My Focus

While conducting my research I found myself asking the question: Why did I focus on this topic? With the work that we did, the readings we analyzed, and the different topics we discussed, I could have been led to any number of different topics. So why did I choose the separation of education? What in my thought process pointed my in this direction?

I believe that my desire for this topic came from my own personal struggle over the issue. I was brought up in Catholic Schools until college. My cousins had gone to Catholic schools. All my friends had gone to Catholic schools. I did not know much else. For the first 2 years in college I always pictured myself having children and sending them to a Catholic grade school then a Catholic high school, hell maybe even my alma mater of St. Ignatius. But then I had a life changing influence come into my life. My current girlfriend and I met and started dating. She had come from an all public school upbringing. Eventually as our relationship grew we discussed what we thought about where kids (if we had them someday) would go to school. Her view was strong that she was not ever going to pay to send her children to a Catholic school when they can get a perfect education for free at a public school. This was her experience. She attended a great public school system in Medina, Ohio and she had succeeded just as much as anyone who went to a private school. I'll admit, her stance took my back at first. But I could see why she felt passionately about the issue. I felt just as passionately that my children should go to a Catholic school. It was our different experiences that led us to these thoughts. But our different experiences also had led us to Ohio State and to successfully graduate. The phrase "There's more than one way to skin a cat" rang true. Meaning, there is more than one way to achieve a goal. Me and my girlfriend had gone through very different experiences, but ultimately ended up in the same place.

Now our different experiences shaped who we were as people, and also how we felt about certain issues, specifically education. After we discussed our viewpoints we were both able to find neutral ground. However, the question has always ate at me. Which path is best? Clearly the answer is not concrete. Many factors such as economical situation and the school district are important.

This experience in my life taught me to constantly challenge ideas. I had a set idea in my mind on how to best raise children through education. But my vision was narrow and inwardly focused. I had not challenged myself to investigate different paths because I had not experienced a different way. Encountering my girlfriend, I came across a different, successful approach that I had not considered before. I believe that many people, even grown adults with children, still live in the fantasy world that I once saw as the only way. In fact there are many ways to bring children through education. There are many ways in which a child can be successful. One is not "better" than the other. Often the experience is just different and that is all. What is important to consider is how the choice will shape the ideas of a child.

I tend to find myself leaning toward public for my children. This is an idea that 3 year ago I would have laughed at. But it is that fact that I despise. I do not want my children growing up and seeing that a private education is the best and only way. I thought that once. I was lucky to be able to gain the proper perspective. At the same time, I would not want my children going through public school and despising private education. There has to be a balance and a respect for all types of education. A respect that took me entirely too long to grasp.

This story and struggle is what led me to my topic. I wanted to research the history of separation in education and relate it to my personal experience. I wanted to find studies and opinion pieces about how different educations effect students. My topic came to me because long before I even took this class, I questioned what kind of impact different educations had.