The public schools suffer from having to follow politically-driven mandates (NCLB, state, local, district, teacher unions), to accept all students, to attempt to meet the needs of all, a lack of funding, teacher disillusionment, a flight of teachers out of the professsion or to private schools, a lack of parent input in decsision-making (see political control above), a need for parent volunteers just to keep going , violence, drugs, intimidation from parents, an inability to expel dangerous students or to fire incompetent faculty ... A peculiarity of our American system of school funding means that rich kids from wealthy families who tend to live together and so attend the same public schools make these schools look relatively good. However, these children come from stable homes, with educated parents, and high expectations and lots of support and trips to theaters, museums, other places and private tutors and music lessons ... The average private school equals the average to best public school. The best private school is much much better than the best public school - look at college acceptances, which college acceptances and how much financial aid is awarded to see the difference. We chose an independent school (the International School of Tucson) as it gives our children more opportunities, expects more from them and is more responsive to use as parents. Yes, we have to pay fees but we prefer an old car and opportunities for our children to an expensive car and third-world or worse public education.