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Your statement that "government schools in the “rich” neighborhoods are far better than free market schools " is not born out by any reputable study that I know of. Nor is it born out by the waiting lists at the free market schools, some of which charge stiff deposits to get on the list.

Huh? What state are you from? Here in Calif, the difference in house prices within the SAME city are dictated by the school district and/or campus in which one resides.

I don't know many people in Beverly Hills who are getting on waiting lists to attend Brentwood, et al - BHH typically has some of the highest SAT scores in the state. Ditto for Taft out in the Valley and Penninsula up in Palos Verdes. ( BTW Lowell in SF is probably THE most elite public school in the country - the entrance exam looks like something you'd see at MIT.)

The reason for this is simple: at 7% interest, a 10k private school tuition is equal to a $150k mortgage. Two kids is $300k; everyone in CA knows the math.

For families with 2 kids, an $800k mortgage is the same (before tax I might add) as a $500k mortgage for a family who sends their kids to private school.

You figure it out - would you rather live in a nicer community and have your kids go to a really good school, all the while meeting the 'right' type of positive people (aka 'winners') that will effect their outlook and approach to life, or live in a crappier neighborhood so that Johnny & Jane can get the proper HS or private (typically religious)indoctrination?

If you live in Beverly Hills you might not gain much academic advantage to having your kids in a free market school instead of in a government school. However, you will still be teaching them by example that socialism is right. Look at the attitude in Beverly Hills. The vast majority of people there vote for socialists. The guy in the $800k house is having his lifestyle subsidized by the senior citizen down the block who has no kids in school but has to pay for the schools or lose his home.

You may think that this is what parents should be teaching their children but some here are more conservative than that. We believe in small government and people taking care of their own responsibilities. I'm not surprised that in the "peoples republic of California" you attitude is the attitude of the majority. Look at who your senators are and who your governor is.

No matter how you cut it government schools are welfare. people in $800K houses who have their kids in government schools are on welfare just like the people in the government projects. The only difference is the people in the projects know they are on welfare. Some people in the $800K houses are so uninformed that they don't know thy are on welfare.

Government schools have no place in a free society.