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tafan
Guest
My thoughts exactly.
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desrochers
Guest
I was responding to the thread topic “why (or not)”. In our case, the reasonings happend to be “not”, and were, unfortunately, largely negative based on years of observations and experiences shared by faithful Catholic friends.
On the positive side, we have had a very good experience with our local public schools over the past 15 years. We are very engaged in our children’s education, and take a strong lead in their faith formation at home. The teachers and staff reflect Christian values in their treatment of our children and presentation of material. I was especially proud of our HS’s adoption of an entirely abstinance-based health education text. (This is California, not the bible-belt.) Our HS also refused to comply with the CA state law allowing dismissal for “medical reasons” w/o notifying parents.
There certainly have been instances where we intervened, or had serious discussions with our children about something that happend in our public school that was in conflict with our faith, but those have been rare.
On the positive side, we have had a very good experience with our local public schools over the past 15 years. We are very engaged in our children’s education, and take a strong lead in their faith formation at home. The teachers and staff reflect Christian values in their treatment of our children and presentation of material. I was especially proud of our HS’s adoption of an entirely abstinance-based health education text. (This is California, not the bible-belt.) Our HS also refused to comply with the CA state law allowing dismissal for “medical reasons” w/o notifying parents.
There certainly have been instances where we intervened, or had serious discussions with our children about something that happend in our public school that was in conflict with our faith, but those have been rare.
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mom2four
Guest
We wanted our children to receive a faith filled education. They love their school! We scrape to pay for it, but our conscience will not allow us to send them to public at such a young impressionable age! Their day is filled with prayer and they attend Mass with school once a week. As another poster mentioned. The children at our Catholic School act like children. Our school is K-8.
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PatriceA
Guest
We chose to send our daughter to the parish school up til 5th grade. We pulled her out this year because of the bullying, which the school refused to accept was happening, and for academic reasons that also refused to be addressed by the school. We are now cyber schooling and I have been continually shocked about the gaps in our daughter’s education by the results of the assessment tests required by the cyber school. She is beyond her peers in some subjects but extremely lacking in others. She had extremely good grades at the parish school, made honor roll so there was no indication except for the Terra Nova test scores this past spring that she was struggling in one subject (name removed by moderator)articular.
We sent her to the parish school for the reasons most parents chose Catholic schools. You expect it to be a morally and faith filled environment. I have gotten more feedback and interaction from the RE program that DD is now in on Sunday mornings than I ever got from the parish school. Her faith has been positively energized. There is a definitely change in her attitude as well.
The parish just got a new young priest that I hope will be more involved with the school. The school just got a new principal whom I hope is more proactive about the issues in the school. But those changes aren’t going to happen overnight and I wouldn’t be doing my job as a parent to give my child the best school environment available, which isn’t the parish school in our case.
We sent her to the parish school for the reasons most parents chose Catholic schools. You expect it to be a morally and faith filled environment. I have gotten more feedback and interaction from the RE program that DD is now in on Sunday mornings than I ever got from the parish school. Her faith has been positively energized. There is a definitely change in her attitude as well.
The parish just got a new young priest that I hope will be more involved with the school. The school just got a new principal whom I hope is more proactive about the issues in the school. But those changes aren’t going to happen overnight and I wouldn’t be doing my job as a parent to give my child the best school environment available, which isn’t the parish school in our case.
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taben
Guest
We went from public school to Catholic school in middle school for the following reasons:
Finally, they LIKE Catholic school…so why not send them (even though we are slowly going broke!)? It is hard to say no when your kids want a faith based education.
THAT BEING SAID: Our kids hang out with the ‘good’ kids. If they started going with the wild Catholic kids with too much money and too little discipline at home I would take them out and send them to public school or homeschool them. Thanksfully, so far their choices have been very good ones.
Do what works for you and your family. There is no one right answer. The best option for us is Catholic school, but it may not be for others.
Taben
- I like that my children’s life during the week (and on the weekends) has a solid component of their faith. It is a hgue part of all they do.
- I LOVE the fact that they openly pray at the start of every day, at the start and end of most classes, at lunch and at the end of the day. I LOVE the fact that they say the Angelus at noon, have weekly Adoration and mass and monthly Rosary. I enjoy that their service work at school involves their faith and that they can alter serve during the school day.
- Teens are followers. I wanted them to have the CHANCE to have freinds who were also going through confirmation class, getting up on Sunday and going to Mass no matter how tired they are, participating in Parish basketball and scouts, etc. They do not feel ‘different’ as they did in public school on Ash Wednesday, for instance, with Ashes on their forehead! They are PROUD to be Catholic.
- My middle son is average to low performing. In public school, frankly, his middle and high school classrooms would have been disruptive. In Catholic school they are highly controled, which he needs.
Finally, they LIKE Catholic school…so why not send them (even though we are slowly going broke!)? It is hard to say no when your kids want a faith based education.
THAT BEING SAID: Our kids hang out with the ‘good’ kids. If they started going with the wild Catholic kids with too much money and too little discipline at home I would take them out and send them to public school or homeschool them. Thanksfully, so far their choices have been very good ones.
Do what works for you and your family. There is no one right answer. The best option for us is Catholic school, but it may not be for others.
Taben
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Deefraz
Guest
The most important thing in choosing a school for my child was the learning environment. I wanted it to be an extension of the morals and academics I felt I promoted in the home. Ultimately I chose a Catholic school because I saw a significant difference in the moral and academic structure when compared to a public school. As a single mother I could not provide my child with homeschooling, and did not consider this option.
All of the factors you mention are important, such as safety, quality of education and ability to get into college. Cost is something to be considered as well. Not everyone can afford a Catholic school education. Overall I am very pleased with my choice and the moral and academic performance of my child have been positive proof. Best of luck in making your choice!
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Busymom1
Guest
I went to public school when I was a child. But it was a different time than it is now, and in a smaller community which was more inclined to be religious. In elementary school we always celebrated Christmas (and some of the Jewish holidays as well), had Easter parades, learned hymns in my music class, and had a general instruction on the role of faith in the founding of our country. I can remember hearing a daily reading from Proverbs to help be a guide in how we should act and conduct our lives. In middle school and high school I remember student run prayer groups and discussion groups. By that time, there were plenty of non-believers mixed in the group as well, but it led to good discussions and made me really look into and understand my faith.
Now… go to the present time. I have been a teacher both in the public schools and in Catholic schools. Bad about the public schools: is that in many areas God has been completely written out or ignored. In some school systems the teaching can almost border on indoctrination. But in other school systems, things are okay. Yes, at times I felt it could be dangerous in the school, but then that varies from school to school too, but even a good school can have some rather dangerous characters in it.
Generally in the Catholic schools I felt physcially safe, but there were always teachers that would have problems with kids doing something ugly to them or their property (including home and cars). I think we have to remember that we are still fallen creatures and have an inclination toward sinning, and the kids in Catholic schools are no different. In the older kids; I thought at times the hazing, harrassing, and “Clicks” were especially bad in the Catholic schools where kids from a lot of money were sometimes snobbish. Also, as another poster noted, a lot of people send their kids to Catholic schools because it is a private alternative, not because they care about any kind of a religous education. You also need to really check up on the school and even individual teachers if you want to know how they teach the faith. Some are really off base in their teaching and lead kids down the wrong pathway. I even knew one religion teacher that was dismissed because she strictly taught the faith and parents complained that they were uncomfortable by her teaching against abortion, telling the kids that they need to sit all the way through Mass and not leave right after communion (that really irked some parents!). But, other Catholic schools do a good job in teaching the faith… so, be pro-active and check it out!
If a Catholic school does a good job in teaching the faith, then I’d prefer that school. BUT, one that does not teach the faith or one that has students putting more emphasis on their clothes, how fancy the prom will be, where they go for Spring Break… I’d watch out for that one. One of the things about going into public school is that your kids can be warned to watch out for things that you don’t agree with, you can discuss what they’ve heard at school or been taught, then show how you, as Catholics, view this situation. When kids go to Catholic schools, they are caught unprepaped if they hear the faith taught in an unfaithful manner and can easily be led astray. If they are surrounded by supposedly Catholic kids that are very mean or dishonest, then that can taint their viewpoint of the faith. In public schools you are ready to put your armor on, but in Catholic schools the kids can be more vulernable because they aren’t expecting the bad things. So wherever you send your child, prepare them and keep up with what is being taught to them! Don’t think that just because it is a Catholic school that their faith is not being challenged. And as one poster said, some kids are just going to hate school, no matter what. In that case, I agree with them that maybe they should go to public school so they don’t associate this bad feeling that they have towards school as also representing feelings toward the church.
Now… go to the present time. I have been a teacher both in the public schools and in Catholic schools. Bad about the public schools: is that in many areas God has been completely written out or ignored. In some school systems the teaching can almost border on indoctrination. But in other school systems, things are okay. Yes, at times I felt it could be dangerous in the school, but then that varies from school to school too, but even a good school can have some rather dangerous characters in it.
Generally in the Catholic schools I felt physcially safe, but there were always teachers that would have problems with kids doing something ugly to them or their property (including home and cars). I think we have to remember that we are still fallen creatures and have an inclination toward sinning, and the kids in Catholic schools are no different. In the older kids; I thought at times the hazing, harrassing, and “Clicks” were especially bad in the Catholic schools where kids from a lot of money were sometimes snobbish. Also, as another poster noted, a lot of people send their kids to Catholic schools because it is a private alternative, not because they care about any kind of a religous education. You also need to really check up on the school and even individual teachers if you want to know how they teach the faith. Some are really off base in their teaching and lead kids down the wrong pathway. I even knew one religion teacher that was dismissed because she strictly taught the faith and parents complained that they were uncomfortable by her teaching against abortion, telling the kids that they need to sit all the way through Mass and not leave right after communion (that really irked some parents!). But, other Catholic schools do a good job in teaching the faith… so, be pro-active and check it out!
If a Catholic school does a good job in teaching the faith, then I’d prefer that school. BUT, one that does not teach the faith or one that has students putting more emphasis on their clothes, how fancy the prom will be, where they go for Spring Break… I’d watch out for that one. One of the things about going into public school is that your kids can be warned to watch out for things that you don’t agree with, you can discuss what they’ve heard at school or been taught, then show how you, as Catholics, view this situation. When kids go to Catholic schools, they are caught unprepaped if they hear the faith taught in an unfaithful manner and can easily be led astray. If they are surrounded by supposedly Catholic kids that are very mean or dishonest, then that can taint their viewpoint of the faith. In public schools you are ready to put your armor on, but in Catholic schools the kids can be more vulernable because they aren’t expecting the bad things. So wherever you send your child, prepare them and keep up with what is being taught to them! Don’t think that just because it is a Catholic school that their faith is not being challenged. And as one poster said, some kids are just going to hate school, no matter what. In that case, I agree with them that maybe they should go to public school so they don’t associate this bad feeling that they have towards school as also representing feelings toward the church.
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Lutheranteach
Guest
As a teacher, I enjoy teaching in a Catholic school, as long as there is a good principal because I can be much more blunt and more of teacher than a babysitter in most cases. There have been times when certain families think they are “owed” by the school and this includes grades for their kids. But, for the most part it’s a pleasure. THe only thing better is teaching at private schools where there is actually a waiting list to get in. When that has been the case, one is spending 90% of one’s time doing nothing but teaching…very liberating because one can also put together electives to teach in addition to the standard 4 classes per day. Rarely have I seen that in Catholic schools.
The pressure, on teachers at a secular private school comes from everyone, parents, yourself, administrators all demanding each kid be two grade levels ahead in standardized tests and that each teacher is expected to either coach a sport or handle an extracurricular. I have to admit, I miss the secular private school atmosphere at times. The Catholic School kids can often be, as well as their parents, much more appreciative and supportive at times, however.
The pressure, on teachers at a secular private school comes from everyone, parents, yourself, administrators all demanding each kid be two grade levels ahead in standardized tests and that each teacher is expected to either coach a sport or handle an extracurricular. I have to admit, I miss the secular private school atmosphere at times. The Catholic School kids can often be, as well as their parents, much more appreciative and supportive at times, however.
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taben
Guest
One thing I have found with in our area is that there is a big sense of FAMILY in the Catholic schools. It is like being a part of a wonderful, welcoming club. Parents help one another out with rides. Football games are not high school events but family events. High school kids mentor and visit the middle school ages kids. Middle schools have elm. prayer partners.
I love that part of our Catholic education. In addition, they grow up with children in their school. Our public school re-draw boundries all the time and neighborhood schools are less often used as kids go to magnet and charter schools. For kids in Catholic school who stay in, they have life long friends.
I stand by my early statement that there are some AWFUL kids in Catholic school and parents (and sadly, som admins) who do little about their behavior. BUT, when your child clicks with the ‘right’ kids and they come from a family that values their catholic faith as much as you do…it is wonderful.
Anne
I love that part of our Catholic education. In addition, they grow up with children in their school. Our public school re-draw boundries all the time and neighborhood schools are less often used as kids go to magnet and charter schools. For kids in Catholic school who stay in, they have life long friends.
I stand by my early statement that there are some AWFUL kids in Catholic school and parents (and sadly, som admins) who do little about their behavior. BUT, when your child clicks with the ‘right’ kids and they come from a family that values their catholic faith as much as you do…it is wonderful.
Anne
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mellowcalico
Guest
It would be nice to send my daughter to the school associated with our parish. But the reality of it is I am a single mom and can’t afford it. Even if I could afford it or get a scholarship, unlike the public school, there is no after school child care associated with the parish school. 
Oh well, I have CCD I suppose. And at least, quality and national standard-wise, the public schools here are good. Maybe a bit too liberal for my taste, but I am teaching my daughter to be a bit skeptical of everything she hears.
Oh well, I have CCD I suppose. And at least, quality and national standard-wise, the public schools here are good. Maybe a bit too liberal for my taste, but I am teaching my daughter to be a bit skeptical of everything she hears.
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Laura_Ic
Guest
I would love to send my son to Catholic school next year but the costs are preventing me. The school however has a wonderful math and science program.
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manualman
Guest
My kids catholic school has done some excellent things.
They want the school to be primarily a parish school, so non-parishioners must pay quite a bit more. (Other local parishes without schools offer to pay the difference sometimes for their parishioners). This tends to support the mission of the school as a CATHOLIC school.
The parish tracks attendance at mass on Sundays via envelopes (regardless of what amount if any is in it). If kids are not regular Sunday mass attendees, they cannot be in extracurricular activities or sports! This weeds out a LOT of CINOs.
EVERY school day starts with mass and most subjects have a distinctively catholic curriculum. Social Studies, History, Language, Art, even Handwriting has a distinctively catholic theme. Secular texts often contain subtle cultural biases that many folks don’t notice (especially history and social studies). These can be Trojan horses and be a major cause of the much lamented “catholic schools are worse for the faith than public schools” mantra.
Staff are expected to be faithful catholics – and they are. Amazing what leadership with some courage can do.
Religion curricula is not the usual “Fuzzy Jesus Bunnies” type, but uses the Faith & Life series, beefy lives of the saints stories, devotional practices and regular experience of adoration and reconciliation. I ask my 4th grader what she learned each day because she frequently now knows things I don’t!
We chose it for all the above, plus the recognition on our part that school is as much an influence on their lives as we are. Let’s just face facts: 7 hours a day is MORE time than any full time working parent gets to spend with a school child. Mom may get more total time, buts let’s also admit that she’s got plenty of work she’s trying to get done in that time period too. Like it or not, the school environment WILL have as much effect on your kids as you will. Time=influence.
The 70’s and 80’s were a TERRIBLE time for catholic schools. Most of them lost their way and tried to merely be public schools with a religion course and one weekly mass tacked on. That approach failed utterly and is blessedly becoming rarer these days. More and more, the catholic schools that survive will be ACTUALLY catholic schools (ours is only 3 years old and virtually full already). We have to drive past two other nominally catholic schools on the way to ours. Well worth it. Do your parental homework to pick a wholly catholic school and then do what is necessary to afford it. It’s worth it.
They want the school to be primarily a parish school, so non-parishioners must pay quite a bit more. (Other local parishes without schools offer to pay the difference sometimes for their parishioners). This tends to support the mission of the school as a CATHOLIC school.
The parish tracks attendance at mass on Sundays via envelopes (regardless of what amount if any is in it). If kids are not regular Sunday mass attendees, they cannot be in extracurricular activities or sports! This weeds out a LOT of CINOs.
EVERY school day starts with mass and most subjects have a distinctively catholic curriculum. Social Studies, History, Language, Art, even Handwriting has a distinctively catholic theme. Secular texts often contain subtle cultural biases that many folks don’t notice (especially history and social studies). These can be Trojan horses and be a major cause of the much lamented “catholic schools are worse for the faith than public schools” mantra.
Staff are expected to be faithful catholics – and they are. Amazing what leadership with some courage can do.
Religion curricula is not the usual “Fuzzy Jesus Bunnies” type, but uses the Faith & Life series, beefy lives of the saints stories, devotional practices and regular experience of adoration and reconciliation. I ask my 4th grader what she learned each day because she frequently now knows things I don’t!
We chose it for all the above, plus the recognition on our part that school is as much an influence on their lives as we are. Let’s just face facts: 7 hours a day is MORE time than any full time working parent gets to spend with a school child. Mom may get more total time, buts let’s also admit that she’s got plenty of work she’s trying to get done in that time period too. Like it or not, the school environment WILL have as much effect on your kids as you will. Time=influence.
The 70’s and 80’s were a TERRIBLE time for catholic schools. Most of them lost their way and tried to merely be public schools with a religion course and one weekly mass tacked on. That approach failed utterly and is blessedly becoming rarer these days. More and more, the catholic schools that survive will be ACTUALLY catholic schools (ours is only 3 years old and virtually full already). We have to drive past two other nominally catholic schools on the way to ours. Well worth it. Do your parental homework to pick a wholly catholic school and then do what is necessary to afford it. It’s worth it.
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Eloi
Guest
It would be very nice if I could send my brother to a Catholic school; he’s miserable in the public one he’s at. The educational standard is much lower at the public school and the teachers are less accredited, not to mention that he has a problem with bullies that the school doesn’t try to correct.
I have hope, though; I’ve been negotiating with the Catholic school because we have a tight budget. I think we may be able to work something out. As it stands, my salery is not even close to sufficient to cover the costs (our inheritence might be, but I’m far-sighted enough to realize that that money needs to be cultivated carefully). In any case, my brother wants to switch schools, and I want him to as well; I’m doing what I can to make it work out.
I have hope, though; I’ve been negotiating with the Catholic school because we have a tight budget. I think we may be able to work something out. As it stands, my salery is not even close to sufficient to cover the costs (our inheritence might be, but I’m far-sighted enough to realize that that money needs to be cultivated carefully). In any case, my brother wants to switch schools, and I want him to as well; I’m doing what I can to make it work out.
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threecats123
Guest
My DH and I both went to public schools, and were both raised Catholic and attended CCD.
My first teaching job was at a Catholic School - my very first exposure to Catholic education.
There are two main reasons why we send our kids to Catholic School:
My first teaching job was at a Catholic School - my very first exposure to Catholic education.
There are two main reasons why we send our kids to Catholic School:
- I was BLOWN AWAY by the community at the school where I taught. I taught middle school and those kids loved it. The two worst years of my life were in 7th and 8th grade at at public Jr. High, but my students were a part of a close knit school family and felt honored to be the “top dogs” - they had responsibilities and ownership in their school and felt truly connected to their school community. Even though I was many years away from having my own children, I knew that I wanted my own children to have that experience.
- I feel quite inadequate when it comes to teaching my children about Catholicism, and rely on their Catholic school to fill in the gaps I have. I am trying to educate myself, and read “Catholicism for Dummies” and other books often, but the fact of the matter is that I just don’t know a whole lot. We found a very faithful Catholic parish and school (and the school is excellent and thriving with almost 800 students K-8) and bought a house across the street. I feel so blessed that my children are there. They are learning so much more about Catholism than I could teach them. I didn’t even hear the term Novena until well into adulthood - a small example, maybe, but I just don’t have the Catholic traditions and habits ingrained in me like so many others do. I just didn’t grow up that way, but want my children to grow up with their faith and religion ingrained in them. Our family life revolves around our parish and school and we love it this way.
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scimitar60
Guest
Some public schools are great, some are full of morons. I’m sure its the same with every school. I’m Catholic, and am at a public school. From my opinion I think that public schools give you a more ‘broad’ view of things. This is good experience but it can be a bad thing. Quite a proportion of the time it brings out Atheists and Secular idiots that bash religion.
However, a Catholic education from reception to college isn’t always the best thing either. It makes their views very narrow so they are not used to having non-Catholics around them. That can result to damage to their faith if they end up studying in an atheist environment during College.
Thats my 1 cent opinion
However, a Catholic education from reception to college isn’t always the best thing either. It makes their views very narrow so they are not used to having non-Catholics around them. That can result to damage to their faith if they end up studying in an atheist environment during College.
Thats my 1 cent opinion
S
scimitar60
Guest
Do not listen to people who say public schools are horrible and have horrible teachers, bullies etc etc. Every public school is different. The one I go to now I really like. It’s got fantastic teachers and support. They even respect Religion! If they hand me a project on the big bang, or something similar, I just hand it back saying ‘Sorry but I find these worksheets offensive, they are not proven as fact yet anyway’. They happily find me a different project to research on; whether its got to do with planets or solar systems. 
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EasterJoy
Guest
It is fine that your school does not require you to do reports on subjects you find disturbing, but I hope you realize that the Pope does not find either evolution or the Big Bang to be contrary to Catholic teaching. Even Pope Pius XII wrote in 1950 that “The Teaching Authority of the Church does not forbid that, in conformity with the present state of human sciences and sacred theology, research and discussions, on the part of men experiences in both fields, take place with regard to the doctrine of evolution, in as far as it inquires into the origin of the human body as coming from pre-existent and living matter—for the Catholic faith obliges us to hold that souls are immediately created by God.”Do not listen to people who say public schools are horrible and have horrible teachers, bullies etc etc. Every public school is different. The one I go to now I really like. It’s got fantastic teachers and support. They even respect Religion! If they hand me a project on the big bang, or something similar, I just hand it back saying ‘Sorry but I find these worksheets offensive, they are not proven as fact yet anyway’. They happily find me a different project to research on; whether its got to do with planets or solar systems.
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scimitar60
Guest
Yes I know that, I have a big paper on how this can perfectly fit our creation. I’m simply just saying that I don’t like those papers because I’m quite new to the faith. I find it quite damaging for me.
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Eloi
Guest
In case this was intended for me (unlikely because I’m not that important), I was refering only to the schools within the personal experience of my brother and I and was not creating a blanket statement.
K
kate722
Guest
Hey cuz!
I attended the school threecats taught at, and I agree it was an amazing environment. My husband says all the time that jr high was the worst experience ever, while I loved every minute of it! 7th and 8th grade were amazing years for me - as well as every other year K-8
The main reason I will be sending my daughter to Catholic schools is because the most important thing she turns out to be, for me, is compassionate. Every part of your day at Catholic school centers around being moral, generous and kind (to everyone, not just the “popular” kids). I am so excited for her to learn in the type of environment I was able to, it unquestionably was the greatest gift my parents gave me.
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