colleges.) How does that work for you? ---
**Author:** ![mrrealtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@mrrealtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrrealtime)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2006, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-parents-be-allowed-to-decide-whether-their-children-go-to-private-school/380820/20 "2006-11-17T17:27:51Z")
Maybe I should restate, do children have a right to a public education, regardless of what their parents think? The analogy is, parents dont have the right to deprive their kids of nutrition, they dont have the right to abuse them, they dont have the right to use them as slave laborers, at least to a certain extent…so why should they be allowed to deprive them of access to a common education? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-parents-be-allowed-to-decide-whether-their-children-go-to-private-school/380820.md?page=2)