Portia, thanks for the reality check. Mana, that sounds touch, and yes, toxic. My DD was NOT academically advanced when she was that age, not in any formal way, at least. I don't know how she would have fared in the environment you are describing either. She's very creative, and I don't know that schools would see that and value it.
Our broken, inner-city district is not an option for us, but I do think it is possible that the private schools are not quite all that -- a lot of "Race to Nowhere" pressure in some, cliqueishness and too much privilege (3rd graders having iphones). I think really my questions have to do with my last few lingering doubts about homeschooling. I still have my days when I entertain the question as to whether or not private school would in fact have been better. But in the end, I think not.
