Snarky anti-private school remarks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, but I live in DC. Although our local elementary is one of "the" elementary schools everybody wants, the people I know who send their kids there are not happy and wondering when to pull them for private. Of course, DCPS has no gifted program, so no one can point snark on that basis except to say, defensively, something along the lines of "but all the children from x neighhborhood school do well."

Before moving to DC, DH and I were big believers in public schools - diversity, large enough to offer tailored programs, greater extracurricular opportunities, etc. In addition to the horror that is DCPS, we have made peace with the idea that private schools offer largely a liberal arts education, which both DH and I deeply believe is worth having. Maybe something in all those extra arts, music, language and P.E. classes could form the basis for your answer - but I hope you won't feel you need to offer one. You have made a choice about your child's (children's?) education. It's like every other parenting decision - you do what is best for you and your child.

I could have written this post (but didn't!!). The only thing I'll add is that No Child Left Behind and the associated overemphasis on standardized testing meant that we didn't face the issue of whether moving to MoCo would be a better solution than staying in DC and going private.

[Anonymous]

OP, people often need to put other people's choices down in order to validate their own. Many people who have stretched to buy into neighborhoods with good schools (or who thought that they were joining some super select club by doing so) are very threatened by the idea that someone else may have rejected what they sought and bought something better. It makes them feel very insecure. Hence the snarky remarks. My advice is to remain serene, calm, and say "why do you ask?" Or, "well, we're very happy with out choice, thanks." They're the ones with the problem, not you.

[Anonymous]

OP, not all the comments are from jealous people, but they are usually inappropriate.
I have counseled a mother with young children to avoid a private school that I thought would bankrupt her. It was not even a very good school.
BTW, my kids are in private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We can afford to send our children to any school we choose. We choose to send them to our local public schools. We hope you are all happy with your choices. We are happy with ours.
FWIW: Our children have been referred to as "pubic school trash". I agree, it's more about them.

That's a disgusting comment. I am so sorry.

[Anonymous]

Why does everyone care so much about what other people think? I always just smile when people ask such rude questions because my thoughts are never politically correct. I never attended any public schools - so I could never imagine sending my kid to one (of course I couldn't say that to someone because people interpret it to be snobby when that is just how I feel).