so sick of the gloating

[Anonymous]

What else would explain the behavior OP describes -- e.g. you get what you pay for (har de har har)?

I don't assume that public school parents generally are resentful of private school parents or that public school parents are passive-aggressive. But someone who pulls this kind of shit is both.

[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.

Oh please, isn't your goal to start a public vs. private firestorm?

[Anonymous]

No, she's venting about neighbors not assessing the comparative advantages/quality of public vs. private education. She didn't say ANYTHING critical of public schools or claim any advantage for privates. Newsflash: most of us don't divide the world that way. Maybe kids who go to school with your kids vs. kids who don't -- but generally the kids who don't go to particular other schools and it's irrelevant whether they are public or private.

[Anonymous]

I would be interested in an apples-to-apples comparison: How do the hours spent in public schools compare to the hours spent in private schools per school year.

I've taken kids to two separate private schools, stopped at Starbucks, and walked the dog 2 miles by the time the neighborhood public school kids are entering the school building. I've just assumed that the hours end up being fairly comparable over the course of the school year. And I've never noticed any gloating. The neighborhood is wonderfully neighborly.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]I would be interested in an apples-to-apples comparison: How do the hours spent in public schools compare to the hours spent in private schools per school year.

I've taken kids to two separate private schools, stopped at Starbucks, and walked the dog 2 miles by the time the neighborhood public school kids are entering the school building. I've just assumed that the hours end up being fairly comparable over the course of the school year. And I've never noticed any gloating. The neighborhood is wonderfully neighborly. [/quote]

You must not live in MoCo - in our neighborhood the HS kids are at the school bus stop at 6:40 am and middle school kids at 7:25. Not actually sure about elementary school - I think it's closer to 8:15. When my kids were in private school they started at 8 am and 8:20 am, except in prek and k when it was 8:45.

[Anonymous]

OK, having done DCPS for 8 years and just finishing grade 7 in private, this household is thrilled for the down time, and excited the sibling will be in the same place next SY. My experience points to DCPS cramming every little thing in, from enrichment to testing (and testing, and testing, and pre- testing) that heads spin, ours and the kids. The private experience feels much more quality condensed, smaller class sizes meaning less wasted time on behaviour issues, intense homework and projects rather than worksheets and wasted hours on DC CAS, well thought out musical and theatrical productions rather than creative teachers trying to cram some arts into the schedule. So there. DS is rested up and ready for a camp next week and younger sibling just needs to lay in bed after too many end of year things. I've heard from other DCPS parents though that their kids have spent hours in front of movies (at Deal, science class watched Avatar for instance today) or doing "free p.e.". So I don't think publics are gaining much on well planned privates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OK, having done DCPS for 8 years and just finishing grade 7 in private, this household is thrilled for the down time, and excited the sibling will be in the same place next SY. My experience points to DCPS cramming every little thing in, from enrichment to testing (and testing, and testing, and pre- testing) that heads spin, ours and the kids. The private experience feels much more quality condensed, smaller class sizes meaning less wasted time on behaviour issues, intense homework and projects rather than worksheets and wasted hours on DC CAS, well thought out musical and theatrical productions rather than creative teachers trying to cram some arts into the schedule. So there. DS is rested up and ready for a camp next week and younger sibling just needs to lay in bed after too many end of year things. I've heard from other DCPS parents though that their kids have spent hours in front of movies (at Deal, science class watched Avatar for instance today) or doing "free p.e.". So I don't think publics are gaining much on well planned privates.

Are you 12? Plus, your post could be read so many different ways that I'm not sure what the point is. So there.

[Anonymous]

You are sensitive, PP. The point is public school may have more school days but that doesn't mean it's more productive or learned. Is that okay with you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are sensitive, PP. The point is public school may have more school days but that doesn't mean it's more productive or learned. Is that okay with you?

I was pointing out your gloating ("So there"). Nothing in my post mentioned public vs. private. Go ahead and gloat, but don't expect that people won't point it out on a thread about gloating. Is that OK with you?

[Anonymous]

Bethesda/Chevy Chase elementary schools start at 9:00am and end at 3:00pm; assume other MCPS elementary schools are on same schedule. My kids are in private elementary school from 8:10am to 3:20pm. That's a difference of 5 hours 50 minutes. Our school has an hour break mid-day for lunch, recess and the in-tansit time.

[Anonymous]

Meant to say 5 hours and 50 minutes per 5-day week.

[Anonymous]

09:52 -- the topic of the thread was public school parents gloating over more school days. 22:38 is making an argument that more isn't necesarily better as there is a child in public and another in private in the same family, and the comparison is flattering only to the private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:09:52 -- the topic of the thread was public school parents gloating over more school days. 22:38 is making an argument that more isn't necesarily better as there is a child in public and another in private in the same family, and the comparison is flattering only to the private.

Uh huh. But she made her comparison ... by gloating. Please acquire a sense of irony.

Do I have to spell it out? We aren't talking substance anymore. I know you're dying to prove private schools are better than public. It doesn't really matter to me because I have one in each and, unlike 22:38, I think each is better for the particular kid. My only point here is that to respond to gloating with more gloating is sort of childish. Although I can see the point would be lost on somebody without a sense of irony.

[Anonymous]

I thought the subject was gloating about not paying for less school. Not about gloating in general.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought the subject was gloating about not paying for less school. Not about gloating in general.

So wait -- you're saying there is a "thread rule" that the only "wrong" gloating is when it comes from a public school parent, but gloating from a private school parent is OK? Because I think anybody who gloats, on a thread about gloating whatever the source, is fair game!