Poll: Public, Private, Home?

[Kathryn13]

After sending our kids to public school, we pulled them out and are now sending them to private (Christian) school. I'm wondering what the percentage of parents in this forum is for Public, Private, and Home schools. If you do/did private, is/was it accedemic, or religious?

 

[Kathryn13]

After sending our kids to public school, we pulled them out and are now sending them to private (Christian) school. I'm wondering what the percentage of parents in this forum is for Public, Private, and Home schools. If you do/did private, is/was it accedemic, or religious?

 

[bliz]

Our reasons for sending our kids to a Christian school were academic reasons, first, and spiritual reasons, second.

Many parents say "My children will always attend Christain schools!" But I have seen some terrible Christain schools where I would never dream of sending my kids. A school needs to function as a school. If it has a terrible academic program, and kids are not well prepared, it is not doing it's job.

(I have also seen public schools where I would not send my kids and public schools where I would gladly have my kids go. I have seen wonderful homeschool education and I have seen the horrible results of poor homeschool education. No one method, IMHO, is inherently better than any other.)

We wanted excellent education from a Christian perspective. We have been blessed by having a school that provides that in our community

 

[Why?]

I'm sending my child to public school because I want him to grow up with people who aren't exactly like him. I want him to learn to co-operate with people who don't believe the things he does and people who don't like the things he believes. I want him to "live in the real world". Also, our public schools here are very good, acdemically speaking, so I have no worries about that. I also want my son to be able to play sports. The Christian schools here are small and don't really have sports teams of their own. When they join with public schools to play, they get treated different because the kids don't know them.

I realize these things are just my opinions and I would never try to force them on anyone. My opinion is just that, mine.

 

[TwinCrier]

If I could afford it I would definately send my kids to the school at my church. There is just no way I can come up with the nearly-two-grand per kid yearly tutition.

 

[HeatherJay]

My daughter will be starting public school this year (in 2 weeks ) and I don't worry for her at all. Her kindergarten teacher is a member of our church who is one of the sweetest, most kind-hearted examples of a Godly woman that I've seen. We have quite a few other teachers who are also members, as well as the high school principal.

We live in a small community with only 4 schools (2 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high school). Private schools aren't an option, though, if they were, my hubby might be inclined to go with that option.

 

[lucypevensie]

Our kids go to a Christian school. I had been all prepared to be brave and send my kids to the public school half a block away. But when it came down to actually registering them there I couldn't do it. There's a really nice little K4-8 Christian school a short drive away, and after the tour we knew that this was the right place. We like it both for academic and religious reasons. The school stresses basic academics in an in-depth way, and skips a lot of the useless junk they might get fed elsewhere. and we love how the teaching of the various subjects can incorporate God's Word in a realistic way.

There's no strict right or wrong though when it comes to schools. Some christian schools are very sub-standard, some public schools are remarkably good, and some homeschoolers are really clueless. And vice versa to all the above.

 

[mcb1998au]

My son goes to a private Catholic school, the same one i went to. Sue.

 

[Mayzoo]

Home---poor educational choices here, different values and expectations than public, and our child learns differently than public school teaches.

 

[desi]

Public so far, and they're doing well. It seems important to me for children to socialize and learn to live among society while maintaining their Christian values as an example to others.

 

[selune]

Home, Our kids are learning so fast that they'd be bored in the classroom. They are socializing and living in the world, but following the Lord.

 

[Violet]

Public, although I'd love to have her home-schooled. As soon as my husband finishes w/school and lands the job he wants I'll be able to do it

 

[Memory's Flame]

I would love to homeschool my children, I guess I just have no idea how to go about starting!! (Although since we're still "Trying" for a child, it'll be awhile before I need to know!)

 

[alaskamolly]

We are HOME EDUCATORS
(and LOVE it)!



My husband works with the public schools quite a bit, and that only furthers our resolve to keep 'em outa there!


Educating at home provides SO many cool opportunities to really bond with your children--all sorts of fun educational things all around you (did you ever know that making cookies is a great way to learn more about how fractions work!?) and ALL sorts of ways to really teach your children sound Christian doctrine.






We love the ability to provide a superior education that you can tailor to your child's particular personality and talents, and we love the close-knit environment it provides in the home.






Almost all great minds have been products of the one-on-one tutering method of education, which is essentially what homeschooling is!




The children are so much more mature, having NOT spent all their "best daily hours" in a peer-only environment, not to mention able to avoid the terrible results of a PEER-LED environment.




There are so many support groups, sports programs, music and fine arts programs available, not to mention how involved we are with our church, that we find outside socialization is never a problem.












...But while we're on the topic of socialization, a large family is an EXCELLENT means of socialization (why do people always think that the home is not a means of socializing?)...




In a busy home, a person has to continually act and relate to a variety of people on a variety of levels and settings--very much like the "Real World"--and very helpful to character development (to be gentle and careful with the youngers, and to be challenged and aided by the olders, etc.).









All in all, in case you couldn't tell, we absolutely LOVE home education. It's not for everybody, of course, but we wish more of God's people would consider it...or at least consider pulling their children out of public school, if it's at all an option.








The public school wants to indoctrinate your child, not so much that there is no God, but simply that God is not relavent to everyday life...but He's more like a subject that you study on Sunday mornings, just like you study math and science and reading during other study periods during the week.




It is a very effective means of stifling Christian growth, if not stopping it altogether.












Did you know that only 10% of children from Christian homes will graduate still calling themselves Christian?





Over 85% of homeschooled children will graduate as Christians.


I think that's saying something pretty powerful.






So many say they are sending their children into the public school "to be light and salt to the lost," but I think more times than not, they are not influencing their peers--at least not in the long run.

More times then not, eventually, it's the other way around. YES, good things happen...but more children are TURNED from God than are won to Him. That spells a problem...










I realize our opinions may sound a little harsh...and I don't mean them to sound condemning at all... I just have serious reservations about the current model of the public school system.





The system was not always this way, by the way, but underwent a severe change in the earlier part of this century, the new philosophy being thought up and funded by rich businessmen like Carnegie and Ford...





And I must say, it's very interesting how well the current model of 'school' trains young people to be good mindless little factory workers, responding to the bells and the schedules and never once question the fact that they are only minions in someone else's system...in fact, more often than not, they are GRATEFUL for it!...Hmmmm....











A really interesting book along these lines is by John Gatto (NY teacher of the year), called, "The Underground History of American Education."





If half of what he says is true (and most of the book is simply quotes of public school officials themselves, and historical documents, so it's not just someone's "opinion" but d*mning evidence straight from the horse's mouth!), then we've got a major problem... and it's one our children don't need to be passively or actively pushed into.









I know many will disagree with me! That's ok--we all have our opinions (that's the beauty of being human--we can think!)... These are just my 2 cents, for whatever it's worth!


Deut. 6 says that the parents are specifically responsible for the spiritual education of their children--whether they take that responsibilty or abdicate it. If we have a choice in our child's education, and most of us DO at this point, then let's make the choice that will best benefit our children's future spiritual walk with God.




As far as we are concerned, sending our children into a hostile situation, when we have a choice to do otherwise, is not genarally a wise decision to make. We have many many friends who disagree with us, and many who agree...obviously much diversity on this topic.
So please know that my opinions are just my opinions--and I respect your right to have yours, even when we disagree.


Blessings in Him,
Mol

 

[Raterus]

The system was not always this way, by the way, but underwent a severe change in the earlier part of this century, the new philosophy being thought up and funded by rich businessmen like Carnegie and Ford...

What century are you living in? I think all of us here are in the 21st....yeah..

But anyway, good stuff to read, I sure wouldn't put my kids in public school. After hearing my pastor speak against the "gay agenda", and how one of their goals was to infiltrate the public schools, that was the last straw. My children aren't going to read a sentence like this out of their english book!

"Bob loves Harry and they love children, they want to adopt some day"

--Michael

 

[WolfGate]

Private, and it was so the religious faith we teach at home would be supported, and not opposed, by their school. Fortunately we have a very good and (relatively speaking) not too expensive Christian academy in our town.

 

[Ave Maria]

I voted other because I don't have any children. However, when I do, they're going to a Public School as long as the Public School doesn't have any major problems and as long as my future husband agrees.

 

[Leigh Ann Wayne]

We homeschooled our oldest son for a few years. Last year, my husband wanted us to try the k-12 digital academy through Bill Bennett (The Book of Virtues). WE LOVE IT!! I consider myself still homeschooling, just with some support instead of doing it all alone. Technically, we are "public school" because the state funds our curriculum & gives us this computer. If you haven't heard of it, check it out. It's only available in 11 states right now because it's so new. This is the third year for it in Ohio & that was one of the first states to get in on it. Hope I helped. - Leigh Ann

 

[selune]

k12 is available for sale to anyone, it's just a virtual academy in 11 states so far. Glad to meet another! We're in PAVCS our 4th year this year.

 

[LadyLamond]

We are lucky to have a Christian based Charter school nearby us, which goes till 8th grade. If we cannot find a good school for 9 - 12th then I will school them at home, I REFUSE to subject them to our local high school.