Is it hypocritical....

[DizBelle]

Is it hypocritical for an elected official to send their children to a private school instead of a public school?

 

[tinkntraining]

Is it hypocritical for an elected official to send their children to a private school instead of a public school?

Only if the "elected official" in a member of the School Board.

 

[Pigeon]

Only if the "elected official" in a member of the School Board.

This.

 

[daughtersrus]

Only if the "elected official" in a member of the School Board.

The president of our local public school board sends his children to a Catholic school in town.

 

[Scurvy]

Most of the time I don't think it would be. Honestly, I wouldn't necessarily even have a problem with it if they were on the school board. Maybe they aren't happy about the state of the schools, got their child into private school and then ran for the school board to improve the schools so that people won't feel they have to send their kids to private schools for a quality education. Maybe they plan to send their kid back to public schools once they've finally managed to push through enough improvements. Of course, if they were making all sorts of cuts and sending their child to private school to avoid the problems they've caused then I can see that being very hypocritical.

 

[tinkntraining]

The president of our local public school board sends his children to a Catholic school in town.

 

[Sparx]

The president of our local public school board sends his children to a Catholic school in town.

That would say enough to me about how seriously he takes his job.

 

[wvjules]

The president of our local public school board sends his children to a Catholic school in town.

Do the public schools in your area offer a religion component to their ciriculum?

 

[Scurvy]

The president of our local public school board sends his children to a Catholic school in town.

Maybe his reasons are not about avoiding the public schools. He could want his kids to have religious educations rather than purely secular ones.

 

[FireDancer]

I don't think so at all. If they have the money and choose to educate their child privately or at home instead of publicly they should be free to do so, as we all are.

Only if a person precludes someone from doing something and then engages in that behavior himself is he or she a hypocrite. If an elected official is attempting to outlaw private education while sending his or her child to a private school I would find it hypocritical.

The president of our local public school board sends his children to a Catholic school in town.

If that is enough of an issue for the voters he will not get re-elected to the board. I wouldn't even take that into account when voting personally.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Most of the schools in my area are lousy. Not all, but many of them.

I would be more concerned about a politician who looked at the schools and said "Oh, they're fine" than one who says "They aren't good enough for my child or any child, I'm going to put all my efforts into changing them, but in the mean time I'm going to find a school for my child that meets their needs".

In my area, the mayor chose private, and then moved his kids to public this year. The school chancellor moved in bounds for the top school in the city and sends his kids their. Obama (who is also in bounds for my own school district) has chosen a private school, but I think that decision was at least partially driven by security, he needed a school with a large perimeter of green space (which no public school here) and where the secret service could have a say in admissions -- certainly can't blame him for that.

 

[alexandria674]

I don't think so at all. If they have the money and choose to educate their child privately or at home instead of publicly they should be free to do so, as we all are.

Besides, how did someone find out about another person's child going to a school?

 

[ticktock]

If the official is against the school voucher system or some other system where low and middle income children are allowed to attend private schools then YES it is hypocritical for them to send their child to private school.

Just as it is wrong for politicians to force people into health care that is less than what the politicians receive. America is about choice. EVERYONE should have a choice not just the ruling class. Now if the politician supports others in their choices and votes to uphold those rights then they can do what they please IMO.

I seriously doubt someone on the school board is for school vouchers. I could be wrong.

 

[pperfectmom]

My principal in high school sent his son to a private school. I always thought that was a little odd. As for politicians, it would depend on each situation.

 

[tinkntraining]

Is it hypocritical for an elected official to send their children to a private school instead of a public school?

So OP - What kind of elective official are you asking about?

 

[happygirl]

Is it hypocritical for an elected official to send their children to a private school instead of a public school?

If it's a high rank elected offical it might be for security reason

 

[LuvOrlando]

No. Just because they are working to make things better does not mean they should throw their own kids onto the fire to make a point. Depending on the school district it might underscore that more needs to be done but it doesn't make him/her a hypocrite. I would never ever ever throw my kids to the wolves to appease someone, that's unconscionable. Do you really think everyone on the planet who volunteers for something should subject their own families to whatever it is they are trying to improve? Should homeless shelter volunteers move their families into a shelter? Should Meals on Wheels volunteers only feed their families the same food? Probably not, so why is it expected here?

My kids are in public school because they are in the upper tracks. Private schools simply can't keep up with public funding for programs on either side of the special needs spectrum. However, if I had 2 average middle of the road kids mixed in with the masses then they would both be in private school because there the social restrictions become more relevant. Or, if I had a kid with social troubles then, again, the tighter reigns on social behaviors would become extremely important to me and I would pay for that difference if necessary.

Also, the fact that a parent wants religious education means that family has needs that simply will not be met in a public school setting. Saying that sort of education should be compared to public education is like saying The Mall is the same as Church.

I understand that having officials kids in the schools makes other parents feel like they have a vested interest in the schools, however, a parents job is to do for their own first. Any parent who wouldn't do the best for their kids without exception is not an adult I want near my kids. Children are not and should never be props.

I know this comes off sounding harsh, I don't mean to be. I just happen to think some things should be off limits and kids should be one of them.

 

[DizBelle]

So OP - What kind of elective official are you asking about?

I guess I meany anyone that has a hand in shaping the public school system. They define the system but won't participate in it.

 

[happygirl]

I guess I meany anyone that has a hand in shaping the public school system. They define the system but won't participate in it.

That could be any elected person. Do you find it wrong for teacher to teach at public schools but send there kids to private schools or vice versa

 

[Kathi OD]

The president of our local public school board sends his children to a Catholic school in town.

That would say enough to me about how seriously he takes his job.

I'm not sure I understand the reasons for these reactions to the above statement. Maybe the president of the school board places a high value on the religious training/instruction of his children, which isn't available (by law) in a public school. Wanting religious instruction for his own children as part of their academic schooling, doesn't preclude him from being a strong advocate for those children who attend the public schools in the community and a good member of the school board.

I don't necessarily hypocritical at all. I would have to know the reasons why the children are attending private school before I could make a decision about hypocrisy.