3 reasons why the private schools are filled - from an incoming private parent...

[Anonymous]

"have as good as a track record"

And which DC public school did you attend?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Bad teachers can happen to anyone, and unfortunately the public system in my area doesn't allow for options once you get that bad teacher.

Same thing happens in private. Plenty of bad teachers there as well.

Absolutely true. Want to know a difference? If I get a bad teacher in a private school and the school won't address it, I can take my money and my child to another private or the public system. Enough "bad teacher" situations, and a private school has to make changes if they want to continue getting students.

If I get a bad teacher in a public school and the school won't address it, I am forced to go the private route and the school will continue to be funded and inflict that bad teacher on other children.

Not true regarding public schools. There are a few teachers at our public school whose contracts were not renewed in the last toe years. It happens.

It was true in my case. There may be a public school that will get rid of bad teachers, but I'll be unlikely to know that until my children get bad teachers in the private school and refuse to work with us to find a solution.

The odds aren't in the favor of the public school, however. My child's first teacher in public school was a complete disaster. Years in a private school, and at worst we've encountered teachers that were mediocre in some respects. I accept that we got a bad draw - friends have had decent experiences in public school. But the lack of ability to encourage remedy, and seeing that terror of a teacher continue to teach in the public school, really put me off public school.

[Anonymous]

I hope all of the nice people posting thoughtful replies do realize that the original post was obviously fake and meant to generate the old "private vs. public" mudslinging fight. The idea someone would be sending their children to private school while digging up all the ugly generalizations/stereotypes about private school is, of course, not credible. If people want to have this discussion (yet again), no worries -- but realize that the original post is the internet equivalent of a telephone crank call. ("Is your refrigerator running?" "Then you better go catch it!")

[Anonymous]

Thank you to the last poster- you finally caught on. Amen to that. I am just trying to make ourselves feel better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The privates aren't filled, so non sequiter.

He he. What (totally misinformed) DC bubble are you living in? I'm sure you like to think this to make your decision somehow seem better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Funny my child entered private in 6th and was so far behind on writing, oral presentations, vocabulary, grammar, science and history. And even though she was on target with math (2yrs accelerated in public) she had many "ah ha" moments of actually understanding it.

She obviously entered a second or third tier private then. Of course, that situation is different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1. you have tons of money and looking for prestige.
2. you love dc living and don't want to move from your cool neighborhood to jklm so are either getting some financial aid or working your butts off to make it work.
3. you are scared to trust the public school system because of a story you heard from a friend of a friend.

-- things you won't get out of privates

1. dc public schools are more rigorous curriculum wise and in many cases more innovative- this is why whenever a private kid has to go into public for various reasons ($$ being the primary) - they are behind in math.
2. colleges love some of dcps including wilson and have as good as a track record for ivies as most privates including big 3s
3. real life experience in a diverse atmosphere

I agree with this point. The curriculum in DCPS and other public schools are often more rigorous and driven by the standardized testing calendar. Students also don't get "do overs" or "corrections" to raise their grades in public school. The grade they get is the grade they earned the first time. And, the best public schools are just as good or better than privates. Yes, this is from a parent of a private school student who switched from public.

See, this is why these threads will never be resolved. I thought our private is way more rigorous than our DCPS middle school. My kids got corrections in DCPS, but not in private. The best public schools are NOT just as good or better than privates. Yes, this is from a parent of a private school student who switched from public.

See how that works?

Yes, but the difference private school PP is that your post demonstrates analysis, insight, and critical thinking. And there's my "aha" moment for the night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. you have tons of money and looking for prestige.
2. you love dc living and don't want to move from your cool neighborhood to jklm so are either getting some financial aid or working your butts off to make it work.
3. you are scared to trust the public school system because of a story you heard from a friend of a friend.

-- things you won't get out of privates

1. dc public schools are more rigorous curriculum wise and in many cases more innovative- this is why whenever a private kid has to go into public for various reasons ($$ being the primary) - they are behind in math.
2. colleges love some of dcps including wilson and have as good as a track record for ivies as most privates including big 3s
3. real life experience in a diverse atmosphere

OP, did you have a hangover in the morning?