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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I have taught in both high-income private and medium/low-income public. Bad behavior in the private meant spoiled and obnoxious kids. Bad behavior in public meant neglected and angry kids. I’ll take the latter any day.[/quote]

My kid was in a high income public elementary.  A friend was stalked by a fetal alcohol kid in third grade, school said there was little they could do.  A classmate in kindergarten hit, pushed and stabbed other kids with pencils and scissors --kid was emotionally neglected.  Another child with special needs would have full fledged temper tantrums several times a week, which brought class to a halt, despite the presence of a one to one aide.

Our private both kicks out and counsels out kids with behavior problems.  Have never experienced behavior remotely close to what we observed in our public elementary.[/quote]

I’ve had similar experiences working in a very well regarded public K-2 while sending my own child to the parochial. Virtually all the parochial school kids are Catholic so we got some weird looks from neighbors sending our child to Catholic. What they didn’t know is what I saw in the public school daily:

-a class getting routinely evacuated for an emotionally disturbed kid

-same kid running the halls and sometimes shutting things down because he also tried to run outside (and school is at a busy intersection)

-kids routinely cursing at teachers and other adults, talking about topics related to sex and drugs, flipping the middle finger (and remember these are kids no older than 8!)

-kindergarteners wetting themselves and having to sit in their pee for the rest of the day because there was no nurse or because she wouldn’t call parents

-gym class being disturbed by a kid who threw chairs and gym equipment (consequence was taking a walk, skipping gym, and getting to eat a snack)

I could actually go on but I think you get the picture. I always planned to send my own child to public schools, but I didn’t know what public schools are like today. In a good day, the kids are all zoned out on their 1-to-1 iPads. [/quote]

Yes, if you live in a bad public school district you might experience that. Fortunately I live I a good public school district. [/quote]

It’s considered an excellent district, MC/UMC, and it’s mostly Catholic families who opt out. Even then for religious reasons. Probably 95% of families attend the public. I don’t think most parents know what is actually happening at school. [/quote]

Most excellent school districts at the elementary level have very active parent associations with lots of in-school volunteering by parents. The public elementary school where my kids went had parents volunteer daily in the library, at recess, in the printer room,  and do “mystery reader” things in the classroom. When there was an incident like a highly disruptive student, trust me the parents knew. It definitely happened, but the parents knew about it.

Of course, I recognize that many many many public schools do not have the resourcing or the parent engagement to have that level of parent volunteering. But most truly “excellent” public schools do.

All I am saying is that you can’t paint a broad brush on public schools based on one experience, even if it was quote / unquote “excellent.” [/quote]

Absolutely nothing PTA can do about behavior issues.  The school I am describing was high income with very active PTA as well.  Helps librarian and gives teachers a break with respect to cafeteria duty and makes sure classrooms are well stocked with supplies but that’s about it.[/quote]

My point wasn’t that parents should help with behavior issues. My point was that parents DO know what’s “actually happening at school” and the kids are not on “all zoned out on their 1-to-1 iPads on a good day” (to borrow some of your earlier language). 
[/quote]

That wasn't me.  [/quote]

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