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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Our oldest and their spouse make the same as OP and sent their kid to public elementary school EOTP.   After concluding reluctantly that the local middle and high schools weren’t viable options, they started playing the lottery and applying to privates.  It was the last thing they wanted to do because they really didn’t want their kids going to school with a bunch of rich kids, plus they honestly didn’t want to put such a huge dent in their lifestyle.  There are lots of things that can be done with kids with that kind of money that can benefit their growth just as much as private education.

Long story short, their kid got into several well known privates in DC but with virtually no financial aid.  One very good school upped their offer to $10k in the end, but that still left a price tag of $40k plus and would only go up and they didn’t want to pay it.  In the end, they sweated through the lottery and landed at a good option.

We have a lot more money than they do and we are very close with our grandkids.  They never asked us to help and we never considered it.  [b]I think they knew we shared their philosophical revulsion at the idea of elite private schooling[/b] and also knew that we knew it was their choice entirely to live in the school district where they do. [/quote]

I'm always mystified by the bolded above. That is, why would someone be revolted at the prospect of purchasing a significantly superior product for the most important people in their lives?  By 'product' I am thinking specifically of the quality of instruction, the curriculum choices, the intensive writing instruction, perhaps the math lab or the choreographer of the spring musical, the very much smaller student-to-teacher  ratios that permit many seminar-model upper level courses (think 10:1), individualized and extensive annotated feedback on the many writing assignments, and on and on.  The education, in other words, not the lawn and fountains and glitzy fundraiser dinners and clay courts.

If I can afford a top-flight doctor for my children, clinically speaking, who takes an hour+ for each appointment, is it "revolting" if I chose her practice when I could also send my kid to the free county clinic for the same ailment? Should I wait 4 months for 8-minute appointment with a mid-level practitioner with half the education at this free county clinic, just so I can make a point? I mean, both practices are obligated to consider my kid's chronic GI issues, right? [/quote]

I think it’s 1) a class issue — people raised in public schools often have had little direct experience with private school kids, or maybe they had some negative ones; 2) a belief in public education and concern about rich, white flight of it.  It’s really a true believer kind of thing.

We are public school parents, or will be next year when our oldest starts.  I browse this forum because I’m somewhat interested in private, although my husband falls into the “revolted” camp.  Maybe that would change if we started to have specific concerns.[/quote]

To me, private seems better in the younger years but it depends on the child and the private.  Come MS, it becomes an issue with the math track and if you have smart kid, privates often don't start Algebra till 8th vs. publics in 7th, and sometimes 6th.  And, often they have less AP and other advanced classes.  They also may not have comparable electives and sports (some will have better, some the same and some much less).  [/quote]

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