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OK, I won't make you feel bad about what I'm about to say either. Deborah Orin is PROBABLY Jewish...so private Catholic schools, which are usually a bit less expensive ..are out. I did a search too. (I'm good at that). One of the most prestigious private shools in Manhattan is the Little Red School house. I went to their website....and here is the table of their tuition:

Tuition and Fees
2004-2005 (Please note that tuition is subject to change for the 2005-2006 academic year.)

4’s	$21,410	6th Grade	$23,575
K	$21,410	7th Grade	$23,575
1st Grade	$22,710	8th Grade	$23,575
2nd Grade	$22,710	9th Grade	$24,400
3rd Grade	$22,710	10th Grade	$24,400
4th Grade	$23,575	11th Grade	$24,400
5th Grade	$23,575	12th Grade	$24,555
Please note: These figures include all tuition and fees.

YOUR TURN.

Deborah Orin is PROBABLY Jewish...so private Catholic schools, which are usually a bit less expensive ..are out.

Fine. I don't disagree (except "a bit less expensive" really is about 75% less expensive). But mizz Peyser did not say she was Jewish. Her whole argument gives a false dilemma: either a $20k+ private school or public school. Even the title of the piece, WHAT CHOICE DO I HAVE BUT TO SEND MY KID TO A PRIVATE SCHOOL? gives the impression that there's only one private school. IOW, the merlot mentioned in the piece isn't the only whine in the article.

Anticipation that the acceptance letter will arrive, inviting my 5-year-old daughter into private kindergarten. A school that offers clean hallways, small classes, motivated teachers, a choice of arts and languages, plus a good chance my kid will make it into Harvard - or, at least, make it home each afternoon in one piece.

If all she wants is a safe place for her kid to attend school and get a superior education, the Catholic schools should suffice and at a fourth the price of the school she chose. The preppy school may be expensive, but it is not her only choice and she is out of touch with the real world if she thinks it is. Room and board at some pretty good colleges can be had for the price of her trendy kindergarten.

BTW, if it takes $20k+ to get into a NY Jewish school, and only $4.5k to get into a Catholic school, what do you think the reason is?

This is the tuition for a private school in Fauquier County VA--about 50 miles west of DC. Hardly a place of luxury. And not a "fancy-shmancy NAME" school

TUITION 2003-04

Pre-Kindergarten $5,550.00

Kindergarten-Grade 2 $9,900.00

Grades 3-8 $10,700.00

Grades 9-12 $12,300.00