Wednesday, June 01, 2005

Public figures and private schools

Unlike New York Post "Columnist of the Year," extreme right-wing ideolog Andrea Peyser, who last year wrote a totally self-righteous column about why she couldn't send her daughter to a public school ("What choice do I have But to Send My Kid to a Private School?" Feb. 14, 2004), City Council Chair and mayoral candidate Gifford Miller has left the question open:

"City Council Speaker Gifford Miller, who has made education a focal point of his bid to unseat Mayor Bloomberg, said yesterday he and his wife haven't decided whether they'll send their sons to public school." (New York Daily News, May 25, 2005)

Well Giff, our son, Andrew, is a perfect example of what the New York city public school system can produce. He spent his entire school life in NYC public schools- from nursery school through high school. As the photos on this blog (www.contestedterrain.blogspot.com) will attest, he graduated from college on May 15th. (He was accepted by every college to which he applied). In August he will be a published poet.
(For some examples,see www.shakespearnevertitledhissonnets.blogspot.com.)
But most important he has been exposed to a world which will stand him in much better stead than the cloistered world of private schools. He has also made friends who will remain so for life.

Certainly you have to pick-and -choose the schools to which you send your children but there are many wonderful schools and teachers within the public school system. And it is without question that for people with yours and Peyser's information sources and contacts these schools are well within reach (and except when they have fund raising activities they are free.)

Giff, you can't just talk the talk, you have to walk the walk. If you forsake the public school system in your own life (as Peyser has done), many thoughtful New Yorkers will forsake you. Talk is cheap.

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