Posted on 11/24/2003 9:52:35 AM PST by Yaelle
My 6th grade homeschooled son wants to go to school. At first, I was a little hurt by it, but upon serious thought, I realized it would be good for us both. I am so busy with the new baby that it makes homeschooling difficult. And he is of the age when he wishes to contradict everything I say! But we need a safe, conservative place for him.
The local middle school appears horrible. There are hundreds of kids in each grade, and there is the gang element, and I am sure drugs as well. I just cannot throw my child to the wolves.
We are a financially struggling family, trying to make it on one salary, with three kids. We cannot afford the one local nonreligious private school: only the children of the wealthy go there. There is no Jewish school near us, and even the one far away wouldn't work (Chabad, and they don't accept my Conservative conversion), if we could afford it, but we can't. The only school we could afford (barely) is the Catholic school.
They teach Catholicism and all the kids go to Mass. As well they should! They have a good academic curriculum, and the school encourages good values. A lot of the parents are conservative. My son is secure in his Judaism and will become bar Mitzvah next year.
I have visited the school and spoken with the principal. Everyone is very nice there. My son would obviously be expected to do all the curriculum like everyone else, religion included. I simply cannot make up my mind. It doesn't seem right to send a Jewish boy to Catholic school. I wish we Jews had a good educational system like the Catholics do, but we do not. I would like my child to attend a religious-based school, at a reasonable cost.
If I were to decide to send my son to Catholic school, what about his little brothers? One will need a school next year and if I sent him at his young age, wouldn't he be Catholic within a month, just to be like his teacher and friends?
I am going in circles here trying to decide. I don't want to set my son up for failure in a school where I should have known from the outset that he might not fit in. Neither do I want to deny him a good experience in a small religious school if that would be what happens.
I am grateful for all thoughts. Go ahead and be blunt. Thanks.
Catholic schools have a good reputation for a solid, no-nonsense education, but you will not feel comfortable untill you walk in, introduce yourself in a positive manner, and ask for all the information and help that you need in making your decision. And don't, as a Jew, go in expecting the {{{Spanish Inquisition}}}! Leave the bogeymen at the front door and you'll be amazed how 'normal' everyone is and how serious they are about a good education.
For me it was no - you must answer it for yourself.
Amen to that!
You'd think! But he is stubborn! His parents are in their 80s and I think that is his main block. He really does not wish to consider it. I don't know how Dr. Laura changed her husband's mind so fast! LOL.
I know the Prager book. We have so many sources here for both of us to read. We are pretty well read on the subject, and I love to learn as much as I can. My husband went through the 6-month class but did not convert at the end. He is Mr. Jew to all his Gentile friends, and is able to answer lots of questions that many of my born Jewish friends could not answer. He was horribly offended by a bar Mitzvah seudah we recently attended, IN a synagogue, where meat and dairy were served all together. I was unhappy about it and had to warn the kids and all, but he was DEEPLY OFFENDED! Ha ha!
I hope that my child will know the tribulations I engaged in before sending him, if I do. I hope he knows that as a Jewish child he needs to be a light upon the world and give everyone good impressions of us all. My decision is not made yet and I so appreciate your input, Yehuda.
I thought Jews didn't go for sports much traditionally because we were too busy studying! There was always a double load on Jewish kids, with religious school taking up where secular left off. This is really changing. Although many sports do require play on Saturdays.
I wonder if your answer about association with paganism is true. Someone better informed might know that.
Very good suggestions for what to look at next time I go in to see the school, if I do. Thanks. There are no Jews at the school now, but some mixed heritage kids. Plenty of non Catholics, though, and a Muslim.
I attended Catholic School in the mid sixties. What I learned in 5 years was more than the rest of the public school years. Very sad. As a non practicing Catholic, I distrust some Catholic School curriculum. I've heard of sex ed, and other things that have no place in ANY school. My advice would to go to PTA meetings and see how liberal the faculty and parents are. You're better off with conservative Catholics; liberal Catholics are on par with Teddy Kennedy(our collective horror and shame). A Catholic School will not force Catholic teachings down your child's throat. An added bonus would be for discussions on what Catholics and Jews share, regarding the Old Testament. I don't think that anyone is going to try and turn your kid Catholic. Heck, these days they can't keep the ones that were baptized at birth. Your boy wants to go to school like the other kids, and you have a baby at home. Ouch. After attending a few PTA meetings, and of course scrutinizing the textbooks, let him go for a semester if you approve of the materials. I can understand why you're cautious. Your heritage is precious, and should be preserved. On the other hand, don't burn yourself out. The baby needs you more than anyone else right now :-)
Very likely. Children need the interaction with other children - sometimes it is a bit bruising, but they do learn, and it is the best way for them to develop self-control and monitor themselves.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.