This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

MOMS AND DADS TALK: Public or Private Schools?

How do you decide where to send your kids to school?

Everyone's taxes go to public school education, but paying for private school is a choice. Are your kids worth the extra expense? Or do you think it's a waste of money? Is there a if they don't receive raises? Share your thoughts in the comments.

---

KRISTA: Public or private? Those three simple words can ignite a heated debate among parents everywhere, and much like partisan politics we can be sure of only one thing—it’s unlikely that a consensus will be reached.

Find out what's happening in Bel Airwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

When I first moved to Maryland and was asked what school I went to, I immediately answered with my post-secondary alma maters. I quickly learned however that this was not the expected answer—that in Maryland, high school diplomas often carry as much clout as a bachelor's or master's.

I have to be honest—I didn’t really understand why many Marylanders made such a big deal about private schools. I am a product of public school and a firm believer in state-sponsored education. In fact, one of the primary reasons my husband and I decided to settle in Harford County was because of the high-quality public schools available. To me it wasn’t much of a decision at all—we are districted to a Blue Ribbon elementary school and that’s obviously where we’d send our daughters.

Find out what's happening in Bel Airwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Now that my family is T-minus one year to kindergarten, however, I’ve begun to reconsider. The small class size that private schools offer is quite appealing, as are the variety of experiences they can provide. While many public schools are facing budget constraints and cutting art and music programs, private schools are offering beginning Mandarin to first-graders. With the ability to raise tuition and receive endowments, they simply do not face the same financial limitations.

So what’s the right answer? Like most things in life it’s ultimately a personal decision—and with all the excellent schools right here at our fingertips, we can’t possibly go wrong.

---

is a stylist with Stella & Dot and a triathlete training with Go Mama Go team. She lives in Bel Air with her husband and two beautiful daughters.

 is the owner of  on Main Street. She lives in Bel Air with her husband and two children.

lives in Bel Air and is the founder of the . She is married with a teenage step-daughter, Brianna, who has Down syndrome.

lives in Abingdon with her husband and two of her three sons. She is also the owner of A Mommy's Friend Doula Services.

 lives and Abingdon with her husband and two kids. She is an active member of the MOMS of Abingdon and is a representative for Juice Plus+.

 is a stay-at-home mother of three boys, ages 7, 6 and 1. In addition to being a mom, she also supports her husband with his local business, Home Appeal Remodeling.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?