Education: Is Privilege a Choice?

I was told that sending my kids to a private Catholic school was a privilege. I myself was sent for parochial education as a child. I've never seen my education as one of privilege for my parents, not for myself making that choice now. Certainly for me as a child I had the great privilege of my parents choice to sacrifice, and for my own children to experience the same. The language and use of the word "privilege" misrepresents what parochial education is and should be, and society would be wise to look closer at their success. Public schools are falling behind on standards when our students are tested. What can we learn when we approach public schooling from the same standards set forth by private and parochial?