……Willie went to Jupiter to get more stupider…….”——-that’s what Nathen says to me every day. It’s awesome. Of course he doesn’t understand that Willie went to the school of his choice, and graduated in 3 years with a double degree(savings=$30,000), but he will someday. 

Last night was the open house at the local middle school. It’s a huge debate in cities like Los Angeles about where to go to school, public or private, charter or home, etc etc etc. It was very important to me that Nathen went to public school. One, because I did, as corny as that seems. And two, because he is adopted, already thrown into another world, and the last place I want him is a school full of a bunch of rich white kids. But that’s just me.

At any rate, the open house was really great. The local middle school, while having over 1600 students for the 3 grades, has small learning academies within it, and they encourage you to apply to as many as you like. Nathen will probably apply to the Humanities program, or the Technology program. They all teach the same basics and then focus on stuff the kids might be interested in within those areas. They even have a Culinary Academy, which would be the one for ME. 

I have a friend who sent her child to a very excellent private school around the corner from our house here. They went there from K-12, and she estimates she spent $450,000 on his education. He is now enrolled at a local community college for $11 a credit. I asked her, “isn’t that kind of NOT the point of having gone there?’. She said, “I told him, I already spent half a million dollars on your education, you are going to make that community college a great school for you.”

Now I do find that a bit extreme, and you do have to find your comfort level. One of the parents I spoke to last night was very concerned about the size of the middle school, and was sad that the couldn’t afford the fancy private school. I just couldn’t wrap my head around it. I CAN afford the private school, and I DON’T want Nathen going there….the middle school has great programs, is wildly diverse, and is a NEIGHBORHOOD school, all things that mean a lot to me. We all make our choices, and while it is really inspiring that the Obama family sacrificed everything so that Barack could go to the Punaho School in Hawaii—-there was a reason—-the public schools there were crap. But if you have a local option, and it’s NOT crap, and you believe in the community and support of public schools and teachers, then I say sacrifice everything to go to one——again, IF YOU CAN……..

So that’s my feeling on the subject——just one man’s thoughts, take ‘em or leave ‘em…….

In summary….3 years of middle school around the corner—FREE……3 years of middle school around the other corner—-$105,000…….no choice in my opinion……

WG