Havergal and Other Private Schools: Destigmatizing Outside Perspective
Written by Eshal Shakir
Edited by Kristin Cho
Cover Image by Leyao Xiao
Consider how often you hear false conceptions about private school life for students. For as long as I can remember, there have been many different stereotypes surrounding private school students, some of which I will be investigating in this piece. I will delve into the history of private school stereotypes, some influenced by the media, as well as some of my own personal experiences with public school students and their opinions.
Do public school students have positive thoughts about Toronto's well-recognized private schools, including Havergal? When I attended summer camp as a child, people would ask me if I attended a private school for religious reasons, and they would criticise private educational institutions for lacking diversity. This is a common misconception about private schools. One such example is Havergal, an Anglican school, yet we are an extremely diverse community of students who come from many different backgrounds, cultures, and traditions.
In television and film, there has been a certain type of private school experience created for cinema over and over again. Shows like Gossip Girl, Crown Lake, and Gilmore Girls depict private schools as very “preppy” institutions manipulated by wealthy parents in order to benefit their spoiled children. These shows also tend to paint a perfect and effortless, rich life for private school students, although there is always a significant amount of drama that fuels toxic school environments in these shows. This is another stereotype associated with private schools: the idea that all students are extremely competitive and have a “cut throat” mentality. TV shows such as the ones listed above are probably some of the main reasons these private school stereotypes have integrated their way into our society and culture.
Another misconception is that it's easier for private school students to get into better universities, which, in some cases, can be true since private schools provide a well-rounded education. However, receiving a diploma from a private school does not mean you will get accepted to a college. Private school students are regarded by admission counselors against higher standards, meaning there may be greater pressure on private school students to perform at a certain level.
Private school students are often misportrayed as self-centered overachievers attempting to get their full “money’s worth” for their expensive academic journey. At Havergal, I always observe people around me pushing themselves to be better and improve in every possible aspect, which is definitely viewed as a positive within our school but may be perceived negatively by other schools outside.
From a private school student’s perspective, I have always felt uncertain about how people will react when I tell them that I attend a private school and that they will judge me instantly based on this fact. There shouldn’t be such a cultural and societal divide between public and private school students because we are all experiencing the same things, even if they are in slightly different academic institutions. In order to close the divide, more positive qualities of private schools should be embraced and promoted in the media, such as the Havergal Instagram account. I can also contribute to this positive change by educating others outside of private schools about what it's really like and attempt to demystify the stereotypical norms which are commonly associated with these schools.
Overall, there are many stigmas surrounding the assumptions made about the private school student experience, including a lack of diversity and inclusivity, easier entrance into highly rated post-secondary schools, and the notion that they are only composed of students from wealthy, socially unaware backgrounds. Pop culture, along with the public and private school systems, could work toward destigmatizing these ideas that are usually more harmful to students than anyone else.