Very well said Rustico. I actually don’t want my kids mixing with ‘the right people’ – I actually am suspect of wealthy screwed up kids. Some are good, some are morally bankrupt like their parents. I’m trying to raise good kids and still try to keep their values intact (it’s hard in LJ – which is why I was considering moving to Carmel Valley.)
Also from a public school perspective – my son is in public school right now because we moved – and while he is a bit bored and some of the kids act up, it’s a real world situation and he’s been a little too protected. The school here in LJ is actually very nice and the kids are just normal kids (most of them). It’s good for him and hopefully he gets into the private school for 7-12th for the reasons its a better education, definetely not better people!
I went to school in a middle class public school and it was both good and bad. Back then there were a lot of bullies, the teachers locked themselves in the teacher’s lounge and smoked and we had to look out for ourselves. It’s way better now – kids are taught tolerance, kindness, and bullying isn’t tolerated.
My big problem with the public school system is that it is mediocre. It doesn’t have to be. Using the money more effectively, having teachers which are far more empowered, and removing the tenure idea and make teachers hit standards of excellence (like most well run companies) – and removing the teachers unions. Teaching should be like any job and it should be pay for performance. I think as a society we should be having our best and brightest be the teachers! A great teacher can take kids and mold them – give them some of what many kids don’t get at home – an example.
Anyway thats my rant. I would love to see more quality in the public schools. If the public schools were 80% as good as the private schools – the private schools would disappear!
