If you had children, or if you do have them, would you rather they go to the public school in your area, or would you prefer to send them to one that was private? In general, do you believe that private schools are more efficient/ideal than public schools?

Ideally I'd say neither. Both are bastions of incompetence for the most part.

There's always a third option, Chris, homeschooling, and it's becoming more popular with passing time.

I don't know if I'd still be in the same area when I have kids, but both public and private schools have their pros and cons and there are charter and magnet schools that are just as good as private schools. Whichever is the better decision, that's what I'd make.

You're right Supernova. Homeschooling is an increasingly popular third option, and it's not just the religious right doing it either.

I'd consider all options, but the public schools in my area aren't too bad. Growing up I went to private school in elementary, and public in middle/high school. I think the public school was actually better.

The public schools in the area are decent. My kids go to private school right now....we're thinking of letting them go to public school when they enter into the 6th grade next year.

We sent our daughter to a Catholic school in another town because they were the only one in the area that had a full day kindergarten. We mainstreamed her starting with the 6th grade too.

Local private schools are overrated IMO. I went to a private school from K through 8, by the time I was in grade 8, it had deteriorated because it became a school where a bunch of people who just didn't want their kids to go to the bad public schools in the surrounding area sent them instead. The school basically let in anyone whose parents could pay the tuition and as a result the riffraff public school mentality wound up seeping in as time went by. We moved deeper into the burbs after that and I wound up going to a public high school that was better than the private school I went to.

Some private schools are very good. They usually are very, very, expensive, as well. Some public schools are also very, very good. You just hear more press on the ones that aren't. The problem when you compare the two is that public schools must accept everyone within their boundaries. Private schools do not have to accept those with physical, mental or emotional problems.