Would you send your kids to a private religious school?

Question

Please answer the following:

Would you send your kids to a private religious school (your choice of religion)?

Do you feel that religious schools are too one-sided?

Do you think religious schools really help the students to grow in the faith of the school, or does it make them rebel and turn away? (i know this depends on the individual, but how do you think it would affect the majority of students?)

If you feel it makes them turn away, how so? (example: rejecting basic moral values, or keeping those values but just not agreeing with the particular religion - there is a difference!)

Personally i would want my kids to have a broader view of the world as a whole, something i felt i was lacking in at my christian middle/high school. So no, i wouldn't send them to a private religious institution of any religion. but that's just me. what say you?

Answer 1

my kids going to public school

Answer 2

Would you send your kids to a private religious school?

Depends on the school, and my children. If the school would give them a well-rounded education in all subjects (including science!) then maybe.

Do you feel that religious schools are too one-sided?

Some of them are. But I'm sure there are good ones out there.

Do you think religious schools really help the students to grow in the faith of the school, or does it make them rebel and turn away?

It depends on the child. Some children will rebel no matter WHERE they go to school. Others won't. I rebelled against my Christian upbringing, and I didn't attend a Christian school.

As for your last question, again, it just all depends on the child. Some people raised in Christian households become Christians and stay that way their whole life. Some become atheists later. And still others become atheists, and then convert back to Christianity (or whatever other religion.) Some retain the morals they were taught, others don't.

I'm of the opinion that kids are going to do what they're going to do, no matter how the parents raise them. I will try to do what's best by my children (if and when I have them), whether that means I home-school them, send them to a public school, or dole out the cash for attendance in a private school.

Answer 3

The short answer is, "yes". Religious schools are not just about preaching religion, it's about structure and getting a solid education. Though obviously religion plays a large role. You have to consider that law was initially founded in religious beliefs. Religion is "supposed" to teach fairness, civic duty, and a appreciation/belief in a higher power. Then of course the job of the school is to educate the student in mathematics, science, social studies, art, and literature (among a few) in order to achieve success as a school, and therefore earn a positive reputation, brining more students, which equals more $$ for the school. Public schools have a public agenda and you are left to the mercy of the school board, politics, and a vocal minority which can rule the majority (I submit to you, peanut allergies - 1 kid has 'em and the whole school has to go peanut free). Additionally, class sizes will tend to be smaller in a religious school providing for a better teacher to student ratio. In a public setting there is an acceptable pass/fail rate. In private schools, there is not. If your child is failing or having difficulties, they will receive more attention and it will be noticed much quicker due to the superior teacher to student ratio. In a religious school setting you have more control as a parent because you are voting with your tuition dollars. You have direct access to the person making the rules where in a public setting have to go through bureaucratic red tape. Additionally religious schools have a better reputation for holding the students more accountable for their actions. They can do this because you sign a contract with that school along with the students enrollment. As they are a private entity they can modify disciplinary rules, as long as it doesn't break state law. Also, consider the public school system that is available to you. If you are fortunate enough to have a great public school system, as we do here in MN, then maybe a religious school might be overkill. Finally, if you are going to put your child into a religious school, you should participate in that religion and show up to church, activities, etc. The idea is to not only get the students more involved, but the parents as well. That way you are ensuring more consistency at home and you are better able to support the education effort you are paying for.

Answer 4

I do not send my daughter to religious school. She attends a regular public school and is exposed to a variety of ideas and people. I believe she receives a well rounded education and experience.

I feel it is my job as a parent to teach her religious values, morals and all that. To supplement what I teach her at home, I will send her to classes at the mosque on the weekends or whatever, but not as a full-time program everyday. It is an equal balance of the real world and religious teachings.

By "real world" I mean that not everyone in the world shares the same beliefs and religion. She needs to know that, instead of being surrounded by children who are more or less the same. So it wont be a huge shock when she is out of school.

Thats just my 2 cents.

Answer 5

Well, you have a choice on where to send your kids- one is a school that may or may not follow your morals or traditions. The other is public school, where you learn subjects, theories, and history that only the state wants you to know, not what is neccesarily real. If you tend to believe that the views professed by your local public schools are better, more power to you. However, do not expect to get a fair and balanced education from either of them. Both have their drqwbacks. Just go with whichever school you think will do better at teaching what's important.

Personally, I would prefer a religious school of my choice. It wouldn't neccesarily be of my religion, just as long as I had reviewed the curriculum and determined that it was the best choice I could make.

Answer 6

I went to Catholic schools for 11 of my 12 years (8th grade in public schools). I had horrible experiences and I had wonderful experiences.

I believe Catholic school gave me a good grounding in basic faith, Bible stories, and good education. Vatican II happened in my 2nd or 3rd grade, so I missed out on a lot of unnecessary strictness. High school in the early 1970s was basically wonderful, faith-wise, what with guitar masses, Godspell, Jesus Christ Superstar, Tommy and other hippie influences, and budding feminism.

So yes, I would send my kid to private religious school, but not just any school. My niece went to a school which I considered ridiculously fundamentalist and strict, whereas a school where I recently interviewed to teach seemed more loving, kind, and caring.

I can't really say how religious school affects the majority of students. I suppose most Christian children would remain faithful to some form of the faith, and raise their own children in it, even if they did rebel or reject it all at some phase of their life.

A basic argument for religious school is a respectful and safe atmosphere, and an excellent level of education. For this reason, many Protestant parents have sent their kids to Catholic school, as was the case in my family. ((I was given a choice, and I think my siblings were, too.) One of my sisters has raised her kids Catholic. My other sister and I are still Christians, but not practicing Catholics, although I'll still attend a Catholic Mass once in a blue moon.

Answer 7

i sent my three kids(24, almost 22, and 19 1/2) to private religious schools. i felt that the focus was narrow, and that they taught their own agenda, though, to be fair, why wouldn't you expect that of a private religious institution. so, yes, they ARE, by definition, one sided.

the schools themselves are catalysts, they don't make anyone grow stronger or weaker in faith, all they do is allow those things to happen, in the context of their agenda. if someone's personality is going to 'rebel', then they will do it, just fine, in a religious school. if they are going to flourish, they'll do that, as well.
i grew up in the suburbs, and went to public schools, and would have been more than happy to send my kids there, but, when i was married to their father, we lived in NYC, which is a great place to live, just not to raise kids - i would have preferred a bedroom community, it just didn't happen.
i didn't want my kids to go to nyc public schools, with the crime and lack of education that was common. so i traded off some of the possible advantages of public education for physical safety. would i do the same now, i don't know....
btw, my kids went to several jewish parochial schools, called yeshivoth (mesivtas for high school)

Answer 8

There is no chance that I would ever send my kids to a public school.

I went to a Catholic school for 13 years. The people who flunked out and switched to the public school system ended up making the honor roll there.

If there is any one thing that clearly demonstrates the difference in the quality of education between public and private schools, it's that fact.

Answer 9

No. My choices would be public school first and home schooling second. I would not send my child to a religious school. Yes I do think they are one-sided.

The one about faith I can't answer, I went to Tech School and didn't hang out with kids from the religious schools because there wasn't one in town.

Answer 10

I have taught in a Christian school and it is very different from a private school. The students are given religious instruction in Bible class, and some teachers pray before class, but it is not much different from public schools. Good character is promoted.

Answer 11

I went to public schools k-12 then went to a private religious university. My kids will also complete their k-12 education at public schools. They can choose where to attend college.

Your points are valid. I've seen many of my friends who were forced to attend weekly Bible study and they resented it. OTOH those courses helped earnest students to discover their own spirituality.