“I would rather send my child to a secular school than to a Catholic school where unsound doctrine is promoted.” Do you agree?

[mythbuster1]

I suppose it can’t be helped in a culture where less than 1% of the population is Catholic. Still, there should be preferential admission for Catholic students.

 

[Aulef]

It would be dangerous either way… This is a tough situation I will face in a few years…

Homeschooling sounds a good idea though.

 

[Rau]

Would you have been able to offer your kids languages? Or history? Or geology? I can’t imagine most homeschooling extends through high school. Or if it does, I expect it must be limited.

 

[Irishmom2]

Why wouldn’t they be able to teach history? Languages can be learned on the internet. Who teaches geology anywhere? I don’t remember that be a subject except included in science classes.

There are curriculums for homeschooling. A mom once told me that once her kids knew how to read, they were basically self taught. Her family was intelligent, well mannered, and went on to good colleges.

 

[Rau]

Why wouldn’t they be able to teach history? Languages can be learned on the internet.

I suspect there’s a valid reason for high school teachers to specialize and study their subjects for some years before teaching. In my jurisdiction, science required a choice among Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geology. I can foresee some parents would struggle or would need to limit kids choices quite a bit.

 

[Anicette]

Homeschooling was not a recent thing.

Truly now, it is more an American and a Protestant cultural thing than in others parts of the world, but it was not uncommon in the european upper . Sainte Thérèse de Lisieux for eg, had learn how to read with her sister, so homeschooled before going to a formal school.

For high school, I see a limit for sciences class. How to make experiences with a microscope and all the scientific material at home for middle and high school?
Maybe the homeschoolers are more likely litterature students or only have the theory in sciences?
Sports in all their diversity, can also find a limit, especially collective sports.

For myself, I would rather continue to homeschooled, as long as the society allowed me to do it.
My second option would have been Catholic school, but it would be difficult and unpractical for us. So i guess that we would have been forced to our children in the nearby public school.

ADD: curriculum for older homeschooled children seems expensive. And possibly more expensive than a State -funded catholic school in some european countries…

 

[Irishmom2]

Many parents join together and help each other. Some are better at math or history and they switch off.
It obviously works for people or they wouldn’t do it.

In this age of the internet, it would seem to me that homeschooling would be even less of a problem.

 

[Anicette]

I suspect there’s a valid reason for high school teachers to specialize and study their subjects for some years before teaching. In my jurisdiction, science required a choice among Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geology. I can foresee some parents would struggle or would need to limit kids choices quite a bit.

That’s true, teachers need to specializing in order to teach history and so more. Because they represent the discipline and should know not only what they are teaching, but far more. They should be credible.

But at home, a parent is not a teacher. He (or moore likely, she!) is a parent-instructor. We don’t teach our children like it would be for 30 students, but we accompagny them to the knowledge. Our only legitimacy is us being their parents, our willingness to do it and the positive reaction to our children.

For high school, I have no experience, but I think it is more rare than for pre school and primary school. I see limits with the science experiences and sport. For litterature, history, good books, a child willingness to read and a curriculum is what is need.

I am almost sure that the majority of parents use a private lesson (curriculum) for the high school. So they don’t have to construct the lesson, just to help and supervise the children.
Unschooling approach seems more pertinent for younger children…

 

[Rau]

In this age of the internet, it would seem to me that homeschooling would be even less of a problem.

Resources are better available for sure.

 

[Anicette]

Many parents join together and help each other. Some are better at math or history and they switch off.
It obviously works for people or they wouldn’t do it.

Interesting idea. But definitely more an American possibility.
It need a big pool of homeschooling families in one area to permit the system.
And great organization from the parents and be able to teach to a larger group of children, including some who are not their children (can make a big difference for some parents, if they lack authority)

And more it need to be a legal possibility.

Not possible in France. it would be considered as an illegal school.

 

[Irishmom2]

I believe they are called co-operatives here. It is done with a fairly small group, I believe.

 

[Maximian]

one of the greatest mistakes in my life was sending my children to the local Catholic high school

Me too (in UK). My son was bullied by seniors whose behavior was ignored in a spirit of mercy towards the bully. There were cases of sexual abuse by monks which everyone (except the parents) knew about but which were only remembered after an external enquiry started (sound familiar?) Mercifully my son escaped sexual abuse but lost his faith anyway.

By contrast my daughter went to a secular school where the only harassment she got was being mocked for her faith. She is now a devout young traditionalist woman.

 

[jeannetherese]

Out here, some homeschoolers will hybridize with either a Catholic school or a public school for certain subjects (band, foreign language, a science class or sports/clubs) and teach other subjects at home.
There are a lot of different possibilities available

 

[Ardent_Fire]

I read a survey cited in a book that many exit “Catholic” schooling with a more negative view of the Church and her doctrine than someone who attended secular school and just had standard catechisis on the side. Though in fairness a LOT has changed socially since I’ve read this book. What’s changed in secular schools has radically changed from just 10-15 years ago when I read the book so I don’t know how much Catholic schools follow suit now. But I’ve noticed this skepticism and heterodoxy a lot, especially among the “Jesuit schooled” crowd, in that many are heavily indoctrinated with what they think Catholicism means and they view themselves as being experts on Catholicism. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, it’s OK to be Catholic and be pro-choice! I went to Catholic school for 16 years and I know my stuff!”

It seems to me it would be easier to question someone’s catechesis if they just had to rely on their local parish with limited teachers and resources as opposed to a “Catholic” school that was reputable as being a “good school.”

 

[Maximian]

I think that perhaps being catechised at school can spoil that sense of excitement for the faith.

 

[OurGodIsWithUs]

What do you mean by LGBTQ brainwashing?

I believe that children should be educated on Tolerance at least. We don’t want the Hillsboro Baptist Church around do we? Those folks yell “God hates fags” and “Thank God for dead soldiers” while claiming to be Christians. I smell hypocrisy.

Acceptance is another story, just tolerance for a start. To leave these people alone and not criticize. Even public schools need to up their game on this front, as I’ve seen way too many people be critical of LGBTQ persons to their face.

 

[Maximian]

God doesn’t hate anybody, but he does hate sin.

There is absolutely no reason why any Christian should condone the practice of homosexuality.

 

[jeannetherese]

We don’t want the Hillsboro Baptist Church around do we? Those folks yell “God hates fags”

I doubt that most Catholics would advocate converting to the Baptist Church, although many might have good friends who are Baptists and have a grat deal of respect for their commitment to God and the study of His most holy Word.
It seems that many if not most posters on this thread are advocating for orthodox teaching, whether in a homeschool environment or in a Catholic school environment, with public school + faithful teaching at home if one is unable to find a school with orthodox teaching and unable to homeschool.

 

[mary77]

The most important bridge to God is in the home, and the school should further the bridge away from home. A secular school is a pot full of diversity, confusing to a child, tempting and luring the child to consider alternative reasoning, erroneous reasoning. A child needs to be reminded that the purpose of becoming educated is to develop the knowledge and skills needed to best be a disciple of Christ. Thats not going to be the message in secular education.

 

[Maximian]

OurGodIsWithUs:

We don’t want the Hillsboro Baptist Church around do we? Those folks yell “God hates fags”

I doubt that most Catholics would advocate converting to the Baptist Church,

This person seems to like quoting this line from Hillsborough Baptist Church. He quotes it on another thread too. Why he thinks any conclusions about Catholicism can be drawn from the ranting of Baptists is beyond me.