General Discussion

lillypaddle

(9,606 posts)

161. That's exactly what I did

Mon Dec 10, 2012, 09:06 PM

Dec 2012

Keep in mind that my kid is now 44, married, and a new father ...

In 8th grade, there were a number of factors that fueled my decision, and my ex-husband's.

Tim was 13, and at that "fuck you" stage. His grades were going down. The public school he went to had Friday movies with popcorn in the auditorium. Time, I believed, better spent in the classroom. Then we went to a parent/teacher conference ... his English teacher, when questioned about his progress, said "he be doing fine."

We yanked him out and sent him to Catholic school. I'm a non-beliveing, non practicing Catholic, but we got the "Catholic" rate. Best decision ever.

Sorry, when it's my child and his future at stake, I will do whatever I can to ensure the best outcome for him.

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Would you buy your way out of bad public schools by sending your child to a private school? [View all] BrentWil Dec 2012 OP

Did it, for 2 daughters, in DC. elleng Dec 2012 #1

NO. graham4anything Dec 2012 #2

Private/parochial schools my daughters attended were very well integrated, elleng Dec 2012 #11

I can only speak from extended family members graham4anything Dec 2012 #19

Yes, 'one great teacher.' elleng Dec 2012 #22

financing...it's unfair money talks w/schooling.Youtube on how it should be(Venus explains the atom) graham4anything Dec 2012 #30

The difference between good public schools and terrible public schools XemaSab Dec 2012 #50

Kids only know what they are taught at home. So I would say that most of what happens in school kelliekat44 Dec 2012 #82

Cool. So it doesn't matter who the teachers are? Recursion Dec 2012 #83

I'm hoping you forgot the sarcasm icon proud2BlibKansan Dec 2012 #113

I'm annoyed by two contradictory statements Recursion Dec 2012 #116

The 'answer' is there IS no single answer, of course; It takes a village. elleng Dec 2012 #126

I think you misconstrued what I was saying XemaSab Dec 2012 #166

Good one, graham. elleng Dec 2012 #52

DC spends more per student than Fairfax County Recursion Dec 2012 #84

about money and 'history' of the district, culture, expectations, power of those interested, bureauc elleng Dec 2012 #129

And a few bad years in a row can break a child's spirit. pnwmom Dec 2012 #62

My university was WAAAAAAY whiter XemaSab Dec 2012 #46

Daughters had somewhat similar experiences, elleng Dec 2012 #56

The Catholic school my daughter attended for a while was MUCH more diverse in terms of pnwmom Dec 2012 #58

Not every private school is "tonied". RandySF Dec 2012 #61

Way to thin the ranks of teachers AlexSatan Dec 2012 #140

I don't know where you get that idea. All of the private schools our son attended (3 of them) Nay Dec 2012 #170

Yes. randomtagger Dec 2012 #190

I probably wouldn't want to live with a bunch of people who won't pay for quality schools. JVS Dec 2012 #3

Poor districts don't have the tax base. NT BrentWil Dec 2012 #6

And I consider the bad schools of such an area part of the tradeoff in buying a house in the area. JVS Dec 2012 #10

'shitty' districts are typically majority rentals owned by people who live elsewhere, often in the HiPointDem Dec 2012 #35

Is that a fact? XemaSab Dec 2012 #53

yes. shitty districts are typically poor districts and poor districts are typically majority rental. HiPointDem Dec 2012 #75

OK, but look at it from the other direction Recursion Dec 2012 #152

i'd say close to the same percent, since poor districts typically have more social problems & crime. HiPointDem Dec 2012 #156

While guesswork is obviously the right solution here, humor me and let's try to find some data Recursion Dec 2012 #159

Urban poor or rural poor? or suburban poor? kwassa Dec 2012 #172

to some extent it probably depends on school funding arrangements and the type of 'poor'. HiPointDem Dec 2012 #175

So? Dokkie Dec 2012 #160

In fact, the owners in central falls mostly don't live in central falls. and so it is in lots of HiPointDem Dec 2012 #174

But absentee landlords don't elect people who set the taxes and run the schools, the residents do. JVS Dec 2012 #180

yes, you might think so. yet it rarely happens. possibly you can think of some reasons why HiPointDem Dec 2012 #181

You still are no getting my point Dokkie Dec 2012 #187

the people in those rentals are likely not voting at all. CF is half hispanic, many of them recent HiPointDem Dec 2012 #189

And that's exactly the problem Brainstormy Dec 2012 #103

RIGHT, has been the problem in this country FOREVER, elleng Dec 2012 #127

Our district is regularly ranked among the best in the country but that doesn't mean pnwmom Dec 2012 #65

Is this a ProSense Dec 2012 #4

How? A rather simple question for you as a person... BrentWil Dec 2012 #7

private schools are extremely expensive. Private high school tuition costs as much as a state antigop Dec 2012 #5

Hence, the part, "if you could afford it" NT BrentWil Dec 2012 #8

that's the point...very few people can "afford it", esp. when you look at the median family income. antigop Dec 2012 #29

No, your point evades the question ... oldhippie Dec 2012 #149

private school justabob Dec 2012 #26

People either do that or move to a community with good public schools FarCenter Dec 2012 #9

I would send my child to private school if I could afford it liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #12

Japanese schools aren't "successful" lbrtbell Dec 2012 #17

you don't have to go to that extreme but American kids could stand liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #18

plenty of kids doing poorly in school already have more 'challenges' than they can handle. the HiPointDem Dec 2012 #76

It depends on where one is in Japan, I guess Art_from_Ark Dec 2012 #168

US districts with less than 10% poverty outscore other countries. US districts with less than 25% HiPointDem Dec 2012 #37

we live in an affluent community liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #38

the international tests have nothing to do with the memorization & test stats you're talking about. HiPointDem Dec 2012 #40

well I'm talking about real time liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #43

that is your personal situation. don't generalize from that to statements like "we need to do HiPointDem Dec 2012 #45

no we do not have a decent educational system liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #48

they're making plenty of structural changes; all for the worse, and proven so. yes, we have a HiPointDem Dec 2012 #51

I didn't say I agreed with turning public funds over to charters liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #57

public schools are perfectly capable of flexibility. however, that is not the path that is being HiPointDem Dec 2012 #77

this has been going on for decades liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #97

criticize whatever happened to your son all you like. critizing 'public education' in general HiPointDem Dec 2012 #106

sorry but trying to tell me I support privatization won't silence me liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #109

and they are thereby supporting privatization. neither the democrats nor the republicans want HiPointDem Dec 2012 #110

so when my child comes home crying and thinking he is stupid what do you expect me to do? liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #111

truth hurts HiPointDem Dec 2012 #112

Don't paint all public schools with the same brush. kwassa Dec 2012 #173

Are you for real? XemaSab Dec 2012 #60

we could be doing lots of things. that doesn't mean that our education system is below HiPointDem Dec 2012 #67

Hey, I can't spell for shit XemaSab Dec 2012 #68

i also went to public school all my life, & i spell great. HiPointDem Dec 2012 #69

You say while totally ignoring capitalization. XemaSab Dec 2012 #70

i ignore capitalization on chat boards because it makes typing faster. i am quite able to capitalize HiPointDem Dec 2012 #71

It should ring a Bell. nt msanthrope Dec 2012 #124

Alas, many ed deform efforts stick it to kids with disabilities KamaAina Dec 2012 #142

We spent our son's college fund to send him to private high school Hekate Dec 2012 #13

We made basically the same decision: that if they went to a private high school pnwmom Dec 2012 #133

Phrased quite well... onpatrol98 Dec 2012 #153

I moved to a better school district. Lone_Star_Dem Dec 2012 #14

the public high school my son was headed for is going to have 30 special education kids in it liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #15

That's not dissimilar to my situation. Lone_Star_Dem Dec 2012 #20

thank you liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #23

We opted for the smaller class size also. Adsos Letter Dec 2012 #27

class size doesn't matter, bill gates funded studies that prove it. however, like you, he sends HiPointDem Dec 2012 #147

Apparently so. n/t Adsos Letter Dec 2012 #150

I went to a private high school lbrtbell Dec 2012 #16

"There's a big difference between snobby private schools... Adsos Letter Dec 2012 #34

Sounds like a wonderful school! nt pnwmom Dec 2012 #134

Both my daughters went to private school K-12... Adsos Letter Dec 2012 #21

Smaller class size is what motivated us to put our kids in private school too. abelenkpe Dec 2012 #31

We are extremely appreciative of the whole experience our girls got at a small school. Adsos Letter Dec 2012 #39

The community of children is more important than one child FrodosPet Dec 2012 #24

that's easy to say if you don't have a child crying themselves to sleep at night liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #36

You ever get your ass kicked for being a racial minority? XemaSab Dec 2012 #63

Yes, I got my ass kicked for being a pacifist white nerd in 6th Grade FrodosPet Dec 2012 #73

Good for you for learning something beneficial XemaSab Dec 2012 #74

i feel so angry now, & i learned it from watching privileged people destroy the country. HiPointDem Dec 2012 #89

Unclear... onpatrol98 Dec 2012 #155

The premise of the OP is would you buy your child's way out of public school FrodosPet Dec 2012 #162

My Child's Education onpatrol98 Dec 2012 #188

I moved my two sons from an excellent public school district SheilaT Dec 2012 #25

+1 XemaSab Dec 2012 #64

We send our two kids to a private Montessori elementary school abelenkpe Dec 2012 #28

A neighbor, the wife of a real estate agent, once asked me why I was sending pnwmom Dec 2012 #66

Did it with a son and daughter. Lugnut Dec 2012 #32

Why would I keep my kid in a bad public school if there was any alternative, public or private? jeff47 Dec 2012 #33

In a heart beat... WCGreen Dec 2012 #41

I currently send my 7 year old to private school because of bad public schools. aikoaiko Dec 2012 #42

My mom sure as shit did XemaSab Dec 2012 #44

+1 liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #47

Yes Incitatus Dec 2012 #49

Neither. My wife is a public school teacher. We home school our child. nt kelly1mm Dec 2012 #54

You can support your public schools while still refusing to sacrifice your child's life pnwmom Dec 2012 #55

exactly liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #118

We had to buy our way out of daily bullying. RandySF Dec 2012 #59

Public schools have some serious problems you can't ignore davidn3600 Dec 2012 #72

There's a reason people with money buy the best education possible. MrSlayer Dec 2012 #78

I really hope most of you are around RandiFan1290 Dec 2012 #79

So your argument is....what exactly? jeff47 Dec 2012 #96

what is disgusting is the expectation to allow our children to be abused by the system liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #100

The democrats' education policy is exactly the same as the republicans'. The ruling class is HiPointDem Dec 2012 #178

Point out which poster suggested vouchers or de-funding schools Hekate Dec 2012 #138

I have it for my grandchildren, and my fear is not the academics but is the propensity for bullying mfcorey1 Dec 2012 #80

Bullying DonCoquixote Dec 2012 #157

My father worked overtime to send my brother and myself to private school. He didn't "buy his way Raine Dec 2012 #81

Private schools are not always what you think they are. avebury Dec 2012 #85

Sent my son to a private high school Shrek Dec 2012 #86

No. I'd find a way of starting an innovative and free afterschool program that no_hypocrisy Dec 2012 #87

You are buying into their propaganda gollygee Dec 2012 #88

and it's deliberate. deliberate destruction. HiPointDem Dec 2012 #92

Yes. ProSense Dec 2012 #93

Sending your kid to private school to avoid bad public schools does not mean wanting the destruction jeff47 Dec 2012 #98

zRIght. Thanks elleng Dec 2012 #132

the republicans don't have to make so bad we don't want to use it. liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #99

They've already done it gollygee Dec 2012 #121

yes it has already been done for decades now liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #123

if the schools were truly bad brokechris Dec 2012 #90

I would LWolf Dec 2012 #91

+1 proud2BlibKansan Dec 2012 #117

There is currently no one attempting to actually solve the problem. jeff47 Dec 2012 #141

Start by LWolf Dec 2012 #185

And 20 years later, things will be better jeff47 Dec 2012 #186

I am. AngryAmish Dec 2012 #94

Yes. nt hack89 Dec 2012 #95

My family has a history of living in towns with excellent school systems. Walk away Dec 2012 #101

yes small towns with good tax revenue seem to be a good way to go liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #104

Good luck! We are lucky to have a well run town and the taxes we pay give us... Walk away Dec 2012 #146

First define 'bad' school...a school that might not be the correct... Tikki Dec 2012 #102

Funding education is the only way you buy your way out of bad public schools! Coyotl Dec 2012 #105

My state is actually in violation of its own state constitution liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #115

I'm lucky, the public schools in my neighborhood are great. Nye Bevan Dec 2012 #107

Most loving parents do whatever it takes to protect their kids mainer Dec 2012 #108

my son keeps asking if there is a special education science class he can take liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #114

My parents are both public school teachers Arkana Dec 2012 #119

If you live in an upper class area you can find excellent schools. If you don't your out of luck. southernyankeebelle Dec 2012 #120

you've planted a seed liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #122

Oh I pray your right. You know I wonder at least for myself I have a family of 6 brothers and southernyankeebelle Dec 2012 #139

Well, when my children were young, I was a single parent who could not afford private Trailrider1951 Dec 2012 #125

As long as the private school was not a religious school. sarcasmo Dec 2012 #128

politicians are forcing that issue on us by intentionally breaking public schools yurbud Dec 2012 #130

+1. I like your post liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #131

I did it by moving to a community with a greater appreciation for the value of an education. Throd Dec 2012 #135

My oldest two went to public schools. My youngest goes to a private school. Xithras Dec 2012 #136

I agree and thank you for bringing up the fact that it is not just a budget issue liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #137

yes, one's first obligation is to one's child. but if it ends there, you accelerate the general HiPointDem Dec 2012 #148

I think there should be no such option, for rich or poor. We all should be in the same boat. TheKentuckian Dec 2012 #143

Yes, I surely would. I know a couple of VERY liberal, progressive Democrats who sent their children slackmaster Dec 2012 #144

Sectarian schools are NOT an option! Dawson Leery Dec 2012 #145

We did with our 1st child and we are with our 2nd child - Catholic school - Right down the block. benld74 Dec 2012 #151

We spent a bundle on private preschool and are using public elementary TBF Dec 2012 #154

Thanks to Christie most of the public schools in the state lost their state aid name not needed Dec 2012 #158

That's exactly what I did lillypaddle Dec 2012 #161

glad to see parents doing what's best for their children liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #167

Absolutely, without hesitation. Butterbean Dec 2012 #163

Yes, but only if moving to a better school district ecstatic Dec 2012 #164

or home schooling-- I did all three.... mike_c Dec 2012 #165

I did it for my son when we lived in TN & AL. No way was he going to the horrible local Nay Dec 2012 #169

This is what dh and I did: MissB Dec 2012 #171

I know people at work that used to do that. The work location and where the housing was had really RKP5637 Dec 2012 #176

Yes, of course. Common Sense Party Dec 2012 #177

HELL YES IDoMath Dec 2012 #179

yes my kids education comes first. loli phabay Dec 2012 #182

I'm surprised you haven't been PPR'ed yet. "Bad public schools"?? One hardly coalition_unwilling Dec 2012 #183

My daughter goes to a wonderful secular private school. wilsonbooks Dec 2012 #184