Public vs. Private Schools for people living in Montgomery County

[Anonymous]

NP here and I have only read a few pages, not the whole thread.

I can understand some of the reasons that parents might choose a private school for their child. What I don't understand is, if you aren't going to take advantage of one of the stronger public school systems in the state, why would you pay the school district premium and live in MoCo. In Montgomery County, you pay a lot for the school zones. You can pay significantly less and get significantly more and better housing outside MoCo than you can in the County. That plus the horrible traffic/congestion, the high COL (it costs about 10-20% more for everything from gas to groceries to home goods in MoCo as it does outside the county) and I can't understand paying all that to live in the County and not even use the school system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For far too long students in America benefited from teachers who were overqualified for the comparatively low paying teacher positions. Yes, I'm talking about women who today are CEOs, doctors, lawyers, engineers, but back in the day were largely restricted to teaching. Their loss to be sure, but the schools benefitted. The days of getting such highly qualified individuals to enter the teaching profession are long gone.

There has to be a rethinking of how to get talented people back into teaching. The answer is not to pay less qualified individuals more. Taking advantage of the pool of bright people who have already completed a career may be one part of the solution, but it is not the full story.

Actually I think it might be. If you pay teachers more, more well-qualified people will choose to go into teaching. That's basic economics.

Np. It seems though you'd have to offer more pay than whatever job you're trying to lure them from. Not sure what job that is. Also, it makes no sense to pay more to any current teachers who are doing a poor job. Seems like teaching should become more of a competitive field generally to improve the pool.

Back to issue of incompetent MCPS administrators. I know a woman with a PhD in a scientific field with experience as an associate professor at UMBC who never got a response to her application to be an MCPS science teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here and I have only read a few pages, not the whole thread.

I can understand some of the reasons that parents might choose a private school for their child. What I don't understand is, if you aren't going to take advantage of one of the stronger public school systems in the state, why would you pay the school district premium and live in MoCo. In Montgomery County, you pay a lot for the school zones. You can pay significantly less and get significantly more and better housing outside MoCo than you can in the County. That plus the horrible traffic/congestion, the high COL (it costs about 10-20% more for everything from gas to groceries to home goods in MoCo as it does outside the county) and I can't understand paying all that to live in the County and not even use the school system.

Exactly. Few of us planned to go private at the outset. That's the point of this thread. Now I have one in private middle school and one in public elementary and find we are very enmeshed in our awesome MoCo neighborhood. I love being able to walk everywhere, take metro, and have access to neighborhood parks and lots of friends for my kids. But had I known the outcome, we might have bought a cheaper house elsewhere. Tho it would not have appreciated nearly as much...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here and I have only read a few pages, not the whole thread.

I can understand some of the reasons that parents might choose a private school for their child. What I don't understand is, if you aren't going to take advantage of one of the stronger public school systems in the state, why would you pay the school district premium and live in MoCo. In Montgomery County, you pay a lot for the school zones. You can pay significantly less and get significantly more and better housing outside MoCo than you can in the County. That plus the horrible traffic/congestion, the high COL (it costs about 10-20% more for everything from gas to groceries to home goods in MoCo as it does outside the county) and I can't understand paying all that to live in the County and not even use the school system.

I live here because my husband owns a company that works with the government. It is profitable and wouldn't work in other non-government union filled cities. He travels daily mostly in the DC Metro but also towards Baltimore and doesn't want another hour plus commute home to a cheaper area. Believe me, I do not like it here at all. It is transient, non-neighbor friendly and just congested all together. I have lived in Central Cali, Southern NJ, Boston, Mass, Greensboro NC and now MD which is by far my least favorite. Everyone is just uptight, stressed and no time to just smile and be nice. '

Anyway, we tried the schools and weren't impressed. We know some people that like, most people put up with it and gripe about it and some go to private. To each their own. But I for sure don't like the up charge in our house and everything else to live here. It isn't like everyone wants to live here. Many people have to for work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are in Bethesda and decided against our in bound school- Wood Acres. Just wasn't impressed after visiting. The school seemed crowded and the classes I watched were not well supervised. For example, in one class I visited, the only adult in the room was a parent attempting (poorly I might add) to teach a grammar lesson on pronouns. In another class, a teacher was working with one child at a table while the entire rest of the class were broken into groups and to work independently. The kids were not working, but were completely goofing around. The teacher did nothing to try and bring the class under control. I could go on, but don't want to beat a dead horse.

And yet, in the Maryland Public Schools forum, there are posters who constantly complain that their children's schools do not allow parents to volunteer in the classrooms.

I'm all for parent volunteers, but in roles that are appropriate and supplemental, not as a stand-in for a teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here and I have only read a few pages, not the whole thread.

I can understand some of the reasons that parents might choose a private school for their child. What I don't understand is, if you aren't going to take advantage of one of the stronger public school systems in the state, why would you pay the school district premium and live in MoCo. In Montgomery County, you pay a lot for the school zones. You can pay significantly less and get significantly more and better housing outside MoCo than you can in the County. That plus the horrible traffic/congestion, the high COL (it costs about 10-20% more for everything from gas to groceries to home goods in MoCo as it does outside the county) and I can't understand paying all that to live in the County and not even use the school system.

Good question. We didn't intend on going private when we moved here pre-kids. When our DC got closer to school age, we took a closer look at MCPS and did not like what we saw (funny how your perception changes sometimes after you have kids). We do love our neighborhood and school, which is nearby. So moving would be difficult. Also, I don't mind paying taxes to support strong public schools even if they may not be right for us. I have always believed that great schools make great neighborhoods. I am concerned, however, that MCPS reputation as a strong school district may be on the decline--but taxes are not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can understand some of the reasons that parents might choose a private school for their child. What I don't understand is, if you aren't going to take advantage of one of the stronger public school systems in the state, why would you pay the school district premium and live in MoCo. In Montgomery County, you pay a lot for the school zones. You can pay significantly less and get significantly more and better housing outside MoCo than you can in the County. That plus the horrible traffic/congestion, the high COL (it costs about 10-20% more for everything from gas to groceries to home goods in MoCo as it does outside the county) and I can't understand paying all that to live in the County and not even use the school system.

People live in MoCo because it and DC have high paying jobs. If I moved to another county in Maryland I couldn't make even close to half as much as I make here (unless I wanted some ridiculous 90 minute commute each day). That more than offsets the high COL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here and I have only read a few pages, not the whole thread.

I can understand some of the reasons that parents might choose a private school for their child. What I don't understand is, if you aren't going to take advantage of one of the stronger public school systems in the state, why would you pay the school district premium and live in MoCo. In Montgomery County, you pay a lot for the school zones. You can pay significantly less and get significantly more and better housing outside MoCo than you can in the County. That plus the horrible traffic/congestion, the high COL (it costs about 10-20% more for everything from gas to groceries to home goods in MoCo as it does outside the county) and I can't understand paying all that to live in the County and not even use the school system.

Good question. We didn't intend on going private when we moved here pre-kids. When our DC got closer to school age, we took a closer look at MCPS and did not like what we saw (funny how your perception changes sometimes after you have kids). We do love our neighborhood and school, which is nearby. So moving would be difficult. Also, I don't mind paying taxes to support strong public schools even if they may not be right for us. I have always believed that great schools make great neighborhoods. I am concerned, however, that MCPS reputation as a strong school district may be on the decline--but taxes are not.

For context, which private (or type of private) are you talking about? If people taking a close look at MCPS and the Big 3 choose the Big 3, that's not surprising. If you're talking about lesser known privates, that'd be interesting...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For far too long students in America benefited from teachers who were overqualified for the comparatively low paying teacher positions. Yes, I'm talking about women who today are CEOs, doctors, lawyers, engineers, but back in the day were largely restricted to teaching. Their loss to be sure, but the schools benefitted. The days of getting such highly qualified individuals to enter the teaching profession are long gone.

There has to be a rethinking of how to get talented people back into teaching. The answer is not to pay less qualified individuals more. Taking advantage of the pool of bright people who have already completed a career may be one part of the solution, but it is not the full story.

Actually I think it might be. If you pay teachers more, more well-qualified people will choose to go into teaching. That's basic economics.

Np. It seems though you'd have to offer more pay than whatever job you're trying to lure them from. Not sure what job that is. Also, it makes no sense to pay more to any current teachers who are doing a poor job. Seems like teaching should become more of a competitive field generally to improve the pool.

Back to issue of incompetent MCPS administrators. I know a woman with a PhD in a scientific field with experience as an associate professor at UMBC who never got a response to her application to be an MCPS science teacher.

Exactly - the talent is out there, but the most frightening thing for the teacher's union is opening the door to second career professionals who are "over qualified" and motivated by a passion to teach more than a desire to make money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For far too long students in America benefited from teachers who were overqualified for the comparatively low paying teacher positions. Yes, I'm talking about women who today are CEOs, doctors, lawyers, engineers, but back in the day were largely restricted to teaching. Their loss to be sure, but the schools benefitted. The days of getting such highly qualified individuals to enter the teaching profession are long gone.

There has to be a rethinking of how to get talented people back into teaching. The answer is not to pay less qualified individuals more. Taking advantage of the pool of bright people who have already completed a career may be one part of the solution, but it is not the full story.

Actually I think it might be. If you pay teachers more, more well-qualified people will choose to go into teaching. That's basic economics.

Np. It seems though you'd have to offer more pay than whatever job you're trying to lure them from. Not sure what job that is. Also, it makes no sense to pay more to any current teachers who are doing a poor job. Seems like teaching should become more of a competitive field generally to improve the pool.

Back to issue of incompetent MCPS administrators. I know a woman with a PhD in a scientific field with experience as an associate professor at UMBC who never got a response to her application to be an MCPS science teacher.

Exactly - the talent is out there, but the most frightening thing for the teacher's union is opening the door to second career professionals who are "over qualified" and motivated by a passion to teach more than a desire to make money.

People with a desire to make money don't go into teaching. Period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here and I have only read a few pages, not the whole thread.

I can understand some of the reasons that parents might choose a private school for their child. What I don't understand is, if you aren't going to take advantage of one of the stronger public school systems in the state, why would you pay the school district premium and live in MoCo. In Montgomery County, you pay a lot for the school zones. You can pay significantly less and get significantly more and better housing outside MoCo than you can in the County. That plus the horrible traffic/congestion, the high COL (it costs about 10-20% more for everything from gas to groceries to home goods in MoCo as it does outside the county) and I can't understand paying all that to live in the County and not even use the school system.

Good question. We didn't intend on going private when we moved here pre-kids. When our DC got closer to school age, we took a closer look at MCPS and did not like what we saw (funny how your perception changes sometimes after you have kids). We do love our neighborhood and school, which is nearby. So moving would be difficult. Also, I don't mind paying taxes to support strong public schools even if they may not be right for us. I have always believed that great schools make great neighborhoods. I am concerned, however, that MCPS reputation as a strong school district may be on the decline--but taxes are not.

For context, which private (or type of private) are you talking about? If people taking a close look at MCPS and the Big 3 choose the Big 3, that's not surprising. If you're talking about lesser known privates, that'd be interesting...

Smaller school. Known but not a so called big 3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:


Exactly - the talent is out there, but the most frightening thing for the teacher's union is opening the door to second career professionals who are "over qualified" and motivated by a passion to teach more than a desire to make money.

I agree. There's nothing worse than a person who works for pay.

No, wait...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


Exactly - the talent is out there, but the most frightening thing for the teacher's union is opening the door to second career professionals who are "over qualified" and motivated by a passion to teach more than a desire to make money.

I agree. There's nothing worse than a person who works for pay.

No, wait...

Agreed. In every single other career, it's expected that people work to make money. Some like their jobs, but the general consensus is that getting paid is their primary motivation to be there.

Why is teaching any different?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


Exactly - the talent is out there, but the most frightening thing for the teacher's union is opening the door to second career professionals who are "over qualified" and motivated by a passion to teach more than a desire to make money.

I agree. There's nothing worse than a person who works for pay.

No, wait...

Agreed. In every single other career, it's expected that people work to make money. Some like their jobs, but the general consensus is that getting paid is their primary motivation to be there.

Why is teaching any different?

Apparently teaching is a volunteer position in some peoples' minds. We should be there solely because we have a passion to teach. Getting a chance to form young minds is payment enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


Exactly - the talent is out there, but the most frightening thing for the teacher's union is opening the door to second career professionals who are "over qualified" and motivated by a passion to teach more than a desire to make money.

I agree. There's nothing worse than a person who works for pay.

No, wait...

Agreed. In every single other career, it's expected that people work to make money. Some like their jobs, but the general consensus is that getting paid is their primary motivation to be there.

Why is teaching any different?

Apparently teaching is a volunteer position in some peoples' minds. We should be there solely because we have a passion to teach. Getting a chance to form young minds is payment enough.

New poster. All of you are barking at a straw man argument. The first PP did not say teaching is a volunteer position, and neither did anyone else. This is part of what I hate about discussions involving reform to anything in the teaching professions -- the side opposing reform always awfulizes and distorts the proposals to suggest they will destroy the whole system. I see this all the time in the comments from teachers that Valarie Strauss posts at WaPo. I think the anti-reform side would do better if it could argue against the actual proposal offered, and not some exaggerated boogeyman.