Which type of school — public or private — do you choose to send your kids and why?
Here are your responses: “I CHOOSE TO SEND MY CHILD TO A private school because there is more emphasis on learning, discipline and moral values. What is weeded out are the worst discipline problems and those who cannot or will not learn. And the safety of my child is much better provided for.”
“PRIVATE SCHOOLS FOR THE MOST PART cater to the wealthy and students who have a problem adjusting to public schools. Still your question of the week would require complex answers and a volume of case histories to answer quickly. Still my suggestion to students regardless of the school they attend is to stay in school, stay off of alcohol, tobacco and drugs — all three have the capability of running your life no matter how smart or learned you may be.”
“WHILE YOUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE pretty good in Santa Monica, they still have one problem that the private schools don’t — the private schools can kick out the bad kids, the troublemakers and just teach the good kids. That’s why private schools are better. I prefer taking kids to private schools, as long as it’s not one of those brain-washing religious ones.”
“I SEND MY KIDS TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS simply because our local schools, Santa Monica (Malibu Unified) School District, can’t get their act together — they’re constantly in disarray.”
“OUR CITY HAS THE FINEST SCHOOL district that large amounts of money can buy. The people in charge can’t throw enough money at education. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent to upgrade the buildings, the curriculum and the 8 percent raise for its eight month employees — the teachers, 1 percent for each month they work. I don’t know what the workers got. All the right progressive people north of Montana (Avenue) don’t have to spend $30,000 to send their child to a private school. I like St. Monica. The teachers are very dedicated for a third-less the money and the nuns enforce a strict, no-nonsense educational discipline. A great foundation for life. No wonder maids, gardeners and the conservative rich send their children to be educated there.”
“THE REASON OUR CITY NOW HAS SO many private schools is because our once great schools are now full of gang bangers. Since Santa Monica for Renters’ Rights took over with their low-income housing and allowing kids outside our town, mostly illegally, to attend our schools, there are now many problem kids in our public schools.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 15, 2008. Read the original PDF.