I started in public school and went to a public school until the third grade when I switched to private because my parents disliked the options of third grade teachers at the public school. I'm from a very rural area where you have basically one private and one public to choose from and they had the money so I switched.

I hated private school. The kids were spoiled brats who had been raised to believe that everyone in the world was of their same socioeconomic status, race, religion (it was a religious school), and culture. The kids I went to school with were monsters and grew up be adults who still lack a grounded head on their shoulders because they went to a school that lacked the basic diversity to allow them to develop empathy towards people different than them and an understanding of the world outside of their classroom. I've met up with a few people I still know who stayed and graduated from that school and they all definitely have those characteristics.

I went to a public high school and absolutely loved it. I cannot speak enough for the social education it granted me by showing me people from all areas of diversity. This was so helpful to me when I moved far away from my hometown for college.

I can't say that everyone will have the same experience that I did at a public or private school, but I think that where a private school might have the benefits of increased academic rigor, it might also stunt your children in social development. Take what I say with a grain of salt, but if you must compromise to try out both private and public, I may suggest starting them in private school to get a jumpstart on good studying tactics and more personal education early and then shift them to public school later when social development is more important.

Sorry for the long book but it's definitely a hot topic for me.