>The schools have ceded authority over to the kids. That is the main reason we home schooled our son, and our daughter in her last year of high school It also helped that my wife was a retired teacher. I would hate to think one of my kids had to attend public school today. If they ever go back to disciplining the miscreants, they can probably regain some hope. Until then, fahgetaboutit.

Like many others do about schools, you're overgeneralizing. It's entirely possible that the public schools where you live are doing a bad job, but there are plenty of us out here who know that's not true everywhere. Based both on my own kids' experiences and on those of their college friends, I know there are lots of public schools that are providing a quality education.

If that's not true where you live, get involved. Schools are much better when parents are actively involved.

Tamar