I can offer you my perspective. My parents could have sent my and my brother to a better middle school but they decided to send us to the closest one. Turned ou

I can offer you my perspective. My parents could have sent my and my brother to a better middle school but they decided to send us to the closest one. Turned out it was a school where a lot of uneducated parents sent their kids. And of course there was violence , bullying and less than stellar education (on both fronts: intellectual and relational). Our parents had asked a friend of them if it was a good idea. His answer "they seem smart, they'll be fine everywhere". Huge mistake. We both paid for it in high school. We went to a very good high school so the transition to college and university was easier but we still pay the price for it to this day. Very important point: I live in western europe, in a country with few private school. Most of our education is public.