My son has ADHD, and larger classroom sizes might make his experience more stressful, therefore hindering his academic achievement. He is very intelligent and has very specific interests, unlike most children his age.

The next issue we faced was logistics. When we moved to the home we live in now three years ago, we were zoned to attend North Myrtle Beach schools. I work two jobs in North Myrtle Beach. Last year, the district rezoned and closed off any transfers, which meant my son would need to attend a school 20 minutes in the opposite direction. The choices were adding 40 minutes to my morning commute or getting him on a bus at 6:30 a.m., and remember he’s five years old.

Not all families value education and their child’s comfort level in public situations. I know my son does much better when he is in a smaller setting. I went to a large school, and it left me with a very negative impression of the education system and humankind in general. Some children thrive no matter the situation; others have home lives such that they would rather be anywhere but home. Beau, my son, would prefer to be homeschooled. Unfortunately, I have to work outside of the home; otherwise, we would homeschool.