private school vs. public

so i know it's way early for me to be thinking about school. (i'm a worry wart) but what's everyones opinions on private school vs. public? i grew up going to a "public" school....there was a certain...class of kids that went there. it was more like private school without the uniforms. anyhoo....with how dangerous public schools are becoming and how the kids/teachers act (metal detectors, drugs, weapons, shootings, fights) is private school safer in anyones opinion? what about curiculums? i've heard that private schools are better and help to "produce" more intelligent children since they're smaller and have more ability to work one on one with the kids where as public schools....are more over crowded. it's been something my df and i have been not arguing about but debating about. he's for public school (i say depends on the district) and i'm more in the middle not sure which. figured some of you ladies w/ kids would be able to give an opinion....

[lovefamily]

I think a lot of this will depend upon where you live.  If in a big city you may have metal detectors and such, but in a smaller city you may not have to deal with what you are worried about.  That is not to say that bad can't happen in a small town too, but it can also happen in a private school.  Where I live, the private school curriculum is no better than the public.  You really have to investigate what is offered around you and the teacher to student ratio.  Most schools will have a report card on how they are doing as far as academics and how the students are testing compared to the national average.  Check that out.

[passmassa]

Sometimes public schools are really good. Depends on how much money the city has.. But in majority of cases public schools are a waste of intelligence for both students and teachers.

[K1990]

We dont have metal detectors and stuff where we live but our school system is horrible and I will never send my kids to a public school as long as I live here.  Honestly I think that prive or charter schools are best.

[Kim1989]

i went to both. i went to private school from k-half of 9th. then i went to plublic schools since that. i HATED private school with a pasion. yeah everyone was super rich and super super smart that when there but i hated the way it was run. we didnt have uniforms tho. not all priate schools are the same but i will never ever send my son to the one i went to. i think they were over nurturing. lower school understandable, middle, eh ok, highschool um no! kids need to lurn and make mistakes for themselves. there was hardely any disipline. things ppl in public school would get a detension for they didnt even seem to be bothered. my mom feels like i never learned how to spell becasue of it. they had this thing where they let kids "spell how they want" and NEVER CORRECTED IT! public school i loved. you had freedom, but then you had rules. do what you want sorta but there will be punshiments. n not just a slap on the wrist.i liked being in an eviornment with normal children and lots of them! im a social person so i liked being where i was just a number. i could blend in. my grades got better too. it wasnt as hard. i didnt feel like i had to be where everyone else was. for me it comes down to:

PRIVATE
Pros-
*Heald at a higher view
*Good education
*one on one teaching
*moral values
* most have some sort of religion base (mine was quaker)

Cons-
* expensive
* no dicipline
* children are pushed into being what others want
* teachers "baby" students (at least with my school)

PUBLIC
Pros
* not expensive
* great chance for social interaction
* different educational levels (ap. regular, basic, etc)
* great chance for kids to be on their own
* dicipline.

Cons
* rare to find one on one treatment
* violence (depends on where you are)
* fights (never saw one in private school)

[Kim1989]

i just realized this is from january! grr

[MOM2B24]

IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT, DO IT. I WENT TO A PUBLIC SCHOOL IN A VERY NICE SCHOOL DISTRICT BUT I STILL GOT IN ALL KINDS OF TROUBLE, GOT INTO FIGHTS, SEEN FIGHTS EVERY DAY, WAS AROUND DRUGS ON A DAILY BASIS, AND HEARD THE FOULEST LANGUAGE. AND THIS WAS A "CLEAN CUT BIBLE BELT" SCHOOL DISTRICT.
IT'S SO SCAREY, YOU WANT YOUR KIDS TO BE WELL ADJUSTED BUT THEY HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL. MY HUSBAND WAS THINKING ABOUT HOME SCHOOL. I HAD TO REMIND HIM THAT I AM NO SCHOLAR. LOL.

[treazzure007]

My son has been in private school since preschool.  I initially only had him there because he had a "late birthday" but now after all of these years, Iv found he is lightyears ahead of the rest of the public school kids.  I know this because I was an afterschool teacher at a daycare center until recently.  

There is simply no way to turn him back now.  He's headed to 2nd grade in the fall and he'll be in private school from now on.  It appears to be like a trap almost since taking him out would put him in a boring classroom atmosphere.  Private school has been very costly but very rewarding as well.