讀後心得

In Taipei, the admission rate for private junior high school entrance exams is as low as 5%, making it said to be "harder than getting into National Taiwan University." This phenomenon reflects the appeal of private schools to modern parents, a situation that resembles the one in Silicon Valley. Local parents generally prioritize private schools, primarily due to the anxiety driven by high housing prices in school districts and insufficient resources in public schools. In Silicon Valley, many families face difficulties in buying homes, leading them to choose private schools for better educational resources. Additionally, the educational culture in Silicon Valley emphasizes academic achievement, with many parents believing that private schools can better meet their children's learning needs. In such an environment, parents are compelled to confront the economic and educational pressures associated with choosing private schools.

Recently, many private junior high schools in Taipei held entrance exams, with acceptance rates as low as 5%. This has led many to describe it as "harder than getting into NTU." This phenomenon highlights the undeniable appeal of private schools to modern parents. This situation is not only astonishing in Taipei; in fact, Silicon Valley in the United States faces a similar scenario. As a mother in Silicon Valley, I have had profound observations.

Many Silicon Valley parents share the consensus that private schools are more favored. The formation of educational philosophies is often closely related to parents' upbringing experiences. When my husband and I studied in Taiwan, we were public school students from elementary school until we graduated from university. During that time, public schools were like a microcosm of society, where I gained much understanding of societal complexities. My first experience in a private school was when I attended USC in Los Angeles, which was a completely new experience. There, I realized that true poverty is not the lack of money, but the lack of capability. The emphasis on "meritocracy" in this area left me deeply shocked.

Because of my background, I have never felt that there was an insurmountable gap between public and private schools; therefore, after becoming a mother, I unhesitatingly chose to enroll my children in public schools in Los Angeles. Frankly speaking, the admission thresholds for good school districts in the U.S. are even lower than those in Taiwan, especially considering the influx of immigrants from around the world. Interestingly, many of my Taiwanese friends who choose public schools all aim to get their children into good school districts.

However, in Silicon Valley, a place where the middle class gathers, I first heard the saying, "In Silicon Valley, public schools are a choice of abandonment; private schools are prioritized." This means that as a taxpayer, I not only have to pay high taxes but also bear the tuition fees for two children, which can reach as high as $50,000 to $100,000 annually, leaving me quite shocked and struggling. As I delved deeper into this, I began to understand the reasons Silicon Valley parents prefer private schools.

• Expensive housing in school districts: The housing prices in Silicon Valley's school districts are staggering. When I first moved here, I noted that the average price of a house in a Cupertino school district was about $2.5 million, but two years later, this price had soared to $3.5 million. Many people find it difficult to afford, leading to an increasing number of families choosing private schools.
• Feelings of deprivation regarding public school funding: In Silicon Valley, many schools struggle for funding, and some schools have even closed libraries or reduced teaching staff due to a lack of funds, making private schools a viable option for many families.
• Public schools may not meet expectations: In Silicon Valley, the choice of private schools often arises because many parents believe that the teaching quality in public schools does not meet their expectations. Here, the "fast and tough" education provided by private schools precisely meets the demands of these parents.

Educational choices have always been a personal matter; however, societal polarization has made parents' choices increasingly extreme. I hope my children can have a happy childhood, but I also hope they can learn in a safe environment and grow alongside quality peers. However, to meet these conditions, the ultimate choice is often expensive or even more expensive, which is an undeniable reality. The issue of choosing private schools is not just a dilemma in Taiwan; it also reflects the struggles faced by parents in Silicon Valley, which is a topic that our generation of parents needs to ponder deeply.