Richard, I respect you a ton, and I know where you are coming from on this deal. You are right, public education edjucates the masses, they don't get the affluent, well off, or motivated kids exclusively, but they do have their share. I have taught for nearly 30 years in public schools and have known my share of wonderful teachers who excepted everyone that came into their classroom no matter how much money they had or how big a challenge they presented personally or how much baggage they carried with them. I taught at Schlagle for years and coached there too. We had our share of kids from all kinds of backgrounds and for sure some of them didn't turn out well, but some of them turned into Federal Marshalls, Vice Presidents of Lexus International, liasons for Wang Computer Corp, Social Workers, and on and on. To generalize that the majority of teachers in public schools are somehow less prepared than private school teachers is somehow wrong I think. Since you asked, and you did, how many kids were there that couldn't read or write? That question, open ended as it was, smacks to me of a generalized lack of respect for thousands of teachers and kids that none of you know or maybe have thought about. How bout a little respect for those who chose the challenging road and what would we do without them?