Mental Messages: Private Schools and Home Schools

A few things in this world I get a little confused about.  Private School fundraisers and homeschoolers attending public school proms and classes.

There is a nice little private school around the school from me.  As far as I know the students are well trained, well educated and well rounded.  Many of the graduates continue on in medical professions as well as professional occupations.  However, they are forever holding one fundraiser or another.  Selling fruit, hosting garage sales, etc.

Also, the homeschool phenom just baffles me.  These kids and their families stick their flags in the sand about how they can learn at home and home is best, "We don't need your classrooms", and blah, blah, blah.  However, I am hearing about more and more of them picking and choosing certain classes to attend in a public school and also attending a public school prom.

Here are two sects of people that have separated themselves from mainstream society because of society's uglinesses.  The whole idea that their students can learn and absorb and be all they can be outside the walls of a tradtional setting is forgotten when the public school has something they need like a prom, an elective or a difficult academic course.  It also seems strange to me that a private school would hold a fundraiser.  Students pay a tuition to attend a school and yet at the same time, there is not enough money to fund programs offered for free at most, if not all public schools.  Now, I do know that some programs like the arts programs are hurting for funds and often carry out fundraisers for major purchases, but over all, it just doesn't make sense.

So I am baffled when I hear homeschool kids discuss attending a public school's prom and activites and private schools holding fundraisers.  Call me hard headed.  Until I understand it better, I don't think I agree with either one.