I'm back!
Truth is, I love to blog, just like I love to journal. And now that I'll have a kid each in public and private schools, I thought it could add an interesting slant to my erstwhile "reporting." (Or, rather, kvetching and overanalyzing.) Besides, CARY AFRICK, councilman extraordinaire, loves my blog! What other affirmation do I need? (Well, I wouldn't mind the New York Times site picking it up and a lot more people actually reading it and comments all over the place and...)
So, yes, we made the decision. The Boy is going into 4th grade at our local private school (that's where their middle school starts, so it's a good natural entree.) The Girl, going into 1st, is staying in public school. She'll have the excellent first grade teacher Boy had, then by 4th grade will be at the private school (if all works out).
Anyway, re: the very very very hard decision...
Not least reason: MONEY. (Cue that Pink Floyd song with the cashier register ringing.)
Second not least reason: TAXES. (Cue same song.) Like, why are we paying such taxes with one kid in private school?*
Third not least reason: The boy. Has friends. Familiar with his old school. Mad at me.
So, why are we doing it?
Class size. Laptops. Science lab.
Class size? Self-explanatory and most vital reason. (14 vs. 27+)
Laptops? No, no. I'm not a sucker for bells n' whistles. It's just that when the school says it will insist students carry their laptops from classroom to classroom, just as they would their notebooks and texts...When they will spend good time teaching the kids how to use the computers, including some very interesting programs...Well, then I know it's not about bells n' whistles.
Science lab? We all know you can have a shiny science lab and a sucky science curriculum. But I like the special attention science gets. To me, studying science is like learning to read. Absolutely essential.
I was afraid to tell people about my decision. Surprisingly, about 80 per cent of the people I told confided they, too, were sending a kid to some sort of private school. Or were thinking about it. Or wish they could.
And I'm also a little mad. Why can't our public schools be better?
* More later on my so-called mutinous thoughts re: school vouchers, an issue that seems to have died with Ally McBeal and Pogs.
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