Catholic School or Public School?

[slo]

I voted for public schools

My DD went to all-day kindergarten at our local Catholic school, and we had intent to keep her there for future grades. But we were so unhappy there that we started her in public school for 1st grade.

My reasons for my unhappiness probably are just related to this school, and not Catholic schools in general - so therefore, I don't want to post my issues.

My suggestion is to tour both schools and see what each has to offer. Remember, don't judge a book by it's cover - talk to some parents and see what they think about your local school. Also, look into class sizes in your private school. How many kids go there - and if it's very little - why???? Is it because people don't want to pay the money, or is it because people are unhappy with the school.

Good luck with your decision - it's not an easy one

 

[Crankyshank]

Did you ever quote Poe at this job?

I've quoted Poe for my job. I quote Alfred Lord Tennyson daily. and no, I am not an English teacher.

 

[VioltePrincess]

Did you ever quote Poe at this job?

I've never quoted Poe, but, believe it or not, I've used literary references...including Shakespeare...in legal briefs.

 

[CPM]

I got into UF with one AP class on my transcript (didn't get credit) and one AP class in the works. But I was a well rounded student who did lots of other things in my high school career and persevered despite being in 3 different high schools.

I'm sure you did. I'm also guessing that was a few years ago. Things have changed there. It's very difficult to get in, that is, unless you are a great football player SAT scores are another big factor.

Anyway, I'm also unsubscibing to this thread.

 

[my4kids]

No, it's because when it occurs in other denominations and settings, those in authority generally do their best to root out the perpetrator. In the catholic church, the church throws its might behind sheltering the perpetrator at the expense of children.

Not true. Not in my archdiocese anyway. They pretty much kick them out, report them and call a news conference before anyone else can beat them to it.

 

[my4kids]

No - but the point was that there are some careers out there where a liberal arts education is a prerequisite. Do you always take things so literally? Perhaps it's a disorder that you should get checked out.

I got your point and I was being tongue in cheek. At first I did not understand your tone, but then I just got it, you're the germ crazy chick aren't you?

 

[lulu71]

I got your point and I was being tongue in cheek. At first I did not understand your tone, but then I just got it, you're the germ crazy chick aren't you?

LOL. So do you take notes on everybody that you are nasty to? Color me impressed. That must be a ton of work.

 

[my4kids]

LOL. So do you take notes on everybody that you are nasty to? Color me impressed. That must be a ton of work.

I don't take notes, but since you are the on who brought it up, apparently you do. Ya know, in the thread you are referring to, you said in your OP, "Let me preface by saying that I am a germophobe and it is RSV season so I may be just a freak about this and you can totally call me on it. " so I called you on it, and you didn't like it...I wasn't being nasty.

 

[Crankyshank]

What in the high holy hell does being a germaphobe have to do with the price of tea in China, or at least in this case of Public school/Private school/worthiness of AP classes

 

[kdibattista]

Can we pleeeeeaaase keep this to the topic at hand

 

[lulu71]

I don't take notes, but since you are the on who brought it up, apparently you do. Ya know, in the thread you are referring to, you said in your OP, "Let me preface by saying that I am a germophobe and it is RSV season so I may be just a freak about this and you can totally call me on it. " so I called you on it, and you didn't like it...I wasn't being nasty.

This is so not the thread for this, but.....No you didn't..you were completely nasty and over-the-top! Lots of people disagreed with me, no problem, it's completely cool. You were plain obnoxious! And I've since noticed that when I read a post and have to do a double take to see who is being so nasty in other threads, it is often you.

 

[*Fantasia*]

Can we pleeeeeaaase keep this to the topic at hand

I know.. really! Let's talk about Kim's situation here..

 

[lulu71]

I know, I know....momentary lapse of judgement....apology sent to OP via PM.

As to the topic at hand...Catholic school educated through college here. I am 99% sure I'm going to send DD to Catholic school. Public schools here are out of the question and I really don't want to add the whole catechism element to her education by sending her to a private, non-Catholic school. My dilemma now is all-girls vs. coed Catholic school.

 

[my4kids]

Can we pleeeeeaaase keep this to the topic at hand

Sorry.

Back to topic -

I think it comes down to this.... You CAN NOT judge a book by it's cover. Sometimes the public school may have been built in the 60's and it looks really ugly and outdated from the outside and the Catholic school is in a beautiful stone church. , sometimes it's the Catholic school that doesn't look as pretty. You need to go in and talk to people and see how the classrooms are run. Any school worth considering will be happy to have you visit and sit in on classes with an appointment. In some towns the Catholic school will be better, and in others it will be sub-par. You need to go to both schools and ask questions. Ask class size (in my town the public school K is 18 kids and the Catholic is 30! per class) You need to ask if there is support staff for the class if it is a big number. You need to ask just what you are getting for your money at Catholic (is the religion they get the same as what you get for free in Sunday school?) What art, music, phys ed do they offer? Compare test scores (which can be hard, because in my town the Catholic schools take different standardized tests -I think they know they wouldn't compete against the public here) talk to some of the teachers...talk to the principals of each. Weigh what is most important to you for you education dollar (do you want to save the money for high school and or college? Or do you want to start out paying for grade school and then go to public high when you are broke?)

If you visit both and talk to administrators at both, you should get a good feel for what is better for your child.

 

[my4kids]

This is so not the thread for this, but.....No you didn't..you were completely nasty and over-the-top! Lots of people disagreed with me, no problem, it's completely cool. You were plain obnoxious! And I've since noticed that when I read a post and have to do a double take to see who is being so nasty in other threads, it is often you.

oh come on.

 

[princesspumpkin]

Ok, can someone please explain something to me. Most of my co-workers that attended Parochial Schools all of their lives don't even attend mass on a regular basis now. I mean, I thought that Catholic School was supposed to instill a deeper faith in people (as well as educating them) Now, this is just my thought. When I hear that people are planning to definitely send their kids to Catholic school (because they themselves attended them all of their lives), I always thought that these people were deeply spiritual, church attending folks. But when I get to know them better, most have distanced themselves from the church, but insist that their kids have a Catholic School education.


Can someone explain to me the strong need for people to send their children to Parochial School if it isn't for the religion? I'm not being sarcastic, I really am curious.

Thanks!

 

[my4kids]

Ok, can someone please explain something to me. Most of my co-workers that attended Parochial Schools all of their lives don't even attend mass on a regular basis now. I mean, I thought that Catholic School was supposed to instill a deeper faith in people (as well as educating them) Now, this is just my thought. When I hear that people are planning to definitely send their kids to Catholic school (because they themselves attended them all of their lives), I always thought that these people were deeply spiritual, church attending folks. But when I get to know them better, most have distanced themselves from the church, but insist that their kids have a Catholic School education.


Can someone explain to me the strong need for people to send their children to Parochial School if it isn't for the religion? I'm not being sarcastic, I really am curious.

Thanks!

I've noticed this too. I am devoutly Catholic. I went to public school my whole life. (parents could not afford Catholic school). My mother taught me catechism at home (we lived a distance from church and CCD classes were on a week night - so she "home-schooled" us for CCD) Many people I know who went to Catholic schools are distant from the Church now. I have discussed this with many people including the childrens religious ed. director at my church, and I think it comes down to this: A childs core religious faith and teaching must come from a parent. Catholic school, CCD are good supplements to it, but if a parent does not discuss their religion with their child then no amount of religious teaching from a teacher will stick.

My neighbor is extremely religious, as is her husband. They raised six kids and worked hard to send them to Catholic school and all are doing well in life, but not one of them goes to Church. Not one. She told me that when she was raising them, she and her husband considered their spiritual lives private, and did not talk to their kids about it - they figured the Catholic schools were teaching them everything they needed to know. I think this is a bad assumption many parents sending their kids to Catholic school make.

This is why in my Church, when a child is preparing for first Holy Eucharist, we do not teach it in CCD class. We give the parents a book to teach it at home. A child needs to hear it from a parent and hear the parent talk about why it is important...without this anything a CCD teacher says will go in one ear and out the other. (Of course, many parents who are just there, because they are "going through the motions" get ticked off that they have to do it, and why aren't the Catholic schools doing it when they are paying for it etc.but I think their kids are still getting a better deal by having the parents teach them than a teacher...and maybe the parent is even getting something, by having to review the material and see it through the eyes of a child.

 

[castleview]

Ok, can someone please explain something to me. Most of my co-workers that attended Parochial Schools all of their lives don't even attend mass on a regular basis now. I mean, I thought that Catholic School was supposed to instill a deeper faith in people (as well as educating them) Now, this is just my thought. When I hear that people are planning to definitely send their kids to Catholic school (because they themselves attended them all of their lives), I always thought that these people were deeply spiritual, church attending folks. But when I get to know them better, most have distanced themselves from the church, but insist that their kids have a Catholic School education.


Can someone explain to me the strong need for people to send their children to Parochial School if it isn't for the religion? I'm not being sarcastic, I really am curious.

Thanks!

One of my friends who went to CS grew up going to mass every day. The way he sees it, he's not due back in church until the year 2013.

My guess is that when you feel something is shoved down your throat (which we all feel as teenagers), you want to step away from for it a while. My mother was the director of her Episcopalian Sunday School. So every Sunday I was at the church BEFORE and AFTER Sunday school. I felt very burnt out and stopped going once I was confirmed. I have since gone back. Personally, I think religion is something we're taught, we question, and then we return to in one way or another.

 

[kdibattista]

I can maybe shed some light on this subject. I went to Catholic School for 12 years (14 if you count preschool & Kindergarten). Anyway, I had an amazing experience... not because of the religion but because of the sense of community, the true passion and love that my teachers had for us. Everyone knew everyone. Our high school was part of a "restructuring" process (aka - lack of enrollment) so we closed... right before my senior year. The first thing we did when we found out at 5:00pm on a Thursday night was go back to my school. Our principal, all of the teachers and most of the students came back... all crying. Our principal... a stern, very large man, wept like a baby. Our school WAS a family.

It left me very bitter. The ridiculous things the "Church" would spend money on. Then came the priest scandals. I swore up and down I would never step foot back in the Church. I had a huge chip on my shoulder. I married in the Church only because of my grandparents... because that's what I was suppose to do. When I went back to Church for my wedding rehearsal (it had been several years) I felt something. That chip on my shoulder became too heavy. I realized I was punishing myself and my future family because of my anger towards the "Church leadership", not my faith. I spent the next few years contemplating going back. I felt like a hypocrite (and still do on some levels) because I still don't agree with the Church leadership on many things and I don't agree with everything that the Catholic faith teachers (ie. homosexuality, stem cell research). I finally sat down with the pastor of my church and discussed my concerns, my anger, my hurt, my questions. It was very emotional and very healing. I now feel comfortable walking into Mass every week (ok, not every week ).... I feel relief. Does that mean I support the leadership at every level... heck no. But I'm not there for the leadership... I'm there for me. I don't turn a blind eye to their faults and I make calculated efforts not to support some of their agendas. I don't give to the first collection but will contribute to the second if it is specifically marked for something (ie. Thanksgiving food for the poor, school expansion, etc). I'm not there to worship my pastor or even the pope... I'm there for Christ... period. I am able to separate the Catholic leadership (Church) from the Catholic faith... if that makes sense.

But back to the question... during the years I was estranged from the Church there was never a moment I did not think of sending my children to Catholic School because of the experience I had.

 

[my4kids]

You're there for Christ, but you don't give to the first collection? That first collection is what keeps a roof over that place so you can be there for Christ in the first place.