Why do so many people put private school bumper stickers on their cars?

[Anonymous]

Because it signals to others that you are in their club. If you aren't in that club, you don't care.

[Anonymous]

Sense of community.. we love spotting another bumper sticker out in the wild!

[Anonymous]

My kid loves seeing other cars with the same team, school, camps etc..there should be a sense of pride and community with all of it. You don't have to put one on your car but for those that do, why care? I had public and private on the car, I feel like you don’t have kids (especially younger) or you would understand. The kids love seeing them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid loves seeing other cars with the same team, school, camps etc..there should be a sense of pride and community with all of it. You don't have to put one on your car but for those that do, why care? I had public and private on the car, I feel like you don’t have kids (especially younger) or you would understand. The kids love seeing them.

Mine are probably too young (5 and under) because none of them have ever commented on a bumper sticker

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sense of community.. we love spotting another bumper sticker out in the wild!

+1. We have a bunch of car magnets and none is for a prestige-type school. We have one for my kids' Jewish sleepaway camp and they get all excited when we see another one in the area. We also have one for our DCPS elementary school because the design is cute. I think it's just a nice way to shout-out local institutions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sense of community.. we love spotting another bumper sticker out in the wild!

+1 Same!

[Anonymous]

At 9 my kid wanted it on the car because he was proud of his school. We had the biggest one they sold. At 13 he decided it was not very classy to announce your school on your car, and we took it off.

Bottom line: whatever my kid wanted. I couldn’t give a eff either way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is about community and identity. It’s similar to bumper stickers that show the sport you play, the marathon you run, the college your kid attends, and the values and interests you have. It’s not much different than a school sweatshirt, tshirt, hat, or key chain. It shows support and promotes the school’s popularity. That is why every private school, every college and university, and even public school have school stores either online or in-person. I have a lot of pride and identity around the flagship public university I attended 25 years ago. I wear the University gear all the time and closely follow the sports teams. I wear the gear to sporting events. It’s pride and identity.

Wearing the gear to sporting events supporting the team is an entirely different thing. You’re supporting the team—not yourself.

But others think it’s bragging.

I have never been to an athletic event of any kind to support any team where it ever occurred to me that anyone wearing the team gear is “bragging.”

And that’s your opinion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is about community and identity. It’s similar to bumper stickers that show the sport you play, the marathon you run, the college your kid attends, and the values and interests you have. It’s not much different than a school sweatshirt, tshirt, hat, or key chain. It shows support and promotes the school’s popularity. That is why every private school, every college and university, and even public school have school stores either online or in-person. I have a lot of pride and identity around the flagship public university I attended 25 years ago. I wear the University gear all the time and closely follow the sports teams. I wear the gear to sporting events. It’s pride and identity.

Wearing the gear to sporting events supporting the team is an entirely different thing. You’re supporting the team—not yourself.

Okay. But if my kid wears a sweatshirt with her school name on it on a random day (not for a sporting event), is that also considered bragging? I don’t do bumper stickers for many reasons (mostly security) but my kid loves to wear the school clothes. She doesn’t know how much the school costs. Is she bragging?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is about community and identity. It’s similar to bumper stickers that show the sport you play, the marathon you run, the college your kid attends, and the values and interests you have. It’s not much different than a school sweatshirt, tshirt, hat, or key chain. It shows support and promotes the school’s popularity. That is why every private school, every college and university, and even public school have school stores either online or in-person. I have a lot of pride and identity around the flagship public university I attended 25 years ago. I wear the University gear all the time and closely follow the sports teams. I wear the gear to sporting events. It’s pride and identity.

Wearing the gear to sporting events supporting the team is an entirely different thing. You’re supporting the team—not yourself.

Okay. But if my kid wears a sweatshirt with her school name on it on a random day (not for a sporting event), is that also considered bragging? I don’t do bumper stickers for many reasons (mostly security) but my kid loves to wear the school clothes. She doesn’t know how much the school costs. Is she bragging?

I have to admit - this is a double standard I have and it's totally unfair. Guy wearing a Big10 sweatshirt at the grocery store? Cool. Same guy wearing a Harvard sweatshirt at the grocery store? Less cool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is about community and identity. It’s similar to bumper stickers that show the sport you play, the marathon you run, the college your kid attends, and the values and interests you have. It’s not much different than a school sweatshirt, tshirt, hat, or key chain. It shows support and promotes the school’s popularity. That is why every private school, every college and university, and even public school have school stores either online or in-person. I have a lot of pride and identity around the flagship public university I attended 25 years ago. I wear the University gear all the time and closely follow the sports teams. I wear the gear to sporting events. It’s pride and identity.

Wearing the gear to sporting events supporting the team is an entirely different thing. You’re supporting the team—not yourself.

Okay. But if my kid wears a sweatshirt with her school name on it on a random day (not for a sporting event), is that also considered bragging? I don’t do bumper stickers for many reasons (mostly security) but my kid loves to wear the school clothes. She doesn’t know how much the school costs. Is she bragging?

I have to admit - this is a double standard I have and it's totally unfair. Guy wearing a Big10 sweatshirt at the grocery store? Cool. Same guy wearing a Harvard sweatshirt at the grocery store? Less cool.

Yes, that’s a you issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many people like their kids and things associated with their kids by extension.

[Anonymous]

I want to say OP is a troll, but I have a private school (not top 3, and not a super expensive or elitist one) magnet on my car and since I put it on, people have started driving horribly, cutting me off and slowing way down and other aggressive behavior. So I guess at least a few other people feel the way OP does.

[Anonymous]

OP is right. My kids are at a big 3 school, and I am very proud of them for getting in. I also love the school and community. However, outward demonstrations of pride = bragging.

Our neighbors and friends are still in the DCPS that we left, and it would feel weird to me to wave the private school flag in their face. Anyone that is suggesting it’s the same as a public school sticker is not being honest with themselves. One is very inclusive, while the other is very exclusive.

My kids asked once to stick it on the car and I said that I didn’t want any stickers on my car. It’s okay to say no to your kids on occasion. It is my car. They do have plenty of school merch that they wear to school, have never seen them wear it outside of school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP is right. My kids are at a big 3 school, and I am very proud of them for getting in. I also love the school and community. However, outward demonstrations of pride = bragging.

Our neighbors and friends are still in the DCPS that we left, and it would feel weird to me to wave the private school flag in their face. Anyone that is suggesting it’s the same as a public school sticker is not being honest with themselves. One is very inclusive, while the other is very exclusive.

My kids asked once to stick it on the car and I said that I didn’t want any stickers on my car. It’s okay to say no to your kids on occasion. It is my car. They do have plenty of school merch that they wear to school, have never seen them wear it outside of school.

A Whitman magnet does not reflect less exclusivity than a Sidwell magnet. Both generally reflect wealth and exclusivity.