private school... opinions?

[pinkflamingo]

We are strongly considering sending our son to private school. He will be in kindergarten in the fall. It is a well respected, private day school, non religious. It is kind of weird because both my husband and I are public school teachers. We applied by lottery to the 2 best public kindergartens in the area and we didn't get in. It is really frustrating.
I am going to submit his application on Monday. Do you know of any good questions to ask when I meet the principal?

Anyone out there with private school experiences (good or bad?) I know it all depends on the school. A few of my friends think it is way too early to be worried about that, but our neighborhood elementary school is not very good. We would rather do without some luxuries to ensure he gets a great education. (sniffle, I will be putting off an upgrade for years now!)

 

[strmrdr]

I wouldnt send a dog much less a kid to the local schools in my area so yea I say go for it.
Check out what they will be studying and the structure of the classes and make sure its suited to your child.
Ask to meet the teachers and get a feel for them.

 

[Kaleigh]

Both of our children went to private school. And they both started in Kindergarten. They have gotten an excellent eduction and was the right decision for them. My daughter is graduating in a few weeks and thinks the education she got from her school was top notch and is well prepared for college now. Both my husband and I attended private schools and it''s what we wanted to give our kids. Good luck going through the process. If I can help in any way answering questions, I''ll be happy to help.

Lisa

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I went to a private all girls'' school (non-religious) for high school. I think it was the best decision my parents could have made. I was very shy and quiet when I entered and with a student/teacher ratio 1/8 you can''t really blend into the woodwork. It was very difficult (more than college) but I guess it was a prep school. I had to work very hard (at least 3 hours of homework a night) but it taught me how to study and budget my time. We even had summer reading. My high school experience was very unique. I LOVED, loved, loved wearing a uniform. It was so easy and probably cheaper in the long run for my parents. I would have gotten "lost" in the public school in our area. Very large, metal detectors (before they were common place), high drop-out rate. I went to public school up to 8th grade (we moved states) so I can''t really tell you what it would be like for your son. My private school was pre K-12th and it did seem like the younger kids were moving at a faster rate than we did in public school. They even had spanish classes (where we started in 7th grade in my public school).

 

[E B]

I went to private school from K through 12th, and it was truly a wonderful decision (that I have my Mom to thank for!). The BEST decision, however, was choosing an all-female Catholic high school where I was able to be myself, not constantly preoccupied with impressing my male classmates. We thrived, not having to worry about how we looked or if we should raise our hands (for fear of getting a question wrong and looking stupid). If I have daughters, you'll bet I'll push them towards an all-female high school education.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Well, I also teach in the public schools and our first two kids went through them. But when it came time for the third child to start school (she is several years younger than the other two), we decided that we wanted her in a better enviroment. We don''t have a good regular private school here, but we started her in a private Christian school for kindergarten. I was not impressed with several things about the higher grades, so we were able to get her in a local charter school beginning in first grade.

The hardest part about it is that some of your co-workers will be a little resentful that you are not having your children go to school in the district where you teach. Yes, I have had a couple of people tell me basically that if the schools are good enough for me to teach in, then why don''t I have my children in them? My answer is that my job as a mother is more important than anything else, and I will always choose what is best for my child!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Sent our son to private school for primary grades.....and I have mixed feelings about the experience. We did our "homework", I read a myraid of educational research about entering private schools at different levels (primary, middle and high school); and did a cost/benefit analysis. In the final analysis, I wanted my son to have a small classroom environment for enrichment, and all the endless resources at our fingertips. He received those benefits. But my son taught himself to read at an early age, and we realized he would "learn" well regardless of his environment. He is now back in public school for middle grades and it is a wonderful place. My dermatologist calls it a private-public school......and my son loves it and is thriving.

A neighbour of mine sent her daughter to an all girls private school b/c she loved the "philosophy" it entailed...and pulled her out after one year. It would seem that altho the student population fit the strict entrance "criteria" many of the students had previous problems in public/seperate/other school and were placed in this private school thinking it would help their underlying problems, but what happened is that they garnered a cohort of "problematic" students. Same situation for the "science" private school another neighbour sent her son to......plus not living up to their outlined curriculum.....ended up back in public school in a year...

I guess every parent goes thru this...wondering what situation would be best for their child. You mention that your local school "is not very good". Do you mind sharing why you feel that way?

cheers--Sharon

 

[diamondfan]

Both my older sons are in private and my youngest will start pre - K in the fall. Overall we are happy, have issues with a couple of bad teachers but that can happen in any school. One thing that is interesting and shocking to me is that private school teachers do not have to have credentials...whereas public school teachers do. Also, even though public schools and private schools that take public funding must have a minimum number of days in school (180?) a private school that is self funding does NOT. (My friend jokes that you pay more and get less, our school goes back later and end earlier than any other one in the area!) But, again, overall, we have had a good experience. That is not to say that they would not have been well educated in our public system, which I think is one of the best in the country. But, if in your neighborhood the public schools are not great, I would say go for it. Student to teacher ratios, curriculum, how they handle bullying, is there a nurse full time on campus, how many teachers there have tenure...these are things I would ask. My main issue with the school my kids attend is they seem to keep teachers who are well past their prime in terms of enthusiasm and competence, and they do not seem intent on changing things up. I like freshness, competence but yet with a bright new way of approaching things...keep it interesting and yes, fun, so learning is wonderful when they are young and they feel happy to be there. good luck!

 

[Maria D]

I have the opposite scenario. I teach at a private Catholic high school and my daughter, who is now in grade 7, has no intention of going there! I am not pushing it on her because although the school I teach at provides an excellent education I don''t think it would be the best fit for my daughter -- even though she is very bright. In fact, *I* would not have wanted to go to high school at the school I teach at! While our students enjoy the tight-knit family-like community, I would have found it suffocating. I much preferred a larger school.

As for "good questions:" maybe you could list all the things that you feel make the two kindergartens you didn''t get into "best" and ask the pincipals of the private schools how their schools compare. Are you able to tell what kind of teaching style best suits your son yet? For us it became apparent by her second grade year that our daughter thrives best in a structured and organized environment . Entering kindergarten, I don''t think I would have been able to say what was best for her. Maybe a school that has several learning environments would be best.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Ebree I totally agree about all-girls education. I think it is very healthy for girls but an not convinced it is for boys. I loved not having to impress any boys or worry about wearing make-up. It was about the education. Sometimes it felt like summer camp. I feel like I am a strong woman BECAUSE of my private all girls education. Also, I do have a mild LD and it wasn''t until I was in my private school that they finally discovered this (which Diamondseeker can tell you is rare). The extra attention and perks were priceless to me. They even brought in a specialist to help me. I wasn''t lost in the shuffle. It prepared me very well for college (kind of gave me an even playing field). I don''t think my school had less days than public schools and I also think my teachers were fantastic but obviously every school is different. We also didn''t have any "problem" students. It was pretty hard to get into (even more so than college) interviews (parent and student), IQ test, and general test. Application with essay and teach reqs. I remember my first test in school the teacher walked out of the room and no one tried to cheat! I was so impressed! The main problem that I can see is the PARENTS! They get so involved and the politics get in the way. Also it was a lot of pressure. I was one of 32 girls in my class and I am sure I ranked in the bottom half (though they did not do rankings). These girls were amazingly talented. Kind of hurts the ego

 

[E B]

Wasn't it the best, Tacori? I could literally roll out of bed, throw on my uniform (forget agonizing over what to wear!) and go to school. I could lay on the sofas in the senior lounge with my girlfriends during free period, and we could run around with hair unbrushed, bare faced and not worry a bit. And yes, my high school was harder to get into than college as well. I still remember the day the mailman brought my acceptance packet. My mom and I cried on our porch for what seemed like forever! It was a huge deal.

People who went to co-ed school (FI included) roll their eyes when I mention how dynamics change dramatically when boys are introduced to a group of girls...but it's absolutely true.

Date: 5/7/2006 12:12:55 AM
Author: Tacori E-ring
Ebree I totally agree about all-girls education. I think it is very healthy for girls but an not convinced it is for boys. I loved not having to impress any boys or worry about wearing make-up. It was about the education. Sometimes it felt like summer camp. I feel like I am a strong woman BECAUSE of my private all girls education. Also, I do have a mild LD and it wasn't until I was in my private school that they finally discovered this (which Diamondseeker can tell you is rare). The extra attention and perks were priceless to me. They even brought in a specialist to help me. I wasn't lost in the shuffle. It prepared me very well for college (kind of gave me an even playing field). I don't think my school had less days than public schools and I also think my teachers were fantastic but obviously every school is different. We also didn't have any 'problem' students. It was pretty hard to get into (even more so than college) interviews (parent and student), IQ test, and general test. Application with essay and teach reqs. I remember my first test in school the teacher walked out of the room and no one tried to cheat! I was so impressed! The main problem that I can see is the PARENTS! They get so involved and the politics get in the way. Also it was a lot of pressure. I was one of 32 girls in my class and I am sure I ranked in the bottom half (though they did not do rankings). These girls were amazingly talented. Kind of hurts the ego

 

[pinkflamingo]

Thanks for all of the replies!! I really appreciate your input!

Someone asked what made our neighborhood school not so good, well, we live in suburban Tampa. Our neighborhood school services a very mixed income area. Our neighborhood is lovely and middle class, and there are several nearby that are nice. The school is located in an "older" area, that is not well maintained and poor/falling apart.

The school gets overall grades of C from the state, and the kids are not from educated families. Both my husband and I have masters degrees and both of our parents and even our grandparents went to college. We would like our son to be in a community of well educated kids and parents that have the same educational focus. Most parents in our income bracket in our neighborhood do choose out of our neighborhood school. This is not implying that parents that didn't go to college are bad or not focused on education. It is not a racial thing either, this community is predominantly white. I hope I didn't ruffle anyone's feathers.

We also are concerned, because our son has gone to the best pre-school in the area for 2 years. He is reading and writing now. If he enters a kindergarten that is filled with children that don't know their ABC's yet, he will not be challenged. We are concerned that if he sits around bored for most of the day, he may gain a negative view of learning and eventually fall behind. That is our fear.

Also, as a teacher, I have heard a lot of stories about our neighborhood school. It has a high turnover rate from the teachers, and doesn't get a lot of funding from the state because of the poor grades.

I don't want to sound like a snob, and the private school he might be attending is really not a snob school at all. My friends and my parents have been supportive so far. I am thinking of enrolling him on Monday!

ETA: I went to private school (a Lutheran school) from PreK-1st grade. My parents pulled me out and I was in public school until graduation. We will probably re-evaluate year to year.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

If I had it to do over, I would have sent our older two through some private school as well (forgot to say that). One thrived, and the other was very negatively influenced by peers. Always protect your kids. It has nothing to do with being a snob.

 

[fire&ice]

I went to a private high school. We had 80 in our graduating class. Because it was so small, we really didn''t have "clicks". Ironically, we learned diversity amoung personalities. I received a much better rounded education w/ more experiences.

My friends who have children in private school have SOOOOOOOO much more opportunity in terms of "electives" & special attention paid.

I know some schools nearly require you to start in kindergarten as later grades have strict standards to get in. But, I think the 3rd grade is where one starts to see more of a difference.

 

[canuk-gal]

Date: 5/7/2006 7:26:43 AM
Author: pinkflamingo
Thanks for all of the replies!! I really appreciate your input!

We also are concerned, because our son has gone to the best pre-school in the area for 2 years. He is reading and writing now. If he enters a kindergarten that is filled with children that don''t know their ABC''s yet, he will not be challenged. We are concerned that if he sits around bored for most of the day, he may gain a negative view of learning and eventually fall behind. That is our fear.

HI PF:

My son was the only fluent reader in his K class (there were emergent readers), and he was often asked to help his other classmates and to read to the class. It was very motivating to his classmates and helped my son''s of self esteem and improved his communication and social skills immensley.

The kinds of questions I asked of the principal at the ps my son attended were: how is learning individualized for each child (enrichment, help etc), who are the teachers and their qualifications/experience, how is "discipline" handled, what types of resources are available for students and families (psychologists, etc), how much fundraising are parents "required" to do, what is the school''s policy on parents volunteering in the classroom, what are the procedures should you wish to leave the private system and return to public (assessments needed, etc).

cheers--Sharon

 

[decodelighted]

I went to private school K-12 ... some of my siblings started at private school but had to switch to public as our family grew from one kid to SIX!!!! My mom was able to finagle out-of-district transfers to the best public schools in town because that school was the only on that offered "Latin" classes. She wrote letters every year explaining how much Latin had helped my SAT scores - and how she wanted to ensure her other kids got the benefit from learning Latin. THEN ... when she had the oldest one IN ... (who was top of her class & a benefit to that public school) she got the others in to "keep the family together" & such & such.

The sister five years younger than me -- the first to go 1/2 public & 1/2 private is so far arguably the most successful of all the kids --- female law firm partner at 33. She also passed up fancier universities to stay in-state UVA undergrad & lawschool to keep her costs/loans etc lower.

I went to a private university and had hella student loans afterwards in my silly, little "arts" career. So -- it''s all about trade-offs.

I do think my mom was pretty clever & able to get the best education she could for all the siblings, even when private school became too expensive for a one-income/six kids family!

 

[sanfranciscoellen]

I feel very passionate about this issue. Not because I agree or disagree with anyone here...we are all doing the best we can for our kids.

We live in a city with poorly thought-of public schools (San Francisco) and people move rather than enter the lottery. We have no neighborhood schools, so you have the option of selecting seven schools and the rest is lottery with a little socio-economic weighting thrown it.

My kids go to a private school track preschool, so we thought we''d do that too. But we ended up getting all of our choices...our first choice public school, and two private schools. We had a hard decision, like many of you---our son is quirky and artistic and was already reading--we were worried about squashing his spirit in the wrong academic setting, in either direction.

We chose public, and I am so glad we did. My son''s school is 10% caucasian, 30% asian, 30% latino, 15% african american and the rest is a rainbow. Insulating our son from this lovely diversity wasn''t right for our family. I feel very lucky to see one parent dropping their child off in a mercedes, and a dad walking up holding his sons'' hand with a city bus driver''s uniform on. In the end, our family felt most comfortable in this school, with socio-economic diversity and racial diversity and a school that relies on devoted parents to survive.

We evaluate our decision each year and would transfer to private or homeschooling or whatever in a heartbeat if it better suited our child.

Isn''t that what we are all trying to do? No guilt here!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 5/7/2006 1:08:13 PM
Author: wallermama
We chose public, and I am so glad we did. My son''s school is 10% caucasian, 30% asian, 30% latino, 15% african american and the rest is a rainbow. Insulating our son from this lovely diversity wasn''t right for our family. I feel very lucky to see one parent dropping their child off in a mercedes, and a dad walking up holding his sons'' hand with a city bus driver''s uniform on. In the end, our family felt most comfortable in this school, with socio-economic diversity and racial diversity and a school that relies on devoted parents to survive.

Obviously every area/school is different but my private school was VERY diverse. That is one of the things they pride themselves on. My class of 32 covered all the major religions and races. This was in Cleveland and they have loads of private schools. So they really want the best/most diverse/smartest students out there. I looked at 7 or 8 different high schools that were both public and private. The one I chose was one of the more diverse. Out of the three private schools I picked mine because of the uniform. I really loved it!!!

Ebree--I remember when I went to college not liking having classes with boys. They were so silly and acted so stupid (to get attention). Also our uniform had three different skirts, we could wear black pants in the winter and polos/turtle necks in white, navy, or hunter. It was cool to mix and match so you could be a little creative.

Diamondseeker--I got a copy of my senior speech. I will give it to you in May.

 

[Small]

I think it sounds like you are making the best decision based on the needs of your child. I don''t really feel one way or the other about public vs private.
I went to public school as did my husband and we had very good experiences there. It was a larger high school but had many opportunities in class choices and activities. I really liked that alot.
As far as my kids go, we moved into a very good school district and pay high taxes so unless something changes they will be going to public schools. The public school though is very small so at least for now I don''t feel like its overwhelming for teacher/student ratios. My main concern is academics. We moved out of our last house solely based on the school districts very poor performance. So far I''ve heard nothing but great things about this district from many parents so I hope it just continues to get better. I still have almost 3 years before my daughter enters kindergarten. My next step is to think about preschool next year.

 

[eks6426]

My 3rd grade son goes to a private Catholic school although I''m not Catholic. I went to see the public schools in my area and after spending 1/2 hour with my son, a public school 1st grade teacher told me that even SHE wouldn''t send my son to the public school. She said he was bright and that most of her time was spent helping the kids who were so far behind that the "bright" kids often wound up unchallenged and then would get behavioral problems because they were bored. So, I chose the Catholic school.

He''s been there almost 4 years now. I think the education is good. Probably better than the public school It''s a lily-white, upper middle classs school. At the all-school concert I counted how many non-white kids there were--14 in grades K-8. I do have issues with this. I think that part of an education is learning how to get along with all types of people. So, now, I''m contemplating pulling him out starting in 5th grade to go to the public "gifted" middle school (5- so he can have exposure to different types of kids. But he doesn''t want to go. So, he will probably stay in the Catholic school....

On the other hand, my 16 year old step son has went through public school all the way. He''s a sophmore now. He''s a smart kid, but doesn''t really seem to care about his education. 1/4 of his class that started as freshmen have already dropped out. He didn''t make friends with the kids who care about school and now he has picked up their "school doesn''t matter attitude." I think private school would have done him well.

 

[rainbowtrout]

I've heard good things about all-girl schools from my friends who went to them. I personally was against the idea for myself because I don't get on as well with most women or girls as friends.

Anyway, I went to a public school, but a public school that was basically funded by the rich neighborhood (example: way back when, we had enough money to refuse busing and lose state funds

) I'm really glad I had the chance to go there and I feel that all the "tuition" we paid in form of sky-high local taxes and such was worth it.

I will say that elite private school can insulate kids a little bit from the real world. I have met a lot of people here where the private school education may have got them this far, but when you have to interact with people not from your bubble its an issue.


Lastly, I have no idea where you guys would stand on this, but I was talking last night with FI (who went to the same high school) about my feelings with our school. People would give me surprise parties for my birthday becasue they heard I was "the poor girl," people would bring food to our house,etc. They would also say "where's her dad" and talk about how poor a mother mom was in every sense of the word. If it hadn't been the stuff about where my father was, it would have been something else. It just boiled down to not being as rich.

I am so grateful that my mother whapped my head every single time I started to believe that we were "less fortunante," because we weren't, darnit. Just compared to the private-school bubble. So if you will be doing without a lot to send your child to school at this place, keep an eye out for this and make sure he knows that money doesn't have anything to do with how good his family is or how good he is or anything like that.

 

[eks6426]

rainbowtrout--you're absolutely right on the "rich kid" issue in private schools. My son is in 3rd grade and I'm already hearing that the "popular kids" are the ones whose parents buy the latest & greatest everything. My son goes to birthday parties where the take-homes for the guests are better than stuff I give my own son for his birthday. (One party gave all the kids IPOD shuffles....) The money thing is going to become a major issue.

Also, understand on the single parent thing. My son's dad died when my son was in 1st grade. I actually had people come up to me and comment on "how aweful it must be to be a single mother." Some of the kids in my son's class wouldn't play with him because he "didn't have a father." Kids can be so cruel. I do have to say though that the school admin has really helped my son through the past 3 years. They brought in a counselor...talked to the teachers...talked to the classmates. Once that was done, my son started getting play dates with all sorts of kids because the families "wanted to help." I felt like my family was the school "project" for awhile...but in a good way.

 

[diamondfan]

I also agree that I like all girl schools but think for boys they do need to be around girls so it is a tough call. Having only sons, and sending them to a camp that is not co-ed, I was adamant about co-ed education here for the school year.

As for money issues, I live in a very affluent area. There are lots of private schools here and all of them have wealthy kids...kids who get Chanel and Dior bags at 13, get their hair highlighted in fancy salons, etc...the parents throw them parties to rival a wedding...but we, at our school as well as the others, have tons of kids from all SES and backgrounds, including single parent working families and kids on full scholarships. My kids are in the priveledged group, but happen to be two of the kindest and most generous kids you could meet. My oldest son especially is generous to a fault. I can say that while a generalization often does fit, I know from being around all types of these kids since my son was in Pre-k (8 years) that some of the kids from the wealthiest families are lovely and polite and share easily, and are not the ones who are rude and what not. Of course, some of the kids are beyond obnoxious, but I think that type of kid exists almost everywhere, unfortunately. Even our public schools have quite a mix and some of the wealthy people from this area went through the public school system (it is a good one) and regardless of their means want their kids to be in public schools. Nothing wrong with either, when we are only all trying to be doing what is best for our kids. Again, this is just what I have seen in 8 plus years of living in this area. I would not dismiss the difficulities of a kid without all the "stuff" feeling part of the group when the "haves" are jerky and obnoxious, but I guess maybe it is good training for the real world, where, unfortunately, that type of jerk is part of life...could be a boss, or a spouse''s sibling etc...maybe it helps to learn early on how to hold one''s own with that type of person. What matters most is the education, and where your child will be getting the best environment. All types of people are around in all types of settings, so I would want the curriculum, safety, facilities etc to be top notch: I would not worry so much about what some people might have, and I would just stress over and over that that is not what matters in life...

 

[~*Alexis*~]

I would like to say a few things:
I went to private boarding school for a large portion of my life. It was the most degrading, upsetting and tortursome experience of my life. There are people out there that look forward to making other people feel bad because of one situation or another. My school was religious based, but, even if your child is only entering school for the first time I would not reccommend sending them to a school where he is the most vulnerable. These are the years that will shape him for the rest of his life. Even though the "rich kid" thing will happen, it could make him more of an outsider than he needs to be because he doesnt come from money. I went to school on a scholarship and EVERYONE new about it, people''s parents that dont have the money are scarred and banned from parties, gatherings and get togethers in the summer because of it. The teasing and degrading act of bullying will scar him for life. I will never send my children to private school-- ever. I would never wish those feelings on ANYONE!

This may be harsh, but there are realities to private schools that you will not hear, take this into consideration before making your decisions. He is just a little boy and he needs to have comforting people around him, not kids who can make him feel worse.

 

[jorman]

Hi pinkflamingo:

I am a TOTAL private school girl. I attended private school from Pre-K all the way through college and I LOVED IT! I went to St. Thomas Episcopal School in Houston from 7th-12th grade (any of you in Houston- I highly recommend this school- very good preperatory education- Latin and French from 2nd grade, highland dancing, bagpipe band, trips to Europe, small and intimate classrooms- 3 of my class of 34 went to Rice, 5 of my class of 34 are now doctors, etc.)

I feel I had an incredible, well rounded education that I would not trade. I will say I was in a bubble at times because I was never really exposed to drugs, sex, violence or terrible influences when I was in school. I am still friends will many kids from my class who I have now known for 12+ years. Many of us went to church together, camp together, etc. If you can find the right school it is totally worth it.

I also did not have to deal with popular clothing issues becasue I wore a uniform (which was so easy).
I would do it all over again and if DF and I found ourselves in a city with terrible public schools we would put our kids in private school.

I wish you the best in your decision making!

 

[Mara]

chiming in ... i went to private school from 5th grade until high school and it was not any worse or better experience wise than going to public school, the only thing i will say is that i was not academically ready for high school and had to catch up via summer school two years in a row to stay on the college track with my peers...because my private school for junior high did not prepare me well enough and was more focused on religion than really rigorous education. so i''d just say if you do private, be sure it''s academically sound.

 

[fire&ice]

Date: 5/8/2006 1:28:25 PM
Author: IslandDreams
rainbowtrout--you''re absolutely right on the ''rich kid'' issue in private schools. My son is in 3rd grade and I''m already hearing that the ''popular kids'' are the ones whose parents buy the latest & greatest everything. My son goes to birthday parties where the take-homes for the guests are better than stuff I give my own son for his birthday. (One party gave all the kids IPOD shuffles....) The money thing is going to become a major issue.

I have to chime in and say that I see this MORE in the high socio-economic public schools than the kids attending private school. There seems to be more of a drive to "prove" your wealth - at least that''s what I see in the Southeast.

With my own experience, it was the small intimate nature of the education that made the most difference. To this day I can see an alumnus & pick up where we left off - quite the bond.

 

[jorman]

Okay- I have to chime in about the rich kid issue.

My advice is research many schools. Houston has about 8 top private schools and each is very different. Tuition for these top schools ranges from about $12,000 per year to about $3,000 per year depending on how "special" their program is. The higher the tuition the wealthier the children that attend those schools as a whole.

However, there are several schools with more affordable tuitions that provide a quality educations for the average family as well. My dad was a police officer and my mom a stay at home mom during and we couldn''t afford the latest and greatest, but neither could a lot of my friends'' families.

For example, my school was one of the better private schools in Houston and at least 1/3 of the 34 in my class had parents who were teachers, several who were public servants (police, fire, etc.) and only a few who were wealthy but they were grounded (because they had to hang out with all us average income kids.

)
I felt it was nice and balanced. I also loved that there were many different cultures in my class- Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Indian, African, White, Hispanic, Arabic, Iranian, Greek, Italian, etc. It was very fun!!! I got to learn about their cultures from my friends and their families, try cultural foods, learn customs. I loved it!

On the other hand, I did have many friends who went to the more expensive private schools and I found they struggled a bit more with "possessions" because their friends were driving Mercedes and BMW''s, wearing diamonds, travelling to far off destinations on a regular basis.

My point is that Yeah- the rich kids exsist in private schools, but you can find wonderful private schools with a mix of upper and middle income families. You just need to research.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

My high school was more expensive than my college

BUT hearing stories about my FI''s high school experiences (he grew up in a wealthy suburb and went to a PUBLIC school) I agree with F&I and he had more classmates proving their wealth than I did. I am not going to say that I did not have some spoiled classmates. Of course I did. But overall it was a healthy experience. I guess I was sheltered against violence and drugs (not to say there were none) but not about cultures or tolerance (what I consider more important). Basically it is all based on your area. If the public schools are bad send them to private. If they are good send them to public.

 

[E B]

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for my children experiencing different bubbles of society, but when they have to walk through a metal detector to go to class? Sorry, not going to happen. Children don't have to attend public school to experience culture; I've experienced plenty of culture at 22 years old (my university is extremely diverse), and I'll only experience more as I get older.

If we're in a nice area with a great public school system (when we have school-aged children), I'll look into it, but it'd have to be great...as would any private school we looked into.