A question about Christian School?

Question

Why is Christian School so expensive?
We're Christian but we have to send our son to public school where beginning January 1st 2008 he'll be learning how to be gay because of the new bill Governor Schwarzenegger singed into law in October 2007 in the state of California.
SB777 will make it illegal for my son to call me 'mom' or to call my husband his 'father' and not only that but he'll have to take homosexual awareness classes along with many other things that will change because of this new law.
I want my son to get a good education and learn about Christianity instead of learning about immorality and becoming lost but we cannot afford to send him to Christian School because it's so expensive.
Why I ask must it cost an arm and a leg to afford Christian School you would think that they would make it affordable so every Christian could send their kids instead of just the rich ones.
Is there a reason for this?
And where does all that money go we tithe with if not to the kids?

http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/ViewPost/37812

Kal, my mother raised me and my 3 siblings on welfare and the most painful thing for me was when they wanted us to stand up in class and talk about what our parents do for a living or write a story about it.
I was a little girl having to tell everyone that my daddy doesn't work because he doesn't have a job and my mommy is on welfare and crying in front of everyone because I was so ashamed of it.
There's always going to be something that causes us pain but we cannot change everything constantly trying to avoid that from happening because in one form or another it's bound to happen anyway.
My mother being on Welfare haunted me all the way up until I graduated from High School and the Schools Administration always treated me differently because I was one of 'those' kids whose father was gone and mommy was living off of tax payers money.
I try not to let it bother me anymore.

Answer 1

First off, I think you're overreacting to the law...there is NO way the government can make it illegal for your son to call you "mom"...the law relates to school officials not to the students! What it eliminates is references to "mom and dad" in textbooks and in other school activities. Frankly, I say that it is about time! When I was in school (years ago), one of my friends didn't have a mom...every time the school asked her to "go shopping with her mom" for a project or write a paper about her "memories of her mom" or attend a "mother-daughter banquet" or other event she was hurt and that simply isn't fair. My son doesn't have a dad...I wish we at least had a policy like this...he's only in first grade and he's already felt left out by discussions and activities in school that related to the students' "father". Personally, I think it is high time that the school system (and the rest of society) stopped assuming that a "normal family" consists of a mom, a dad, and 2.5 kids...it may have been once but that's the minority now!!

I do share your concern about "homosexual awareness" classes...I'm all in favor of any law that stops the government from discriminating against people in any way (even simply leaving them out of an event or assignment) for any reason (because they don't have a mom, or a dad, or even because they have two dads or two moms!). However, I have a HUGE problem when the government uses the public school system to indoctrinate students about beliefs and morals values that aren't consistent with my beliefs. Darn it, they have a hard enough time teaching these kids to read and write and do simple math...now they want to add something as touchy and irrelevant as "homesexual awareness"?

To address your question about schools, blame the government...again! You are already paying tuition for the public schools in the form of taxes devoted to education.
NONE of that money goes to the Christian schools...the entire cost of providing an education at the private schools is borne by the parents.

Yes, some schools affiliated with a particular church receive funding taken from the tithes of the congregation...but many don't receive that type of support. In my experience, those schools that do receive support from a congregation also offer signficant discounts (or even full scholarships) to members!

If nothing else, the hefty amount of taxes you pay should tell you that delivering education isn't cheap...just the labor-related costs (salaries) can be huge, especially in a location with a high cost of living...and when you factor in the other costs, the tuition is surprisingly low at most Christian schools.

Using California as an example, the average expenditures per student for public education was nearly $8,000. Now factor in economies of scale...public schools buy LARGE quantities of various materials at the district and state level significantly reducing the per unit cost of those items! ...and the cost of the land (many public schools are built on land that didn't cost the state a dime!). ...and the fact that most private schools (Christian and otherwise) emphasize smaller class sizes (fewer students to cover the cost of each classroom). ...and don't forget all the large scale fund raising efforts public schools use to supplement the $8K .per head they get from state funding! ...and keep adding many other cost-related differences. When you do this, you can see that the cost of providing a private Christian education in California would easily exceed $10,000 per student per year! I have a hard time believing you couldn't find a least one private Christian school with tuition around $10K a year!

...which brings me to my final point (about time you say *smile*)...you pay for quality. I investigated private schools for my son...tuition ranged from a low of about $7,000 per year to $13,000 per year...in most cases, the higher the tuition, the higher the quality of the school...but even the lowest priced schools were better (in terms of test results, academic achievement of students, curriculum, etc...) than the average public school. If my son hadn't been accepted into the special "gifted and talented" (GT) program that involves attending a special "magnet" school (students selected from entire school district) I'd be scrambling to pay for one of these private schools so I totally sympathize with your dilemma...I'm going to face it again (special program ends when he goes to middle school)...already saving money to pay for his tuition then!

Hey, pray about it and God will show you the best way to give your child the education you want him to have...and in the meantime, don't sweat the small stuff. My son has learned a few things in school that aren't consistent with my beliefs (he's in 1st grade)...I view them as an opportunity to teach him what I do believe...for example, we had fun playing "fact" or "just a guess" when he read a book about dinosaurs and he was able to clearly distinguish between the scientific facts in the story and the factual statements that were largely speculative.

Answer 2

Home School View- You can home school through an umbrella school with a Christian based view. I go through one in East Tennessee, FCA East or Family Christian Academy of East Tennessee. I'm in the 11th grade, and to graduate you have to have 3 bible credits so your children would have both the christian academics along with being home schooled. Most umbrella schools offer a co-op school where once a week home school kids come and learn together, you do not have to do that but if you don't really think you can teach a class like Spanish or a higher math you can take them and they also get the interaction with other kids, this is for all grade levels. When you go through an Umbrella school you do not have to have a teaching back ground, or even have to go to collage, most just require a high school level education. You can ask most home school parents & students it is a hard change if they have already been to public school, but its different for most. And home school is a sacrifice because you aren't taking the easy way out and you are putting an effort into your child's education. Praying about the decision is the best thing you can do to start, if you feel ready then look up information on the web.

Answer 3

Is this a Catholic School?

If so, might it not be the 1 billion dollars they've had to give in reparation for some not quite legal sex cover ups?

I would also like to make another comment. Looking back on my life and how I was raised, I consider that the single most harmful thing EVER done to me was to indoctinate me in "religion." It has taken me 40 years to finally recover.

I would consider anyone sending a child to a Catholic School (or other similar institutions) to be one of the worst forms of child abuse. Along with promulgating ignorance.

And if you think that a little too strong just read the last paragraph of the reply before mine!

Answer 4

Sister,

I am dealing with these same issues, somewhat. I grew up in an christian school, and I have had to deprogram myself. Do you think that God uses fire anymore to judge? Yes He does! I have read that even home schooling the evil ones are trying to pass as child endangerment. Interesting enough, my wife asked me that other week where I want to be buried when I die. I told her to bury my bones wherever, she said I can not do that because it is illegal. I feel as a sojourner in a land, I belong to Jesus Christ not a ward of the state. I look at the bright side, or try to, and the learning rhythms my son learns, to try to dispel and teach him there is only one Truth and many many things in life are a lie. Therefore, I study and try to teach him how to exercise his thoughts to be able to discern good and evil. I do see these things coming to pass, the only place to turn is to Jesus and at that point we will not sink into the deep.

God bless you sister.

Answer 5

I've taught in both public and private schools. Among the private schools were both Catholic and Christian schools. (Note: I am not saying Catholics aren't Christians. I'm making a distinction between those schools which are explicitly supported by the Catholic Church and others.) You have to keep in mind where schools get their money.

Public schools get their money from the government. Consequently, public school teacher on average make about 150% of what private school teachers make. (A lot of people don't believe me when I say that. Look it up - it's a matter of public record.)

Catholic schools and Christian schools get no money from the government, but the Catholic schools have the diocese behind them (usually). Most Christian schools have, at most, one church to draw on, and many of them don't have that. If the school is going to stay in business, then tuition needs to cover everything: rent/mortgage, utilities, books, desks, staff, and teachers. Of necessity, it's going to cost more than any other type of school.

You mention tithing. I presume from that that you're looking at a school associated with your church. If you want to know where the money from your tithes goes, check with your pastor or the head of your finance committee. I've never taught in a church-run school like that, so I can't even hazard a guess as to how much goes to the school as opposed to the church proper.

If you truly want your son to go to a Christian school, then talk to the headmaster/principal. Every private school for which I've worked had a scholarship program, and most of them were quite willing to work with you to make it possible.

As to the "Christian capitalism" answer, trust me - no one involved in Christian schools is getting rich.

Answer 6

Some Christian schools offer discounts or financial aid to those families that need it. Check into that. Also, try home-schooling if that would work for you.
The tithe is to support the pastor, pay the utility bills, etc. and support missionaries. It is entirely separate from the school budget.
You might try asking for prayer at your church about this or adding it to the prayer list if your church prints one up weekly. Maybe someone in the church with money will anonymously sponsor your child.

Answer 7

Public schools are free or cheap because they get government funding. Christian schools do not get this funding because of the whole seerate church and state issue. The school costs just as much to run as a public school but does not get the funding. They need to get the money from somewhere, so they have to charge higher tutions.

Answer 8

Christian schools are expensive because they are privately owned and operated, which basically means the government does not fund the schools and is probably the only way Christian schools can be Christian.

Answer 9

There are some Christian schools that give scholarships to students check them out in your area, I know the Catholic schools do. Also you may want to check into homeschooling, your children will receive a much better education then that of a child in public school

Answer 10

All that you speak of should be fought on the Spiritual level, praying and earnestly seeking God to intervene in this poor blinded nation we so love.... and I do LOVE America.... or at least what it used to be..... Christian schools are high dollar because they are not funded by our government in anyway shape or form... it is all paid for by the money of the ppl who send their kids there, and it all cost money, LOTS of money in this country to get an education..... even so called public schools are NO longer ONLY funded by our tax dollar, we also have to take it out of our pockets, fees, books, etc., we are paying twice for what should cost us nothing...... teachers and councilors have to be paid in private schools, just as in public....... sad but the facts are this country is loosing the battle....... go in peace...... God bless