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Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Why do public school students discriminate private school students?

Hello I'm Richmond but friends call me Rich. I'm 19 this year and have just completed my A Levels course. While waiting for my results I've decided to write since i have plenty of spare time. I'm fascinated with a lot of things but nothing really in particular interest me.

Why do public school students discriminate private school students?


by Richmond for Writing Contest 2008

Throughout my entire schooling life, I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to attend private institutions. Since primary till secondary, I’ve been to two different private institutions. Beside the point it’s obvious whenever I go for tuition, or now in college, students from government schools tend to discriminate us. Even my tuition teacher use phrases like ‘just because you’re from a private school doesn’t mean you don’t have to do your homework! ‘

I admit I took such comments rather personally because I did come from a private school after all. I’m not proud of it but neither am I ashamed of it. It is merely a fact that makes me who I am. Do we really think that we’re so much better than them? I’ll admit that some of us are pretty spoiled. We’re all from fairly well-off families and some of us are downright filthy rich. We can make misleading first impressions, with our exuberance and forthrightness coming off as arrogance. And yes, we can be pretty obnoxious.

But to hear that most public school students dislike us as a whole? That everyone thinks we’re a bunch of snobs? I was hurt. I tried to come to the defense of private school students everywhere but often a time, I couldn’t think of anything to retaliate. I can’t deny that some of us have superiority complex. After all, our Principals and teachers have been drilling into our heads that we are better than government schools. At least that was how it was in my school. It’s no wonder we think that other schools are beneath us.

To be fair to private school students, there are public school students who portray themselves in a really bad way. For instance, while gang fights are very rare in private institutions because the number of students is controllable, gang fights occur in public schools rampantly. Also, because there are students from public schools who come from not so well to do families and hence are lesser educated, they tend underestimate the importance of education. Many a time news reports also identify students from public schools are those that are involved in vice activities such as thefts, smoking and drugs.

However, one cannot help but notice that there are some really intelligent public school students too. The ones that receive scholarships, win debate competitions and score straight A’s in public examinations. In private schools too there are a minority that don’t give two hoots about their education as their family wealth could last them a few generations.

I guess my conclusion is it only takes a few bad apples to poison the name and reputation of a whole tree. It’s human nature to assume that everyone from that background is like that or in my case, everyone from that school is this way. It is not always true but it is always difficult or nearly impossible to change a majority’s perception of things.
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Comments
14 Comments

14 comments:

  1. Very well written and expressive. Glad to hear how students from private schools feel and think. I can identify in some ways, also coming from a private secondary school. I guess in life we always like to label certain groups of people and give different treatment - happens in so many aspects in life.

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  2. I didn't know public school students thought of private school students that way! I was from public schools myself and I've always thought private school kids luckier because your style of learning was different. Like more practical and not so exam-oriented. That's what I thought.

    Hmm, I've always wondered how is it like to be from a private school. How's the classes like? And the teachers? Perhaps you can share your school stories so we may know more about how life is in a private school!

    Thanks!

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  3. i am from public school. To me and my friends, actually we don't really like discriminate private school student but on the other way round. Because private school students tend to discriminate us and label us as those who can't afford or not good enough to join private school.

    As such, then we will have a thought that private school students are those whose parents have deep pocket but kids not intelligent enough to compete with others in public school.

    But anyway, not hard feelings towards most private school students.

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  4. Well both parties are at fault then.

    I'm a public school student, and yes, I am guilty of discriminating against private school students. I'm also guilty of doing so just because of a very few people I know who seriously look down on my friends and I for the fact that we go to public schools.

    Thanks for posting this, it really gives me a new perspective to the situation. Looks like it isn't all too different on the other side.

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  5. Nice little article here. I myself went to a public government primary school and later was sent to a private secondary school. The move meant little to me but I can't deny that a lot of my old friends would start making little comments about me being 'better' than them for being in a private school.

    On more than one occasion me and a group of friends would be in a mall in our school uniforms and a lot of people would give us a 'look' and make comments within our hearing distance. And it's not like me insulted them or anything, it's just a perception they have.

    As for private school life? I wouldn't say it's much better than being in a government school. Sure we have air-conditioned classrooms but our teachers push us a lot for results as parents expect results cause they're paying for our education. And we have WAY too many extra activities in my school as my school promotes a 'holistic' education.

    While I can't deny that some students from private schools are downright rude and arrogant, most of us are pretty decent and no different from the students in a government school

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  6. Why do private school students discriminate public school students?

    But personally, I don't have any problem with private school students, just that most of those I see are snobbish.

    If you're not a snob, then you should not feel hurt by comments from others. If you are what you say you are, then really, there's nothing much to say. Ignore the remarks of the people who do judge you by where you come from.

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  7. I think this is very true. I go to a private school and some of my best friends go to public schools and they always label me as a "rich snob". When i meet their friends that also got to their public school they ask me why i don't act stuck up and why i don't think i am better than them. As a private school student i have never thought of myself as better than kids who go to a public school, i just think of school as school i don't think of them as public or private! I do know people who go to my school who think they are better than kids who go to a public school and i think that they unfairly put a social construct on them. I think it is a very unfair stereotype and if they say something about it i tell them to stop wasting my time and i would have a go at them. The people at my private school need to stop being so judgemental of the public school students! I am so sick of this i am doing this as a topic in Society and Culture for my PIP(Personal Interest Project)for year 12 which we have just started!

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  8. So is a private school really that fun and activity oriented or not? what happens to poor children in private school? Those students of whose parents sacrifice their luxury to put them in a good school hoping they have good education - Would they be harassed by rich kids in the school? Which private schools have well balanced education which is creative and not merely academic. I heard in private schools too teachers scream and shout and be biassed towards some kids. Is that so?

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  9. Hi. I came across thsi article when I was thinking of whether I should transfer to a private school when I've reached Form 4.
    Could anyoen tell me whether there is any liek HUGE differences between private and government school?

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  10. Well my best friend attended a public shcool his whole life and he transfered for year 11 and 12.We were talking about the difference between my school and his. Teachers at private schools get staright to the point and as soon as you walk into the classroom you sit down and start work where public school teachers have a bit more difficulty doing this and it takes a lot of time to start teaching the class. My mother is also a publc school teacher and tell me she notices the difference. Private schools are more strict with regards to uniforms, attendance, respect and work ethic but teachers treat ALL students the same that is one thing i mustsay!Also at my school if there is a fight, any student involved is expelled no matter what! I am serious! We were talking about this in class the other day and one of our teachers has been at the school for 24 years and she said there has only been 2 fights in which both cases all students involved were expelled.
    We have a declaration at my school that all students when they enroll must sign or they don't get in.
    With regads to the questions above, my school is very activity orientated it is more activity orientated than some of the public schools in the area its not all acedemics! We have competitions inside of school and compete in all sporting carnivals, debates etc we are even having guitar hero competitions and raffles like and XBOX360. Its not all about school work our principal says "All i ask for is for every student to put in 80% every lesson, everyday." With regard to "poor students in the private schools", they don't get picked on there is rarely bullying at my private school i know its unbelieveable but if the teachers find out there is they have no limitations and threaten to get the police involved( trust me it has happened they called the cops once)so my school knows what they will do. There is a special set up for those families disadvantaged or those who don't have the money others do. Especially with excursions there is financial helpas the school doesnt believe in students missing out because of money thats what the teachers say everytime there is an excursiona nd they push it bigtime! Ok to tell the truth yeah there is a big difference between public and private schools but its not really major and the only reason i say this is that private schools they are more strict in regards to everything. But if you are a student who strives to achieve the best to your ability, respect all and follows rule then you should be fine!

    =]
    xo

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  11. I do not agree with you first three paragraph. However, it is wrong to segregate anyone base on their alma mater. It does not matter if a person studies in public school or a private one, what matter is if that person is able to harness and to practise the education that the person acquire. At the end of the day, rich or poor, the one that optimise his or her knowledge for the benefit of all is the winner. The losers are the one straggling behind trying to catch up when all things are lost. To those from public school, look on the bright side, your education is far less costly and still you are able to get to university. And to those from private school, it makes no different where you are, knowledge is still the same no matter if it is taught in Deutsch, Francais or Italiano. Fights, drugs and other social problems do not come only from those who are "lesser educated" as i quoted it from Richmond blog paragraph 4. This problem are universal. Students of this country or any other ASEAN country of both side, are very naive and predictable. They must learn to get out from their comfort zone. Private school is no different than public school. Check your mindset. Check your reality. I am a person who have been discriminated by the "filthy rich snob". I am a person who has achieved my own academic goals by my own mean and ability to be where i am today. I am not proud of my background. I have issues with those from the "upper class". I befriend anyone no matter which school they are educated from. In all matter, a person cannot be classified based upon his or her alma mater, it is the attitude and the behaviour which put forth the main issue which is RESPECT. RESPECT MUST BE EARN. IT CANNOT BE BOUGHT, TRADED, FORCED, FAKED OR OBTAINED BY ANY CONCIEVABLE MEAN BY THE HUMAN MIND TO GET RESPECTED.

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  12. Because most public school students are downright arrogant and berlagak at us and have that no money no talk attitude. They also like to brag about what they have and look down on us public school students. Even my friend who was a private school student quits his old school and entered a public one because he can't stand it (Yes he didn't take the UEC or whatever exam)

    But there are good private school students. Public school students hate private school students mainly because of jealousy.

    P.S. My girlfriend is a private scholls student

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  13. After I read all those comments,I'm thinking to send my son or daughter to a private school one day..haha,say,I'm neither a mother nor a wife - single lagi tp dh berangan..erm,just for the future preparation..=)

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  14. i am a public school student. we usually perform mutual aid annually and i've a friend who just transferred from private school to my school. and boy, he just sit back and relax while watching the rest of us work our sweats. we used to think he's the cheeky boy type, now.. not so. i also have this friend who studies in the same school as me but she grew up in a wealthy family and she is downright arrogant, none of us can stand her. we were so grateful when she transfer to a boarding school, yet she never changed =_=

    but in my tuition centre there're many students that came from private school but they're so well mannered and some of them are even friendly. totally the opposite side from my friend.

    i guess it depends on how you're taught to behave or how good you are in controlling your inner snob.

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