This Is Our City

I won't hesitate to say that I had some bad experiences while growing up through Catholic schools. However, I won't lie when I say that I had some of the best experiences of my life during them. The things which learned from them are things which I will never forget. If God places a wife and children in my life I will not hesitate to send them to a school based upon Jesus Christ. It brings music to my ears the wonderful experiences the author and her children have found in them. I thank her for sharing.

At This Is Our City we appreciate and encourage civil debate. We know that the question of where you send your children to school is heated. Institutional biases are important to discuss and investigate whether we talking about public or private schools. As this discussion progresses we value the personal experience and stories of individuals but let's make sure not to paint with too broad strokes.

And to Karen specifically: You can help your children have less of a "hard time with God and Christians" if they hear consistently from you that these people were the worst kind of example of what Christians are meant to be - not the norm - and if you expose them to a church and/or other believers who truly and faithfully live out the Word. Sadly, the damage done by poor examples of any group - and especially Christians - is painful and unfortunate; I pray you will be able yourself to forgive enough to help them overcome that damage.

I am saddened to hear the comments of those who have faced mistreatment and discrimination at the hands of some supposed "Christian" schools. However, as a person who has been involved in ministry for more than 30 years, in several geographic areas and in connection with many Christian schools, I feel the need to point out that I have NEVER encountered a similar experience to those recounted here. Granted, students with physical challenges are frequently underserved by these schools; but this is often the result of their inability to meet governmentally imposed requirements on facilities, staffing, etc. for institutions which serve those populations. The discrimination and abuse described by Karen and TSJ are unacceptable in any school environment. But to be accurate, those children were not hurt by "Christian School" as an entity, but by a particular school or schools. It is unfair to dismiss all Christian-based education on the basis of one - or even a few - seriously flawed examples

@TSJ Don't feel bad. These schools discriminate against everyone that isn't in their perfect little clique. They discriminated against me and my children in countless ways, too numerous to mention. In my daughter's third grade class there was an african american student that my daughter was friends with. The teacher repeatedly referred to him as "chocolate boy." I don't think these people are Christians at all. I think they are religious, yes, but they do not have the love of God in their hearts. Only judging. My son is pretty messed up from his experience at this school, as are several others I know. It's time the truth be told.