So would you still say the public school was just fine?

[Anonymous]

I'm in a county where some say "the schools are fine" or "the are better than DCPS." I know two students who within the past three years attended our local public school. Both graduated the same year with high honors and a variety of recognition awards in various subjects including Math, English, etc. They each went to separate colleges. One went to a state University and the other went to a small private university in another state. The one who went to a state University was told, after taking some exam to determine the level of courses they would take, that he would have to attend a summer english program to rehabilitate his English coursework and take ALL remedial classes in his first semester. None of that coursework counts towards his Bachelor's degree. The second student failed one class, got 2 D's and a C minus in her first semester, and not because she was partying and skipping class. The student got tutors, went to her professors, etc. but she was so under prepared that they finally recommended she withdraw and enroll in a community college, take some remedial coursework and reapply to re-enroll. The young lady is devestated, depressed and has not enrolled in community college for this semester. Both parents are completely shocked becasue as far as they knew their kids were bright children who were doing well in school and earning ALL A's. They never had a reason to suspect otherwise. Their test scores, as far as I know, didn't show any signs of concerns either.

After hearing this I decided there was no way I would be sending my children to public school as long as we lived in this county. We explored moving but the market sucks and for now it's not a real option. Am I crazy to be completely disgusted with the public schools? I've been told - even after sharing this two recent examples - I'm overreacting and the schools are just fine and most kids who graduate from these schools do fine and get accepted into colleges. Needless to say I am beginning to question what people think "just fine" is. I think is irresponsible to knowingly send kids to college unprepared and I refuse to put my children through that. What am I missing? How could the local school possibly be "just fine?"

[Anonymous]

You are missing all the kids who graduate from from public school and go to college and do great with no transition issues at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are missing all the kids who graduate from from public school and go to college and do great with no transition issues at all.

Do you actually read it? I'm talking about MY local public school, and not every other public school in America!

[Anonymous]

It still sounds like you just have two anecdotes. Do more research. Look at average SAT scores, AP scores. Consider whether, even in this worst case, taking a few remedial classes is worth the hundreds of thousands of dollars you'd save over private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are missing all the kids who graduate from from public school and go to college and do great with no transition issues at all.

Do you actually read it? I'm talking about MY local public school, and not every other public school in America!

Your post is really long, but you don't bother to mention the school system and you don't mention the school.

So, yes, feel free to send your own children to private school, but recognize that there are many graduates of local public school system who continue to excel at many colleges and universities. My freshman has already been told that he can graduate in three years if he chooses, based on his AP scores, placement tests, and first semester performance.

[Anonymous]

some kids can fall through the cracks. sounds like these two may have done just that.

choose private if it is best for your family; but it is really not in your interest or attractive to other people to slam public schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It still sounds like you just have two anecdotes. Do more research. Look at average SAT scores, AP scores. Consider whether, even in this worst case, taking a few remedial classes is worth the hundreds of thousands of dollars you'd save over private school.

Wow, so the money is more important than making sure my children are well prepared? A few remedial class is NOT a good thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are missing all the kids who graduate from from public school and go to college and do great with no transition issues at all.

Do you actually read it? I'm talking about MY local public school, and not every other public school in America!

Your post is really long, but you don't bother to mention the school system and you don't mention the school.

So, yes, feel free to send your own children to private school, but recognize that there are many graduates of local public school system who continue to excel at many colleges and universities. My freshman has already been told that he can graduate in three years if he chooses, based on his AP scores, placement tests, and first semester performance.

Yes of course there are many graduates of local public schools who continue to excel at many colleges and universities -- I am one of them. I am only speaking about the school my children would have to go to which is not the school I went to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:some kids can fall through the cracks. sounds like these two may have done just that.

choose private if it is best for your family; but it is really not in your interest or attractive to other people to slam public schools.

People need to get out of their feelings. Unless they are the one designing the public school curriculum its not a personal jab. All of you pro public school people at any cost are beyond ridiculous. To be clear I am a public school grad and my kids go to public school. However, I dont get my panties in a bunch when people say they dont think public schools are good -- that's their opinion and they are entitled to it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It still sounds like you just have two anecdotes. Do more research. Look at average SAT scores, AP scores. Consider whether, even in this worst case, taking a few remedial classes is worth the hundreds of thousands of dollars you'd save over private school.

Wow, so the money is more important than making sure my children are well prepared? A few remedial class is NOT a good thing.

Yes, of course amounts of money matter. Would you pay $1 million to make sure your children were ideally prepared? What about $5 million? What if you could not guarantee they would be ideally prepared at any price and it was always a risk that they may suffer some stumbling blocks wherever they go? You do need to consider realities of cost. You say you can't afford to move. How the heck could you afford private school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:some kids can fall through the cracks. sounds like these two may have done just that.

choose private if it is best for your family; but it is really not in your interest or attractive to other people to slam public schools.

People need to get out of their feelings. Unless they are the one designing the public school curriculum its not a personal jab. All of you pro public school people at any cost are beyond ridiculous. To be clear I am a public school grad and my kids go to public school. However, I dont get my panties in a bunch when people say they dont think public schools are good -- that's their opinion and they are entitled to it.

PP here. i am a public school grad and a private school parent. i would never denigrate an entire school system because two kids out of...how many?...had problems when they graduated. maybe you should be a little more concerned as to how people are drawing their conclusions about public schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are missing all the kids who graduate from from public school and go to college and do great with no transition issues at all.

Do you actually read it? I'm talking about MY local public school, and not every other public school in America!

Your post is really long, but you don't bother to mention the school system and you don't mention the school.

So, yes, feel free to send your own children to private school, but recognize that there are many graduates of local public school system who continue to excel at many colleges and universities. My freshman has already been told that he can graduate in three years if he chooses, based on his AP scores, placement tests, and first semester performance.

Yes of course there are many graduates of local public schools who continue to excel at many colleges and universities -- I am one of them. I am only speaking about the school my children would have to go to which is not the school I went to.

Then really, what is the point of your post? Two anecdotes about two specific kids at one specific school that an anonymous stranger is not choosing for your kids. Ok.

[Anonymous]

This has been my experience with MOCO public schools in the mid/upper county. I do believe you get what you pay for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are missing all the kids who graduate from from public school and go to college and do great with no transition issues at all.

Do you actually read it? I'm talking about MY local public school, and not every other public school in America!

Your post is really long, but you don't bother to mention the school system and you don't mention the school.

So, yes, feel free to send your own children to private school, but recognize that there are many graduates of local public school system who continue to excel at many colleges and universities. My freshman has already been told that he can graduate in three years if he chooses, based on his AP scores, placement tests, and first semester performance.

Yes of course there are many graduates of local public schools who continue to excel at many colleges and universities -- I am one of them. I am only speaking about the school my children would have to go to which is not the school I went to.

Then really, what is the point of your post? Two anecdotes about two specific kids at one specific school that an anonymous stranger is not choosing for your kids. Ok.

True. Also op your opening post is WAAAY too long. I thin you're the "long poster" and I wish you'd learn to edit yourself. So boring otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are missing all the kids who graduate from from public school and go to college and do great with no transition issues at all.

Do you actually read it? I'm talking about MY local public school, and not every other public school in America!

Your post is really long, but you don't bother to mention the school system and you don't mention the school.

So, yes, feel free to send your own children to private school, but recognize that there are many graduates of local public school system who continue to excel at many colleges and universities. My freshman has already been told that he can graduate in three years if he chooses, based on his AP scores, placement tests, and first semester performance.

Yes of course there are many graduates of local public schools who continue to excel at many colleges and universities -- I am one of them. I am only speaking about the school my children would have to go to which is not the school I went to.

Then really, what is the point of your post? Two anecdotes about two specific kids at one specific school that an anonymous stranger is not choosing for your kids. Ok.

My point is how can one still argue THAT specific school is just fine when there are two examples that suggest otherwise.