Well, the interest in private school is often rooted, in part, in skepticism about local public schools, so it strikes me as relevant commentary and to the extent that such questions elicit answers (e.g. Here's why I spend $30K+ a year for private), they have the potential to contribute to a good discussion.

I think most of it is just defensive. When parents seek out alternative education options for their children, they think that this means said parents think public schools are inadequate.

A child's education plays right into the parents fears and hopes. To see anyone willing to spend a fortune on education calls into question the quality of public irregardless of the school's program. People want to know that their children are not being left behind and that the choices made are the right ones. Sometimes defending a choice is presented as a rebuke of the other option when in reality either is fairly comparable just different.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"The supporters of the public schools are on here relentlessly attacking the idea of private schools. They see private schools as draining the publics of students and parents who would be valuable to them."

Ridiculous. I'm a public school parent who lurks here because I'm keeping an open mind about whether/when to switch to private (having done both myself). I've never encountered such a mindset. The only time I "attack' anything on this board is when people make over-broad, generalized comments about public.

NP. Despite that claim I sometimes see that posters "just happened to notice it on the recent topics list," I think a lot of public school parents like this one lurk on the private school board. Perhaps some of them (like this poster) only attack when they see something they disagree with. Others seem to attack more often. Perhaps they just disagree strongly whenever they see anything positive said about private schools.

Why do they feel this strongly? I have no idea. I have a really visceral distaste for liver and for Ted Cruz, and I can't explain those either.

I lurked and occasionally posted prior to enrolling DC in an independent. I was always curious about independent schools and wanted to learn more. Now we hope to enroll our second child too.

OP: I see. To the PP no I wasn't referring to those who have buyers remorse or those weighing their options. In my few months of being on the board I've seen a good number of comments that will say something flippant like "I don't understand why anyone would spend X dollars when your kid can go to schoo for free. All my kids went to public and doing fine." The comment reads as if the person doesn't actually have any bad experience or even knowledge of IS but have strong opinions. They opinions are fine, I just never understood why someone who was in a IS or considering one would be so active to comment and be negative about what most of us are seeking.

Anonymous wrote:"The supporters of the public schools are on here relentlessly attacking the idea of private schools. They see private schools as draining the publics of students and parents who would be valuable to them."

Ridiculous. I'm a public school parent who lurks here because I'm keeping an open mind about whether/when to switch to private (having done both myself). I've never encountered such a mindset. The only time I "attack' anything on this board is when people make over-broad, generalized comments about public.

+1
Last year we did an enormous amount of research to decide on the school for DS. And we'll make another decision in a few years for middle school. I'm interested in what's going on in the private school world, even though DS is currently at public. The only time I post anything pro-public here is when people make ridiculous sweeping statements about public schools. And I very seldom see attacks on the idea of private schools here, unless you consider "it wasn't right for our family/ we didn't think it was worth the money" to be an attack. Which would just be sad.

NP. I am a former public school now private school parent. I lurked here before switching to private, and now I lurk over on the public school forum. It is going to happen, and I am sure many of us lurk/post on forums that don't necessarily define us, but we still have input to provide--input that could prove to be helpful or just piss people off. I have said positive things about the public schools my kids have attended...but have also said negative things as well (as those negative aspects were the reasons we switched to private).

Anonymous wrote:"The supporters of the public schools are on here relentlessly attacking the idea of private schools. They see private schools as draining the publics of students and parents who would be valuable to them."

Ridiculous. I'm a public school parent who lurks here because I'm keeping an open mind about whether/when to switch to private (having done both myself). I've never encountered such a mindset. The only time I "attack' anything on this board is when people make over-broad, generalized comments about public.

NP. Despite that claim I sometimes see that posters "just happened to notice it on the recent topics list," I think a lot of public school parents like this one lurk on the private school board. Perhaps some of them (like this poster) only attack when they see something they disagree with. Others seem to attack more often. Perhaps they just disagree strongly whenever they see anything positive said about private schools.

Why do they feel this strongly? I have no idea. I have a really visceral distaste for liver and for Ted Cruz, and I can't explain those either.

"The supporters of the public schools are on here relentlessly attacking the idea of private schools. They see private schools as draining the publics of students and parents who would be valuable to them."

Ridiculous. I'm a public school parent who lurks here because I'm keeping an open mind about whether/when to switch to private (having done both myself). I've never encountered such a mindset. The only time I "attack' anything on this board is when people make over-broad, generalized comments about public.

I don't know if people don't "believe" in independent schools, but I know that if you're told you're getting something and you find you've got something completely different - you're possibly going to be unhappy about it.

A lot of the school websites make big promises, and not all of the schools are actually capable of fullfiling those promises.

Its unfortunate, but a reality.

Posters often ask a similar question on the Special Needs forum. Why are people with no experience or expertise in raising special needs children posting on the Special Needs forum? It turns out that some people click on posts from the Most Recent Threads series, and say contribute as they see fit.

In the Washington DC area, there are probably many people who have considered private schools/explored private schools/sent their children to private schools before opting for publc school. (The reverse is also true, of course.). And there are more threads of the "Is private school worth it?" variety, which seem to invite comments from all sides.

It seems on DCUM there is also a militantly thrifty band, who question whether 40k per child per yer is a prudent financial choice (impossible to say n the abstract, it depends on child, and family budget). As I get older, I personally am more open to ths line of argument (especially since oft-cited figure has climbed from 30-35k plus in the past 7 years). I think it's good this type of poster gets a chance to take the mike from time to time.

Anonymous wrote:Is it just me or is it rather odd that there are so many people tuning in to the posts on this board but aren't in favor of Pricate/IS schools? I can't really figure out...why hand around a board to only be a Debbie downer?

The supporters of the public schools are on here relentlessly attacking the idea of private schools. They see private schools as draining the publics of students and parents who would be valuable to them.

Some have even confessed to being employees of local public school systems in making their arguments against the privates.

Buyer's remorse possibly

That's the stock and trade of many a DCUMer. Sad but true.

Is it just me or is it rather odd that there are so many people tuning in to the posts on this board but aren't in favor of Pricate/IS schools? I can't really figure out...why hand around a board to only be a Debbie downer?