Finally Fed Up with Parish Schools

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I have sent my kids to parish grade and high schools for the past 20 years. I’ve been a huge supporter of Catholic schools and have sacrificed greatly financially to send my kids to them.

But after seeing the degradation of the schools, the lack of true spiritual guidance and leadership in them, we’re taking our three youngest out of them.

I’ve lived in three states - California, Kansas, and Nevada. The schools in the western states are by far in worse condition. It breaks our heart to “give up” on Catholic education but it’s not worth it and the lack of true Catholic values is disturbing.

Anyone else having a similar experience?
 
Where I live there are publicly funded Catholic schools and I have heard stories of teachers being disciplined for pointing out that acting on homosexual tendencies is a sin etc.

Most of my friends who either attend or have graduated from Catholic schools seem to have very little knowledge of the faith. It seems to be very important for Catholic parents to have conversations about morals and faith with their children and to learn how to adequately answer their questions as it seems we can not fully trust Catholic schools to do so.

Unfortunate 😦
 
Agree…we live in a time where you must do it all yourself. It should be that way but having in reinforced in Catholic schools is how it should be. Now, many bow at the altar of materialism, cultural relativism, etc.
 
My kiddo attended catholic school through 3rd grade. The education was lacking, and we struggled that last year, but the final straw was over bullying. One morning at drop off she said to me “mom, for a catholic school, the kids sure aren’t very Christian”. Broke my heart!. Moving her to public school was the best thing for her education. I took over her religious education supplemented by PSR. She’s in her first year of college at Ole Miss and her faith is STRONG!
 
Awesome! Congrats.

Unfortunately our Catholic institutions are being infiltrated and destroyed
 
I so WISH the Baltimore Catechism would be brought back in Catholic schools and parishes. 😦
 
Exactly. This is a parish where the priest didn’t allow the Knights of Columbus to so the baby bottle drive for pro life month because it could bring “negative media attention”. Yes. A priest
 
Our Catholic schools are doing pretty well compared to the rest of the country. I attended Catholic school from 1st grade all the way through high school. Our Catholic school students consistently do better academically than their public school counterparts, and the Catholic faith is part of their daily lives (not just for an hour in theology class).

I now work for the Catholic school diocesan office, and I can tell you, even if I weren’t Catholic, I would not want to send my children to a public school in this area. Many parents have told me stories about how their children greatly improved when they made the switch from public to private. The Catholic school environment is much safer, family-oriented and faith-filled. Of course, there are always rogue students, but overall, my experiences have been positive in Catholic schools.

*Note, not all of the schools are parochial, some are independent from parishes (especially high schools), but that has not made a whole lot of difference in what I have seen.
 
LVCatholic said:
Exactly. This is a parish where the priest didn’t allow the Knights of Columbus to so the baby bottle drive for pro life month because it could bring “negative media attention”. Yes. A priest
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Your bishop tolerated that? I would absolutely contact the bishop if that happened in my parish. There is zero chance that any Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Portland in my lifetime would have allowed that. If I didn’t want to contact him myself, one call to Oregon Right to Life would have taken care of it.
 
In the diocese I live in, there are several large Catholic homeschooling co-ops. The bishop does NOT support them AT ALL. In fact he criticizes them. Sending official letters that they should support the (dismal) Catholic school systems. He even discourages parishes from hosting the groups. It’s why they are nestled in our Eastern Catholic parish (different diocese, different bishop).
 
LVCatholic said:
I have sent my kids to parish grade and high schools for the past 20 years. I’ve been a huge supporter of Catholic schools and have sacrificed greatly financially to send my kids to them.

But after seeing the degradation of the schools, the lack of true spiritual guidance and leadership in them, we’re taking our three youngest out of them.

I’ve lived in three states - California, Kansas, and Nevada. The schools in the western states are by far in worse condition. It breaks our heart to “give up” on Catholic education but it’s not worth it and the lack of true Catholic values is disturbing.

Anyone else having a similar experience?
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I did not have the same experience as you but if you are not getting a Catholic education then what is the point right?

Don’t know the ages of your children but If you are going to be the sole religious educator for your children this might help…

dominicaninstitute.com/tinythomists/

From their website…
If you are the parents of a young family (or know of a few) and you are looking to build up your child’s faith in realms of Philosophy and Theology for kids, then Tiny Thomists is for you.
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Based on my experience, my children will never attend a Catholic school. In my opinion, these schools have nothing to do with instructing the children in the Catholic faith and much more to do with keeping the children away from “undesirables”. From an educational standpoint, the parish schools in my area are inferior to the public schools.
 
Our parish school has been great. . My kids learn their faith pretty well, they have better than public schools academics, very good discipline, weekly mass, benediction, rosaries are not uncommon in the classes, Fridays during lent they have stations of the Cross.

I have had my fair share of issues, but overall it has been very good.
 
Assyrian412 said:
Where I live there are publicly funded Catholic schools and **I have heard stories of teachers being disciplined for pointing out that acting on homosexual tendencies is a sin **etc.
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Disciplined by whom?

Presumably to say the same about sex outside marriage would also lead to “discipline”?

I presume such events can only be attributed to some local staff problem. If Catholic morality cannot be expressed (age appropriately) in a Catholic school, then those schools have no reason to exist.

Alternatively - perhaps the stories you’ve heard are not factual.
 
Schooling is an activity having broad requirements. It is competitive. I am unwilling to choose a Catholic school on the sole ground that it is Catholic. By and large, the Catholic schools (where I live) are on par with the public schools. But they are middle of the road only.

I suspect it is a very difficult task these days to run a really good School, and even harder to run a really good Catholic school.
 
starlady88 said:
Our Catholic schools are doing pretty well compared to the rest of the country. I attended Catholic school from 1st grade all the way through high school. Our Catholic school students consistently do better academically than their public school counterparts, and the Catholic faith is part of their daily lives (not just for an hour in theology class).

I now work for the Catholic school diocesan office, and I can tell you, even if I weren’t Catholic, I would not want to send my children to a public school in this area. Many parents have told me stories about how their children greatly improved when they made the switch from public to private. The Catholic school environment is much safer, family-oriented and faith-filled. Of course, there are always rogue students, but overall, my experiences have been positive in Catholic schools.

*Note, not all of the schools are parochial, some are independent from parishes (especially high schools), but that has not made a whole lot of difference in what I have seen.
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👍

I am product of K-12 catholic schools. I make a lot of sacrifices to send all three of my kids through catholic schools.
 
LVCatholic said:
Exactly. This is a parish where the priest didn’t allow the Knights of Columbus to so the baby bottle drive for pro life month because it could bring “negative media attention”. Yes. A priest
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EasterJoy said:
Your bishop tolerated that? I would absolutely contact the bishop if that happened in my parish. There is zero chance that any Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Portland in my lifetime would have allowed that. If I didn’t want to contact him myself, one call to Oregon Right to Life would have taken care of it.
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I agree with EasterJoy.
 
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