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I live in a small town in the Central Valley of California. Two years ago I enrolled my children in the local Catholic School. I felt I was making the best decision for my family. The smaller class size and larger work loads were a large part of my decision, plus having my children around Christian values. It took about six months for me to realize that Catholic Education is nothing about Christian values. It is about how much money you have and what you can buy your children out of. Last year my daughter in the 4th grade was asked by another student if they knew what oral sex was? Of course they did not use this word. There were four boys in her class having this discussion in the lunch area discussing who in their class they would like this done by. My daughter came home and asked me what this meant? I called the school and voiced my concern. Only the one boy who directly asked my daughter got in trouble and was suspened for two days. There was talk of the boy being expelled but since the boys family is a huge contributor to the school that wasn't considered. Nothing happened to the other three. School continued and my daughter became the victim of bullying after this. I feel the school was more than aware of the situation and should of continued to handled it. I felt it was a waste of time to continue to call and resolve the multiple problems so I transfered my children to public school. Our family is a middle class income. Catholic schools only wants low and middle income families so they have someone to do the dishes at their fundraisers.
I live in a small town in the Central Valley of California. Two years ago I enrolled my children in the local Catholic School. I felt I was making the best decision for my family. The smaller class size and larger work loads were a large part of my decision, plus having my children around Christian values. It took about six months for me to realize that Catholic Education is nothing about Christian values. It is about how much money you have and what you can buy your children out of. Last year my daughter in the 4th grade was asked by another student if they knew what oral sex was? Of course they did not use this word. There were four boys in her class having this discussion in the lunch area discussing who in their class they would like this done by. My daughter came home and asked me what this meant? I called the school and voiced my concern. Only the one boy who directly asked my daughter got in trouble and was suspened for two days. There was talk of the boy being expelled but since the boys family is a huge contributor to the school that wasn't considered. Nothing happened to the other three. School continued and my daughter became the victim of bullying after this. I feel the school was more than aware of the situation and should of continued to handled it. I felt it was a waste of time to continue to call and resolve the multiple problems so I transfered my children to public school. Our family is a middle class income. Catholic schools only wants low and middle income families so they have someone to do the dishes at their fundraisers.
Students at Catholic schools are exposed to the same outside influences as children in public schools. Many come from non-Catholic families or families who never attend church and are very lukewarm in the faith but send their children for the perceived educational and "character" benefits. I went to a Catholic school in 5th and 6th grade (there are very few Catholic schools locally that go beyond 6th grade). Religion was communicated through attending Mass on Wednesday and having daily religious education. I did not notice any groundbreaking difference in the character of the students: some came from more religious families, but we rode the bus together with students from the public school district, and received the same peer and media influence as them. Sex was a regular topic of discussion on the bus ride home. I don't think you can escape the premature sexualization of students except through homeschooling or sending your child to a very strict religious school (not your garden-variety Catholic school), but even that's doubtful.
As for the bullying issues, I think your daughter's situation could have occurred in any private school. In fact, one reason I was taken out of public school is precisely because I was mercilessly bullied by practically my entire grade. On the class matter, I actually think that it is a good thing that Catholic schools offer the volunteer opportunities and low tuition rates they do; otherwise, they would be restricted to upper middle-class and upper-class families.
I live in a small town in the Central Valley of California. Two years ago I enrolled my children in the local Catholic School. I felt I was making the best decision for my family. The smaller class size and larger work loads were a large part of my decision, plus having my children around Christian values. It took about six months for me to realize that Catholic Education is nothing about Christian values. It is about how much money you have and what you can buy your children out of. Last year my daughter in the 4th grade was asked by another student if they knew what oral sex was? Of course they did not use this word. There were four boys in her class having this discussion in the lunch area discussing who in their class they would like this done by. My daughter came home and asked me what this meant? I called the school and voiced my concern. Only the one boy who directly asked my daughter got in trouble and was suspened for two days. There was talk of the boy being expelled but since the boys family is a huge contributor to the school that wasn't considered. Nothing happened to the other three. School continued and my daughter became the victim of bullying after this. I feel the school was more than aware of the situation and should of continued to handled it. I felt it was a waste of time to continue to call and resolve the multiple problems so I transfered my children to public school. Our family is a middle class income. Catholic schools only wants low and middle income families so they have someone to do the dishes at their fundraisers.
And you feel that the problems will magically stop when your kids are in public school? Are you really surprised about lunch room conversations with pre-teen kids??
Students at Catholic schools are exposed to the same outside influences as children in public schools. Many come from non-Catholic families or families who never attend church and are very lukewarm in the faith but send their children for the perceived educational and "character" benefits. I went to a Catholic school in 5th and 6th grade (there are very few Catholic schools locally that go beyond 6th grade). Religion was communicated through attending Mass on Wednesday and having daily religious education. I did not notice any groundbreaking difference in the character of the students: some came from more religious families, but we rode the bus together with students from the public school district, and received the same peer and media influence as them. Sex was a regular topic of discussion on the bus ride home. I don't think you can escape the premature sexualization of students except through homeschooling or sending your child to a very strict religious school (not your garden-variety Catholic school), but even that's doubtful.
As for the bullying issues, I think your daughter's situation could have occurred in any private school. In fact, one reason I was taken out of public school is precisely because I was mercilessly bullied by practically my entire grade. On the class matter, I actually think that it is a good thing that Catholic schools offer the volunteer opportunities and low tuition rates they do; otherwise, they would be restricted to upper middle-class and upper-class families.
IMO Catholic Schools give a false security. They sell that their schools are better but they are not. The parents think their children are better than other students and expect special treatment by the weight of their check book. I knew one family who were trying to get a teacher fired because they didn't like that she gave tests on Thursdays. They had little League Weds nights and thought it was unfair there child had to study the night of the games.
And you feel that the problems will magically stop when your kids are in public school? Are you really surprised about lunch room conversations with pre-teen kids??
No but I won't be wasting my money. If I think my child is falling behind I'll hire a tutor.
I went to an all-girl Catholic school and, while I can easily see the benefits of single-sex education, the Catholic part of it we could have done without.
I went to a Catholic high school. A lot of the girls in my class were.... very loose. There was also a lot of drinking (and more) on campus during football games... right under the noses of the teachers and administrators. It was almost too easy - I think because the adults were in total denial: "oh, no.. little Sally and Johnny wouldn't do *that*. They are good kids." (meaning their parents pay full tuition and make other contributions.) This was back in the 80s, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was still a lot like that.
Eresh, it was the same way way back in the '70s when I was at Catholic school.
ANYONE who thinks, like the OP does, that catholic school is safer or more protective than public school is delusional.
Usually they take in the troubled/expelled/delinquent kids, as long as they pay the tuition, and that is an added issue.
And everyone knows 'those kids' have the good drugs because they have large allowances.
Catholic schools are not the answer. I just withdrew my daughter from one. Here it is a small town and small class size. This was my original enjoyment. Was I wrong. Although her teacher is a nice lady she was not all there academically. She had my daughter reading two levels in AR reading below her grade. My daughter is a avid reader who reads full fledge novels. Religion there was the best part IMO, they taught it well and my daughter enjoyed it. I took her out though as her classmates were mean little girls and the school accepted it to keep enrollment up. Now in public she is happy and the teacher is awesome.
I went to a catholic school. It won't shelter your kid. I will say there are some advantages of severely disruptive kids being booted.
As said, there are some kids parents cannot control and tht is the reason why they are in catholic school to fix them.
One thing I liked... We were required to do a certain amount of community service per "semester" I am not that religous, and some stuff was pushed, but overall I think it was a good experience.
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