Racing in jeopody

[Super Dave]

Spending more on taxes is a better deal than paying for private schools.  Plus the larger public schools have much more resources

Hmmm....

Make sure that you tell that to the folks that don't have children attending school.  Justify to them your reason to force them to pay for your kids education.

Next, sure, there may be some area that have "wealthier" districts, but the most expensive districts, which get money from all the other state districts too by general redistribution, cost the most and graduate the least with their monopoly on local education.

To quote James Madison...
"If Congress can employ money indefinitely to the general welfare, and are the sole and supreme judges of the general welfare, they may take the care of religion into their own hands; they may appoint teachers in every State, county and parish and pay them out of their public treasury; they may take into their own hands the education of children, establishing in like manner schools throughout the Union; they may assume the provision of the poor; they may undertake the regulation of all roads other than post-roads; in short, every thing, from the highest object of state legislation down to the most minute object of police, would be thrown under the power of Congress.... Were the power of Congress to be established in the latitude contended for, it would subvert the very foundations, and transmute the very nature of the limited Government established by the people of America."

[xb12racerX]

I know I'm paying "twice" through taxes and tuition.  SV. Are you speaking of Warren Township High School. I'm installing the fire sprinkler system in the additions to that school.

[Super Dave]

I know I'm paying "twice" through taxes and tuition.

And don't forget when you're kids are out of school...you'll still be forced to pay.

[SV88]

Yep Alex is @ Warren in the fresh-soph campus.  Next year he'll be @ the new one and Rina is @ Woodland - off to HS next year.

[Ducmarc]

I've heard the argument that you are paying for your previous education and your kids will pay for theres 'm not an economist so i don't know if that is true. i do know my oldest daughter went all public , middle one went half and half and my youngest daughter has been all private and is by far the smartest . they are all interested in medicine but the youngest maybe the surgeon in the bunchand has been tapped by a major collage while still in seventh grade. I think they have  better chance to focus in private school and there is a measure of respect demanded upon them . not  so much that the teaching is better. the kids all push to be better academically . and are not weighed down by outside pressures added to them in public schools.  keep them in private school there's always F40

[gearhead]

SV88,
  I am a Project Lead The Way teacher at a large public high school in Iowa.  I'd will agree that this series of courses have really kicked me and my students  up a few notches as far as expectations.  Since there is college credit connected to them, it's helped me see what they, the colleges, really expect out of our students and it's been as good for me as it has been for the kids!  By the way, in my district, the private school kids come over to take these engineering classes since they cannot afford to offer them and they are doing just as well as the other kids.
  Public, private, charter, it really doesn't matter.  What DOES matter is how motivated your child is to learn, first.  If he or she is indifferent to learning and or any kind of structure, they'll be flipping burgers regardless of where they graduate from.
  IMHO and 30 years of teaching.

[Super Dave]

I've heard the argument that you are paying for your previous education and your kids will pay for theres 'm not an economist so i don't know if that is true.

Take the person that said that out to the shed...

"It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world."  TJ

If we want our kids educated, we must pay for it ourselves rather than saddling them with a debt of our decision. 

[xb12racerX]

Ralph. Please don't take offense to my post. It's in no way meant to put down public school. It's just a personal choice.

[gearhead]

Rocco,
  My comments were not meant to be critical to anyone's choice of schooling options and I hope they were not taken that way.  I'm very fortunate that I have a great situation where I teach and I know it's not that way everywhere.
  I'm sure your son is a very good student and will be successful regardless of which school option you and your family choose.
p.s. - I'm now part of the Michelin tire gang, thanks for your input!!

[SV88]

Thanks for chimming Gearhead.  We (actually my wife) monitor (I enforce) our kids progress in school.  I agree with the statement that parents make the difference except in extreme circumstances (inner cities and the South) where school are really poor.

My experience with private schools is around here.  They're typically underfunded, don't have much equipment, don't have the best teachers.  The local private HS (Carmel) is a haven of drugs - do I want to pay $7k/yr to sent my kids there?  I think not.

In the inner cities/rural America and the South, the quality of public schools leaves much to be desired.  If we had to live in Chicago, you bet  the kids would be in private schools if they couldn't get into the Magnet ones.  Same thing if we were in Lo, Mi, Mo, Fl, Ge etc...

To Dave's point - funding
We have not forced our kid (the others are too young) into upper education.  She made that decision and we are supporting her financially.  She's bearing a significant portion of the cost through scholarships, PEL grants and earnings.  The advantage of making the child responsible for her own future (ie paying at least half her way) is she is motivated, works hard and will probably finish in less than 4 yrs.  She lives @ home, drives our oldest car (pays gas, insurance on it) and works part time.   Giving her financial responsability insures that she's motivated, sticks to her goals and achieves independance early.  How many kids that have full rides even finish one degree much less on time?

[Super Dave]

To Dave's point - funding

Wasn't my point.