Public School...best thing since sliced bread!

Two down one to go...

This morning the entire Lea clan traveled to our local elementary school (that's "grade school" to all those reading who are over the age of 50).

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!

We now have a second-grader and kindergartner (we have one more who'll be starting preschool soon) in the local public school system and couldn't be happier!

I love public school. All the things it is and all the things it isn't. For all it's benefits and for all it's deficits.

Public School...where else are can you find:

1. Bullies

2. Mystery Meat on lime green lunch trays

3. Mean Girls

4. Gym Teachers confused about their gender identity

5. Custodians who seem a little too interested in the new young English literature teacher

6. Administrators on power-trips

7. Crazy gossip in the teacher's lounge

8. Cliques

9. "Smokin' in the boys room!"

10. What you wear is more important than who you are...

Okay...

I'm not sure about you, but to me the things I've listed above seem like......................real life.

So my question to all those parents and politicians who advocate private, parochial, or home schooling...why?

Why try to shelter, hide, withhold from your kids the realities of the real world.

I remember the first days of college for me were filled with advice from the upper class men to "go after" the girls who came from the private schools...they would be your best bet...

Now i don't have to go into further details about what we were going after, but i think you get my drift.

It's not to say there aren't incredible educations to be had from private institutions. Because there are...no doubt.

But please don't infer that private schooling is inherently better than public education, simply because "you pay for it".

Besides when it comes down to it...the real education our children receive is at home. Period. No doubt. Without question.

So my counsel to all is this: Save your money, give it away to causes that really matter (eradication of AIDS, erase social injustice, give food away, give money away, give yourself away.)

To those who choose to educate at home..............DON'T. Every parent needs time away from their children...it's not an accident that all the mothers who commit maternal filicide (killing your own children) were those who home-schooled. It's okay...take a break. There are professionals out there who spend four years in higher education learning how to educate your child. Let go...your children will appreciate it when they're adults.

all for now...