Is teaching in a private school better?

Q: I’m a public school teacher, and I’m contemplating a switch to private. I’m so torn. I’m really sick of the emphasis on testing and the huge amount of paperwork and bureaucracy in public. I like the idea of having more teaching freedom. I worry that I’ll mainly be teaching students of privilege, will give up my good commute and decent pension, and will most likely take a pay cut. I’m also tenured and protected by a union, and I’d lose those protections in exchange for a smaller class size and more creativity and flexibility. I know you can’t tell me what I should do, but what should I do?

A: No two public schools or private schools are exactly the same. I think you’re oversimplifying this decision. Many independent schools are committed to offering financial aid and will be more diverse than some wealthy suburban schools. While there generally is less testing and paperwork in private schools, some may have more than others. In addition, all schools have their own bureaucratic idiosyncrasies. Independent schools may be religious or secular, single sex or coed, academic pressure cookers or tailored to struggling students. In other words, this is a job-specific question. That said, here are some things you can take into consideration.

Job security. In private, you don’t have the same job security. You’re an at-will employee. This may cause anxiety for public school teachers who like the idea of guaranteed due process. On the other hand, when colleagues don’t pull their weight, it lowers everyone’s morale. It’s easier to remove incompetent teachers from the classroom in independent schools. If you have a long track record of good performance, you might consider this a low-risk proposition.