so sick of the gloating

[Anonymous]

My DC is in first year of private school so I'm new to this... but I have to say that I don't get it. Aren't all kids required to go a minimum number of days, something like 180? So why is it that public schools are in so much longer, at least here in DC? I remember that last year they had to make up snow days, too, and the kids who were at our current school then did not, or so I was told. What's with that?

[Anonymous]

I appreciate your concern, and gloating is certainly obnoxious. If the important thing is quality and not quantity of time spent, whether with teachers, parents, or nannies, then everyone's focus should be on the quality of the education received, not the number of hours/days in a given year.

[Anonymous]

Private school have no minimum...they are not beholden to local laws in that respect. It does seem in looking at the Aisgw website that most privates claim between 168 and 172 days of school per year.

[Anonymous]

Private school parent here -- OP, how can I say this gently? You need to grow a thicker skin. An important part of parenting is modelling for your children that you can't let people get to you when you know you've made the right choice. As a parent in this hyper-competitive area, you will get plenty of practice at this. My suggestion, next time you hear this from a neighbor, just smile, utter some banal response (e.g., "You got it.") and move on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not to start a firestorm here but I am getting really tired of the public school parents in my neighborhood who feel it is appropriate to gloat to me that they have so many more school days than the privates. I can't tell you how many times I have heard the "I guess you get what you pay for (har de har har)" line or the "I don't know how you can stand having your kids at home for so long?" routine.

I just ignore it but, sheesh...enough is enough already. Please keep it to yourself.

I can only speak for FCPS, but during the years my child was there I was a classroom volunteer several days a week. Perhaps FCPS clocks longer hours, but the time wasted during the school day was shocking.

[Anonymous]

I have kids in both public and private and it really isn't much of a difference. Private schools get more xmas vacation but that's about it. Both kids started school the same day in August. The private school kid got out 1 week earlier but the public school kid had more days off for elections, jewish holidays, teacher workdays, etc. The school day seems to be the same length although there are no free periods in our public school. Both are getting a great education in their respective schools. That, to me, is the important thing. I dont think getting a great education is dependent on 178 v. 180 school days or whatever.

OP I think you just need to be comfortable with your choices and move on.

[Anonymous]

Not to make this into a private vs. public argument, but my DC is in school approximately two hours longer each day than our public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not to make this into a private vs. public argument, but my DC is in school approximately two hours longer each day than our public.

17:53 here - my private school kid is in school 10 minutes longer a day than the public school kid but has a longer lunch period so it's pretty much exactly the same. Obviously different schools have different schedules. My public school kid is in school from 7:20-2:10 so if that day was 2 hours longer they'd be going till 4:10 and then having after school sports until 6:30 or 7:00. That wouldn't leave enough time for homework, especially for kids with heavy AP class loads.

[Anonymous]

It this thread for real? Seriously, the most important school-related topic you discuss with your neighbors is whose kid spends more weeks in school? Not specials like art and gym? Not that your kids go to school with the Obama girls? Not the lower teacher-student ratio at your school?

And you take this trivial topic and run to DCUM to whinge about how mean these public school moms are, to a little coterie of private school moms?

I'm going to take a wild guess here, and hazard that OP is giving as good as she gets.

OP, what have you told your neighbors about specials at your private like art and gym, or how hard your school is to get into, or that your kids go to school with the kids of lobbyists or the Obamas? Have you made yourself insufferable to them?

Signed, a mom with kids in both private and public schools

[Anonymous]

You know what they say "The more you pay, the less you go." When I worked in a private school, kids were always leaving early and coming back late from every single break. Some of them just took off a week or two here or there to go skiing or to the islands or whatever. It was insanity.

[Anonymous]

Oh goodie. Another thread on the private school forum dedicated to bashing public schools and public school parents. Over a really silly issue, no less.

*goes off to microwave popcorn*

Bonus points for the poster who said they're just jealous of OP.

Points for the poster who pointed out that if this is the most important issue OP discusses with her neighbors, then they're all losers, including OP.

With any luck, we will have the inevitable drama when a public school parent shows up and we can watch you guys tell her she doesn't belong here.

[Anonymous]

Hmm, PP. Would your response be different if it were a public school parent complaining about obnoxious comments from private school parents?

[Anonymous]

I am a private school parent and I totally think our kids do not go long enough and that it is ridiculous they are out two weeks ahead of the other counties. I don't see the need. Maybe one extra week but even that is pushing it to me. The more I pay, the less they go and its actually really true.

So I don't think the public school parents are gloating. I think they are stating a fact.

[Anonymous]

Gloating and stating a fact aren't necessarily inconsistent. It's about which facts you choose to state to whom and how.

Also, my kid spends more days in school than your kid would be a factual statement. You're being ripped off or it must be a PITA for you to have your kid at home so much are not. As of course would be the claim that more days in school = more/better education.

What's annoying about these transactions (aside from the fact that they reveal a deeper resentment) is that while it's often considered socially acceptable to make a comment that reflects favorably on a resource everyone has equal access to and that therefore can be considered something in common/shared, it'd be beyond the pale to suggest that you opted out and chose something different (that not everybody can have) because you think it's much better. Typical passive-aggressive BS, IMO.

[Anonymous]

Deeper resentment? Passive aggressive? I love how you jump to the conclusion that it's all about public school jealousy of OP-- and, by extension, jealousy of you. It seems just as likely that OP is either goading them with something she said about the superiority of her school, or she's oversensitive.

My kids are in private school, but sometimes I'm really embarrassed by the Marie Antoinette behavior on DCUM.