I attend a small Christian college in Western New York. Because of this, many of my classmates and friends were either homeschooled or had a private Christian education growing up. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, but it's not how I grew up. Unlike some of my classmates, I went to public school, from kindergarten to twelfth grade. I'm not saying one way of educating is better than the other -- both have their pros and cons -- but I am grateful for the fact that I was raised in the public school system, and here's why.
1. I had regular interaction with people who were different from me.
You don't get along with everyone in high school, and you don't have to be friends with everyone. But every day in school, I had classes with people who didn't share my views or even morals, and it was okay. There were people I knew who made choices and did things that I would never do, but it just made me more confident in who I was and what I believed. Plus, it's fun having lots of different acquaintances who have diverse backgrounds and home lives, and it's fun getting to know people you wouldn't usually associate with.
2. I grew in my faith.
No, I wasn't the lone Christian in my school -- this isn't a Walk to Remember situation. But, I certainly wasn't completely surrounded by other Christians. Sure, sometimes it was awkward to pray or talk about God in school. But it taught me how to be confident about my beliefs and how to be unafraid showing the love of Jesus in a secular place. A public high school is just a microcosm of the real world -- we aren't constantly surrounded by other Christians in regular life (excluding the time that I spend at my Christian college, obviously).
3. School dances.
Yes, school dances are famous for sketchy behavior and dirty dancing. But they are also a ton of fun! If you ignore the gross stuff, it's a blast. Some of my best memories from high school were the ones spent dancing with my friends at homecomings and the prom. It's majorly cliché, and probably shallow compared to my #2, but I do thank public school for dances.
4. I grew a thick skin.
Teasing is also a real thing that happens in school, and sometimes people hurt your feelings. There are kids at school who you just do. Not. Like. At. All. I'll be the first to admit I was involved in way too many catty middle school fights. THE DRAMA. And, of course, sometimes people you don't like will make fun of you or say something totally uncool to you. After all these years, I've learned how to let words roll off my back and not let people get to me, because trust me, people say and do really dumb things to other people.
5. I don't get that freaked out about tests.
Maybe this is just me, but I'm pretty sure I've been desensitized to test-taking, because I had to take a lot of standardized tests over the years. Especially coming from the land of New York State, with our every-other-year state tests in multiple subjects (starting in the early elementary school years) and annual regents testing in high school. I'm sure there are lots of public school kids who don't agree with me, but I maintain the view that standardized testing in my life made me a lot more comfortable with scary tests now that I'm in college.
6. Project Know and awkward health class topics.
Is this weird to talk about? Because I felt like I needed to talk about this one. Just one mention of the words "project know" in my high school and everybody will groan at the memory of being forced to go through a program that's all about puberty and basic sex education in middle school. My high school health class taught me everything I will ever need to know about drugs, addiction, STD's, and safe sex. These are real life things that teens need to know, and I'm actually grateful that I (and my entire class) was required to learn this stuff, however uncomfortable it may be to talk about it.
7. It was just a generally rewarding experience.
I am aware that many people hate public middle and high school. There are lots of bad stigmas that go along with it -- dirty things written on bathroom stalls, fights in the locker room, drugs, etc., but I wouldn't trade my experience for the world. I didn't involve myself in the bad stuff, but I didn't completely avoid those I didn't agree with, either. I am the person I am today because of my education. I learned how to be a Christian in a secular school. I didn't always agree with everyone I interacted with, and you can bet that there were days when I begged my mom to homeschool me. But looking back at all of the bad picture days, cafeteria food, arguments with people about God, and gym days, I wouldn't want it any other way.
(Rock on, Class of 2015)
