Even though it isn’t common, it isn’t something completely new for administrators and teachers working at charter schools or private schools to bend the rules to benefit their children. Many times, they follow underhanded methods to improve their child’s chances of attendance. We quickly make judgments about their activities, but what would be your actions if you were in their place?

If you received an opportunity to promote your child’s education, would you accept it? Or would you let your kid study in a “second-class” school or a public school? It’s difficult to tell what your exact actions would be unless you’re in that situation. Imagine watching other students having guaranteed educational careers while your kid is putting in double the effort for half the chance to enter a top-tier college?

We often call these parents selfish. There’s a reason behind the entrance requirements of these programs, and for an administrator or educator to circumvent them is biased and unprofessional. As educators, they’ve failed their students. However, as parents, they only demonstrate their desperation to get their kids into a top-tier school.

Dedicated Educational Opportunities

Teachers that bypass the steps only try to do what all other parents would do: equip their children with the finest opportunity to succeed. Students who attend charter schools or private schools often experience a better acceptance rate when they apply for college. However, in case the college is top-ranking and the public school is in a low-income or rural area, the school might be completely ignored. The entry requirements are rigorous, often requiring minimum test scores or GPA, an application, and a fee. In spite of that, location acts as the most vital deterrent.

Since the establishment of schools, location has played a crucial role in where students have attended school. The school to which a student will go will be determined by the location of their house versus the district lines of the school. Unfortunately, funds for public schools come from the taxes collected within their districts. Therefore, wealthy districts get a better education system compared to low-income districts. It also prevents students from leaving their own districts.

In the application process, another common precedent is income. Top-tier schools generally charge an application fee or additional fee that’s beyond the capacity of most parents. For these schools, parents struggle to get their kids’ names to the waiting list, let alone originally get in. Students whose parents have a better social influence and money easily surpass those who don’t have that financial capacity.

Thanks to the heavy influence of wealth, test scores can be anticipated. These scores take into account family income, location, and prior scores and are surprisingly accurate. These scores can be considered evidence of the influence left on the students by an entrance into an affluent educational opportunity.

Identifying Faults

Should we criticize those educators who try and circumvent the rules to get their children accepted in schools? Completely. But should we make judgments about them? Not necessarily. This is because we cannot tell what kind of extreme measures we’d be looking forward to taking if we were in their situation.

There’re many reasons why parents trying to bypass the system aren’t as bad as we assume. There has been discrimination in the public education system for decades. It prevents low-income households in low-income districts from getting educational development and growth while high-income districts are prospering. There’s the continual pressure of racial segregation to support a good or perfect school.

We need to criticize those who try to circumvent the established requirements and are overlooking those who’ve properly earned spots. However, we also have to admit the issues present within our society and the educational system because of which these parents are going to that extent. If teachers are willing to put their careers at risk for their child’s entrance, why are we making judgments about them without exploring the underlying issue?