Why Do Public School Students Discriminate Against Private School Students?

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.