Anonymous wrote:I think if there was no gifted/talented programs at public schools, many of those parents would be seriously considering private school.

This is partly true, I think. To which I say, Thank Goodness! for the magnets and other programs in MoCo, and for the Charter movement in DC. Those of you who think it's "do science at the Blair math magnet, or bust" really don't understand the range of lottery, magnet, IB and special arts programs available in MoCo, and how appealing these can be to many families we know. In DC, all you have to do is visit DCUM's public school forum to see the widespread enthusiasm for the range of charter options, particularly the immersion options and schools like Latin and Basis.

What's the alternative? Greater social inequality. Housing prices in Bethesda and NW DC skyrocket even more for the families that still want public. Meanwhile, private school tuition skyrockets even more, because of greater demand. Private schools become flush with cash that they use to build even showier gyms and playing fields. The demand spills over to the second-tier privates which, newly flush with cash, also jazz up their facilities and pay their teachers more (the latter being a good thing). And the anti-tax lobby grows, fighting even harder to reduce real estate taxes on those pricey Bethesda and NW DC houses and for families who are paying private tuitions, which further defunds the public schools in Silver Spring. We've been very happy with our experience in both private and public schools--but no thank you to this scenario!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is an all-new thought I'll share about why we like our private school and avoid our decently performing public -- we are pleased to avoid all the disruptive, impulsive, "handy", overly talkative, overly "active" kids that go public in our neighborhood. And of course, they all have IEPs and receive accommodations -- of which I am certain because their moms talk about this on the sidelines during sports, etc.

Someone will surely point out to me "why, there are TONS! of ADHD kids in privates!!!!!" Maybe, but to them I'd respond that the disruptive ones don't seem to make it past the door of our kid's school. In fact I can name four random neighbor families where the parents send one of their kids to my kid's private and one of their other kids -- the one I know firsthand to be a behavioral challenge -- to a ward 3 dcps so kid #2 gets services and accommodations.

I am happy to be able to buy our way out of that for the formative years.

Maybe you have kids at PRIVATE !!! school, but I DOUBT it 'cause TONS and TONS of people know that this kind of grammar is pretty low rent !!!

Heh heh. Her grammar is low rent and I hope yours is a parody and not your personal style.

But for some substantive comments. I have no doubt PP has kids in private school. But, it's a distortion to claim, or think, public schools are swarming with ADHD kids - is this some kind of code for "children from low class families, maybe from immigrant families, who don't care about education?"

Anonymous wrote:Here is an all-new thought I'll share about why we like our private school and avoid our decently performing public -- we are pleased to avoid all the disruptive, impulsive, "handy", overly talkative, overly "active" kids that go public in our neighborhood. And of course, they all have IEPs and receive accommodations -- of which I am certain because their moms talk about this on the sidelines during sports, etc.

Someone will surely point out to me "why, there are TONS! of ADHD kids in privates!!!!!" Maybe, but to them I'd respond that the disruptive ones don't seem to make it past the door of our kid's school. In fact I can name four random neighbor families where the parents send one of their kids to my kid's private and one of their other kids -- the one I know firsthand to be a behavioral challenge -- to a ward 3 dcps so kid #2 gets services and accommodations.

I am happy to be able to buy our way out of that for the formative years.

Maybe you have kids at PRIVATE !!! school, but I DOUBT it 'cause TONS and TONS of people know that this kind of grammar is pretty low rent !!!

Anonymous wrote:I think if there was no gifted/talented programs at public schools, many of those parents would be seriously considering private school.

Are these private schools in Lake Wobegon?

I think if there was no gifted/talented programs at public schools, many of those parents would be seriously considering private school.

Anonymous wrote:We live in a seriously marginal neighborhood so we can afford to send our kids to private school. Why? Because if we bought into an expensive neighborhood, we'd then be locked into that school – and if it didn't work out, would be screwed. If our private school doesn't work out, we can send them to a different private school.

We made a similar choice, although our neighborhood schools are good. We just preferred to keep our options open so didn't go all-in at the highest-rated schools. Not only can schools change (a local middle school has gone from "do not send your children there, ever" to "a great up and coming school" in the past 10 years, and a local elementary has gone from "fantastic!" to "ehhhh, it's ok") during a child's years, but different children have different needs. We under bought in terms of what we could afford to give us general life flexibility and that extends to our educational choices for our children.

Thank goodness we did, since public turned out to be a total nightmare. We had choices, we could fix the problem. I know too many people who deal with "well, the 3rd grade teacher was worthless, but the 4th grade teacher has been great!" Ok, I suppose you can accept that your child's enduring a complete waste of time for a year, as long as the child's not being mistreated, but I find that unacceptable.

I do wish we lived in an area with more school choice at the public level. Had we been able to change public schools (without moving), we probably would have tried that remedy before going private.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Mine don't love school THAT much but they would rather eat Ramen noodles everyday than attend public school.

I am wondering what will happen when your children grow up and go out into the world and meet and work with lots of people who went to public school.

Not the above poster, but my kids attend privates and have tons of public school friends. They do community sports and other activities, play in the neighborhood, and so on. Just because children love their schools doesn't mean they can't like, respect, and enjoy the company of children who attend other schools. And even grow up to be functional, polite, non-DCUM reading members of society!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We never tell this to others but one of the reasons we send DC to an elite private school is b/c we want him to get into the most elite frat, eating club, secret society, etc at an Ivy.

Some of us care about stuff like that.

I secretly think lots of the parents at our private school are first generation social climbers without any real class. My family came over on the Mayflower, so this stuff is irrelevant to me. If you think elite frat = class, you've missed the point completely.

Besides, don't send your kid to private to get into an Ivy. He'd have a better chance from Whitman.

This is akin to bragging that your family started slavery in the US. Nice!

It's actually not. Puritans were not slave owners. You must have gone to a public school.

You obviously got your education through legacy and were pushed along. Read your family history... Slave owners and murderers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the people who live in million dollar homes, drive luxury clothes, and drive luxury cars yet still send their kids to public school. There, I said it.

Which part don't you understand? If I knew, I'd try to explain it to you.

I'm curious. Does the scrimping private school family think the millionaire public school family chooses public school because all their luxuries have left them without $30,000 kid per year for 13 years? If so, you're way way wrong.

As a scrimping private school family, I'd assume that the millionaire public school family chooses public school because they're happy with the local public school and think it will provide a good education for their children.

For heavens sake, guys. Is this really necessary?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Mine don't love school THAT much but they would rather eat Ramen noodles everyday than attend public school. Privates realize that both parent and child are the consumers so they have not only stellar academics but also have fun days built into the schedule. BTW public school parents when I tell you the reason that I send my kids to private is because of smaller class sizes and individualized attention or because it is loosely religious based, that is code for I believe my kids are receiving a better education than yours. I might even say IRL that the academics at my private are subpar to your public so that you will leave me alone. However, I also roll my eyes when you buy the vacation home and fly there 5-6 times a year but claim you can't afford private because I think you are selfish. Ha- I said it.

I am wondering what will happen when your children grow up and go out into the world and meet and work with lots of people who went to public school.

I know, right? I wonder about the sense of entitlement she's teaching her kids.

I'm saying above that my kids love their school a ton and realize that their school is much more fun than the public one. I was staying on topic using non PC. terms. My kids know there are brilliant kids in both public and private as they attend academic competitions with both. Many of the top public kids in the activites they participate in are first generation immigrants and we are all in awe of what they've accomplished. I completely understand parents who can't afford private send their kids to public but people making 250k plus incomes with one or two children who send their kids to public (except maybe a school like TJ) I willnever understand.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the people who live in million dollar homes, drive luxury clothes, and drive luxury cars yet still send their kids to public school. There, I said it.

Which part don't you understand? If I knew, I'd try to explain it to you.

I'm curious. Does the scrimping private school family think the millionaire public school family chooses public school because all their luxuries have left them without $30,000 kid per year for 13 years? If so, you're way way wrong.

We live in a seriously marginal neighborhood so we can afford to send our kids to private school. Why? Because if we bought into an expensive neighborhood, we'd then be locked into that school – and if it didn't work out, would be screwed. If our private school doesn't work out, we can send them to a different private school.

Our decision was influenced by the fact that both DH and I had truly, truly terrible public-school experiences. My parents knew I was in misery, but couldn't afford to send me to private school with the mortgage they were paying. I always want the freedom to be able to yank my kids and send them someplace else.

I freely admit that this is a very unusual calculus to have made, and most people think we're crazy, including my family. It just goes to show how very individual these choices are. Loving parents with the same amount of money can come to very different decisions depending on their personal experiences, values, and tolerance for risk.

I will say that our decision has been made much easier because DH and I are absolutely on the same page. Moral: marry someone who agrees with you about education.

Anonymous wrote:Most of these posters sound jealous, jealous jealous of families who can afford private.

Nope, you can't dismiss valid points by claiming we're jealous of you. Several of us have said we will do private in the future, or that we did private but founded public worked better.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Mine don't love school THAT much but they would rather eat Ramen noodles everyday than attend public school. Privates realize that both parent and child are the consumers so they have not only stellar academics but also have fun days built into the schedule. BTW public school parents when I tell you the reason that I send my kids to private is because of smaller class sizes and individualized attention or because it is loosely religious based, that is code for I believe my kids are receiving a better education than yours. I might even say IRL that the academics at my private are subpar to your public so that you will leave me alone. However, I also roll my eyes when you buy the vacation home and fly there 5-6 times a year but claim you can't afford private because I think you are selfish. Ha- I said it.

I am wondering what will happen when your children grow up and go out into the world and meet and work with lots of people who went to public school.

I know, right? I wonder about the sense of entitlement she's teaching her kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Mine don't love school THAT much but they would rather eat Ramen noodles everyday than attend public school. Privates realize that both parent and child are the consumers so they have not only stellar academics but also have fun days built into the schedule. BTW public school parents when I tell you the reason that I send my kids to private is because of smaller class sizes and individualized attention or because it is loosely religious based, that is code for I believe my kids are receiving a better education than yours. I might even say IRL that the academics at my private are subpar to your public so that you will leave me alone. However, I also roll my eyes when you buy the vacation home and fly there 5-6 times a year but claim you can't afford private because I think you are selfish. Ha- I said it.

I am wondering what will happen when your children grow up and go out into the world and meet and work with lots of people who went to public school.