Paying for public vs. private schools

If you are like me, you pay thousands and thousands of dollars in taxes for schools. And yet there are some people who think if you wanted to enroll your kid in a parochial school, you should not be able to tap the thousands you paid to help pay the parochial school tuition. All the money should be confiscated from you and only pay for public schools, even if you don't use them or add to their expenses. That is dumb.

Fact is, I know of a guy who went to a parochial grade school, and later was on the honor roll all the way through high school. In many cases the education from a parochial school is at least as good as, and often better than, what you get in a public school.

Then some say, "A fundamental principle of the United States is separation of church and state." I gather it must be scary if your kid might learn a few lessons of the Bible, and even that story about Jesus. Can't have that, after all It is much more important to teach kids about sex.

Some public schools, especially some inner city schools, are not as good as others. A parochial school might be a great alternative for those interested in the quality of their kids" education. People pay and pay for schools, their money should go to help pay for their kids" education, wherever they go to school. That is only fair. And that does not hurt public schools one bit.

Bill Hartman

Barrington