Private vs. public schools

[blu_theatrics]

Sorors, I have a question and it really doesn't stem form what many of you are probably thinking right now

My son is three and will be four in December. I have thought long and hard about it and I have decided that I want him to go to a private Christian school right now and really thought about junior high.

I don't want this because I think he will be taught better or public school teachers don't care or anything, it’s mainly because I want him to go to a Christian school. I want his whole life to be integrated around his belief in Christ. The thing is however, I don't want him to miss out on thing like sports by being in a smaller private school. I am not thinking about just keeping him there until about 5th or sixth grade.

I am just really confused about what is best for him. I fully believe that if you train a child in the way he should go, when he is older he shall not depart from it, and that is why I feel that it is important for him to pray in the morning before class and not be told that he can't do it out loud. I also want him to be taught theology while he is in school.

But truthfully the main thing is that I see so many children in public school that are just out of control and yes I know they are in private schools too, but I think that having a daily dose of Christ from the beginning to the end of his day will make him a better person.

I'm rambling on now so I will stop what do you all think?

[EspeRHO]

You know like you, I am thinking about the same issue only a little early. My son is only 8 months and I want him to grow up with a strong belief in Christ and to go to a school where I could feel like he is being well educated and can see that life has a lot to offer. After those boys went into that school and started shooting the students and faculty and had planted bombs that scared me so much, that I was determined that when I had children I would provide them with home schooling. Now I am a mother and schooling and a strong belief in Christ is very important to me. I want my son to grow up knowing he has lots of opportunities and that Christ is always going to be there for him, but I know I can't always instill those things in him at home, so I guess I am seeking advice too. I agree with the things you are saying, and I am wondering myself if private school and home schooling is better. This world has changed so much, that it is hard to really know what is best for your child. I guess I haven't answered your question, but soror I want you to know that I understand where you are coming from and maybe someone can help us.

Sigma Love
EEEEE-YIIIIP


[This message has been edited by EspeRHO (edited November 01, 2000).]

[PrettySqueaky]

I thought about this question for a long time myself. When I was in school my teachers came from my community and most of them were related to me somehow. And my child's father was brought up the same way. Actually his mom was his second grade teacher.

I don't want my child to go to a Christian private school, because I believe that school(state) and religion should be separated. And I would rather he learned about sex education and etc rather than learn religion. Anyways my child will go to a public school...either at the one I'm working at or the one his father teaches.
(He's only a year now)

Anyways Public and Private shouldn't be the issue...I think it's the parents. If they show more initiative and get involved more schools would be outstanding.

Why not join the PTA and help out before your child attends that school. Implement programs that way when your child get there they will already have a foundation.

Private schools have no means of rating students the way public schools does. They don't have tracking or mandatory end of the year testing. The teachers don't have to be certified or have credentials and undergo testing the way teachers do in a public school. (Depends on the State) Also, because it's privately funded the parent is going to have to pay for a lot of the extra-curricular activities.

Also, what about the child's friends from the neighborhood...what about when the public school is having after-school activities, field day, sports and etc. and the private school isn't offering that. It could work vice versa.

But for one I believe in the public education system. I admit there are a lot of teachers that are burned out and don't care that much...But I think it's the parents fault. They expect the school to raise the child for them.

They are so many students out there they don't respect their elders and no one cares about them. I know for myself I have pretended to give up on some students after trying several times to reach them. And finally when they realized I was doing activities with the "good/well mannered" children they turned into "good/well mannered" children. It's too bad I had to pretend to ignore before they finally got the message.

The only thing I am saying is don't knock the system until you experience first hand.

[Eclipse]

Originally posted by blu_theatrics:

My son is three and will be four in December. I have thought long and hard about it and I have decised that I want him to go to a private Christian school right know and really through abotu juniour high.

The thing is however, I don't want him to miss out on thing like sports by being in a smaller private school. I am no thinking about just keeeping him there until about 5th or sixth grade.

Blu-theatrics, I really commend you for taking such an interest in your child's education at that age! I don't know where you live, but I'm in Atlanta and there are several smaller, predominately A-A private Christian schools that have sports teams. There are also a couple of huge Catholic schools who's sports teams consistantly rank in the top 5 in the state.

My sister sent all of her kids to private Christian schools (in another city, but still in GA). When my nephew was jr. high age he wanted to play football, but there was no team at his school. Evidently there is some law (either in GA or this town) where if the private school does not provide the service (not just sports but things like band and speech therapists too, then the public school must provide it to the child in private school. My nephew was able to play football for the jr high he would have gone to had he been in public school. You may want to see if this is possible in your city/state. My neices & nephew's school was also predom. white, so my sister made sure they did things outside of school that put them around other African-Americans.
I hope everything works out with William C.!

[blu_theatrics]

Originally posted by Eclipse:
Blu-theatrics, I really commend you for taking such an interest in your child's education at that age! I don't know where you live, but I'm in Atlanta and there are several smaller, predominately A-A private Christian schools that have sports teams.

Thank you so much for that info, I have actually been looking into going to Atlanta after I graduate.

Pretty Squeaky
I think you misread what I was saying. I did not want to send my son to a Christian school because I think that the public school teachers are not good, I want to send him because the public school is just that, public.
I want my son to go to a school that can freely teach his spiritual and his academic mind.

I am a product of a public school system and I am great as far as I am concerned. I worked hard because my mother was there to push me and that is why I understand were you are coming from when you say that it takes a strong family behind that child, but my mother couldn't afford to send me to a private school, (I don't think she wanted to anyway, because she wonders why I want to send Will now)

I really would rather my son learn about a virtuous women in school rather than birth control. Obviously, I 'm not stupid and I realize he needs to know these things, but that is one thing that is my job to do, when I feel appropriate. I am not doing this hastily either. I have lists of schools in my area right now that I am looking at.

I just don't think that you understood were I was coming from so I wanted to clarify.

[PrettySqueaky]

I understand where you are coming from...But I said I believe in separating church and state(school system.) Which is why I would not have my son in a private or public Christian school.

And yes it is the parents' job to teach their child sex education...but some christian academies don't go over the basics, such as drugs, sex; basically all the negative aspects of life that some children endure. And just because you are teaching your child one thing doesn't mean the other parent is...meaning I would rather my son learn about other things rather than religion.

I think you skimmed over what I previously stated. But I am strongly against religion in the school and I stated that earlier, which is why I oppose Private Christian Academies.

[BlueReign]

EEEEEYIIIP!!! SOROR BLU THEATRICS

I agree so much with Pretty Squeaky. I always thought that I would send my children to private school but now that they are school age I simply cannot afford it. As I think about it now, I thought that I would put them in private school by the time they reached middle school but that time is fast approaching and I still can't afford it!!

Most of all I am teaching in the public school system and I realize that parents need to voice their concerns in the organizations that represent them like the PTA. True some things cannot be changed but I have heard of the same things (violence, etc.) that are happening in public schools happening in private schools as well. I even know of a Catholic school 6th grader who was gunned down a few years ago because he was running with the crowd towards a fight after school and he was shot as an innocent bystander. What I am saying is that even though we want the best for our children we can't protect them all their lives. The world is a cruel place and I feel that I have made the best decision to have my children remain in public school so they are well rounded when they are grown and in the real world. Not only that, what morals they need to know I AM THE BEST TEACHER!

Additionally, I attended public schools K-12 and I think I turned out pretty good!!

[Miss. Mocha]

blu_theatrics,

I agree with you 100%. My daughter goes to a Catholic school, and I love listening to her sing about the "saints go marching in", all the way home. The thought that what she learns in church can be reinforced at school without the heavy hand of "tolerance for all, no matter whom or what they worship", really makes me happy.

True, it is not cheap, but my husband and I have decided that if we had to sacrifice, it wouldn't be with our daughter's education. The fact that we only have child helps tremendously, if we had more, I think it would be an impossibility.

My only advice would be to RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH. Because private (not Catholic) education is not mandated in some states, administrators will LIE, LIE, LIE, about having computers, and Spanish, and all kinds of things. This happened to me, I quickly corrected it.

[blu_theatrics]

Thanks for the replies sorors.

I just started going to a few preschools this week and was surprised that the cost was basically the same I am paying for childcare right now.

I am particularly looking at a school that is close to my mother’s home, where they agree to allow you to pay the SAME amount for tuition for the next five years of continuous study. And they are very interested in the students. I sat in on a few classes and I really enjoyed it and so did Will.

[MIDWESTDIVA]

I am glad that things are working out for you.

[NinjaPoodle]

ttt

[rho4life]

Let me preface this by saying I don't have any kids of my own.
.....However, I have noticed that schools vary widely, even within a relatively short distance. I went to private schools for the majority of my life b/c my parents wanted me to have a strong foundation in Catholic principles. There were some people I went to school with who were only there for the education not the religious aspect, but they knew what they were getting into. We had mass during school, and I have some fond memories from these masses. As students, we would help to put them together, which really helps you understand the church from a different perspective. At a public school, prayer is totally inappropriate, but at a private school, you get what you pay for. If I had kids, I would send them to private schools, not that they are always better, but b/c I like the religious aspect.

[NinjaPoodle]

When I have kids, I will send them to a secular private school. I'm already looking into single sex schools here on the west coast and also on the east coast.

I want the best for my kids and quite honestly, the California (or the US for that matter) Public school system *SUCKS*. I survived it and I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

[rho4life]

I went to a single sex high school.....it's an experience. I met some great girls, but it was a LONG four years!

[TRSimon]

I attended public schools for most of my primary and secondary education (including magnet schools) and I attended a boarding school for my final two years of high school. If I found a Christian school I was happy with, I would gladly send my kids. My husband attended Catholic schools, and he's happy with his education.

We have great neighborhood schools, but there is still MUCH to be desired in the public school system, not to mention the side effects of "No Child Left Behind", but that's another thread .