讀後心得

Recently, the admission rate for private junior high schools in Taipei has dropped to 5%, and many people believe this is harder than getting into National Taiwan University, highlighting the appeal of private schools to parents. In Silicon Valley, I have also observed a similar phenomenon. Parents in Silicon Valley generally choose private schools because the housing prices in school districts are high, and public schools lack sufficient funding to provide quality educational resources. For some parents, private schools can offer a more competitive education that meets their expectations for their children. This has made private schools an increasingly common choice, especially in areas like Silicon Valley where the middle class is concentrated. The issue of choosing schools is not limited to Taiwan or Silicon Valley but is a challenge faced by contemporary parents worldwide.

Recently, many private junior high schools in Taipei held entrance examinations. According to reports, the acceptance rate is as low as 5%, leading many to describe it as "harder than getting into a top university." This phenomenon is evident in the next generation of children, and private schools are highly attractive to modern parents. However, this situation is not unique to Taipei; it is also true in Silicon Valley, USA. As a mother of prospective junior high and elementary school students, I have also made some profound observations.

Parents in Silicon Valley generally share a consensus of prioritizing private schools. Educational philosophies often stem from parents' own childhood experiences. My husband and I both attended public schools from elementary school through college in Taiwan. Public schools during that era were similarly diverse and mirrored society, with many observations of social dynamics stemming from my childhood educational experiences. When we reached the final stages of our education and made our first choice for a private school, it was to attend the University of Southern California—where I pursued my master's degree and my husband pursued his doctorate. When I first arrived, I jokingly said I was the poorest person at the school, but soon realized that true poverty was actually a lack of capability.

In the small society of USC, "capability is key," which includes economic power, academic ability, talent, and networking—all these factors are far more important than wealth. Due to our experiences, we have never felt a significant gap between public and private schools. Therefore, when I became a mother, it was natural for me to choose an excellent public school district in Los Angeles, hoping to allow my children to attend public school all the way through to college graduation.

To be honest, the threshold for attending quality school districts in the U.S. is even lower than in Taiwan because there is a variety of quality school districts in America, accessible to immigrants from all walks of life—not to mention strong Taiwanese individuals. In my 13 years in the U.S., every Taiwanese friend I know who chose public schools, without exception, has their children enrolled in schools within quality districts.

However, in Silicon Valley, which has a dense middle-class population, I first heard the phrase, "Once you come to Silicon Valley, give up on public schools and choose private ones." This means that in addition to paying high taxes, parents must also bear the burden of paying a total of $50,000 to $100,000 (approximately NT$1.65 million to NT$3.3 million) in tuition for two children each year until they graduate high school. This concept shocked and troubled me greatly, but upon deeper understanding, I found that the reasons Silicon Valley parents praise private schools do indeed hold merit.

• Reason one: Housing in school districts is extremely expensive. The continuously rising housing prices in Silicon Valley make it unaffordable for many young families, leading many middle-class families to choose private school education. Even as an engineer, buying a house in a school district is not easy.
• Reason two: Insufficient resources in public schools. There are often reports of underfunding in schools, with many parents reflecting that schools lack necessary resources.
• Reason three: Public education may not meet the expectations of Silicon Valley families. Parents here desire a more challenging educational experience for their children and are not satisfied with the traditional public education model.

The trend of private schools is increasingly prevalent in Silicon Valley, and within such an environment, the choice of education is becoming a polarized issue. As parents, whether we hope for our children to have a happy childhood or a good learning environment, the pressure we feel is undoubtedly growing. Choosing whether or not to attend private schools is not only a topic in Taiwan but also a struggle for parents in Silicon Valley, presenting a topic worth deep consideration.