Hmmmm, let's see here....People who go to private schools are typically from affluent communities, and do well on tests. People who go to Shawnee Mission East are typically from affluent communitites, and do well on tests.

Boy, you'd think the situation you were born into plays a large role in your ability to retain information.

But that would be crazy, right?

"People who go to Shawnee Mission East are typically from affluent communitites, and do well on tests."

That's not a fair comparison! Don't Johnson County parents have private school students employed to take the tests for their kids?

Hey Prant, I'm just a poor white kid trying to make it in the ghetto of Prairie Village.

Also notice I said that in my own district private schools are waste of money, not all districts. Basically what I'm trying to say is that kids in the situation of being able to choose between public and private schools should be able to learn in either environment. More often than not it is the kids who do not have the money to go to private schools that need it the most. That being said, socioeconomic factors obviously play a huge role in the success of students and it is the kids on the low end of that ladder that need to be addressed in terms of going to private schools so that their problems can be aptly addressed.

Richard, I respect you a ton, and I know where you are coming from on this deal. You are right, public education edjucates the masses, they don't get the affluent, well off, or motivated kids exclusively, but they do have their share. I have taught for nearly 30 years in public schools and have known my share of wonderful teachers who excepted everyone that came into their classroom no matter how much money they had or how big a challenge they presented personally or how much baggage they carried with them. I taught at Schlagle for years and coached there too. We had our share of kids from all kinds of backgrounds and for sure some of them didn't turn out well, but some of them turned into Federal Marshalls, Vice Presidents of Lexus International, liasons for Wang Computer Corp, Social Workers, and on and on. To generalize that the majority of teachers in public schools are somehow less prepared than private school teachers is somehow wrong I think. Since you asked, and you did, how many kids were there that couldn't read or write? That question, open ended as it was, smacks to me of a generalized lack of respect for thousands of teachers and kids that none of you know or maybe have thought about. How bout a little respect for those who chose the challenging road and what would we do without them?

Sorry I misspelled accepted, there goes that public education deal huh lol.

... ahhh, what was the question???? Was it multiple choice????