Where to send your children to school is a major decision with several factors to consider.
You want your children to receive an excellent education and be surrounded by good friends and positive role models… but you also want an option that’s affordable, convenient, and in line with your own morals and values. It’s a lot to consider.
Recently, on a popular social media platform, one user asked:
“I went to Catholic school growing up and had a number of non-Catholic classmates and teachers. Some were even non-Christian (Jewish, namely). I never asked them because I figured it would be a rude question, but now I’m curious:
Why do non-Catholics go to Catholic school?
I would feel very uncomfortable attending a school or sending my children to a school that has a huge focus on a religion that isn’t my own and where I have to participate in that religion’s ceremonies/masses/etc… Does anyone have any ideas?”
Thankfully, multiple families chimed in to share their own experiences and why they chose a Catholic education for their children… even if they aren’t or weren’t Catholic themselves.
1. The Catholic School Offers More Convenient Locations
For families with long work commutes or tons of extracurricular activities, drive time can be a major factor in considering where to send their children to school. Shortening your route by as little as ten minutes one way can easily save you hours in the car each week.
One person responded, “My friend isn’t Catholic but sends her daughter there because it’s close proximity.”
Another person agreed, saying, “Just a few blocks from our office; made drop off/pickup very convenient compared to options closer to our home.”
2. Catholic Schools Offer a Quality Education
While private schools are sometimes known for having fewer resources to help children who are exceptionally gifted or struggling with special needs, they are also often known for providing an excellent education for the majority of students.
Private Catholic schools typically have greater say over their curriculum than public schools. Plus, private schools have the ability to kick out chronically disruptive students who might negatively impact the learning process for everyone else.
One person shared that they chose Catholic school for the “high-quality education with much better student/teacher ratios.”
Another person said, “In most countries, private education is almost always better than public education.”
3. Catholic Schools Offer Better Opportunities for Sports Scholarships
While resources can certainly vary among private schools, some private Catholic schools offer incredible sports programs that are very appealing to families with athletes.
One person stated, “Better sports programs in many cases.”
Another person said, “A lot of Catholic schools in the U.S. tend to have incredibly good sports programs. E.g. Paul VI in Virginia has a nationally ranked MBB program- Duke’s Jeremy Roach played there.”
4. Catholic Schools are Safer
For many schools across America, safety-related drills have become an unfortunate but necessary reality. While Catholic schools aren’t immune to all violence, many parents believe Catholic schools are safer than the public school alternatives in their area.
Someone replied, “In my city, the public schools are so bad with violence or understaffed teachers and faculty that the Catholic schools are the better choice regardless of if they are religious or not.”
Another person said, “My atheist parents sent me to a Catholic school for a few years as it was the only school in town that wasn’t filled with violence and horrible faculty.”
5. Catholic Schools Offer Scholarships
While the high cost of private schools can make receiving a quality Catholic education unattainable for some, many Catholic schools do offer grants, scholarships, vouchers, and other forms of financial assistance to ease the burden on low-income families.
If you’re considering a Catholic school in your area but worried about the cost, be sure to call your local school office to find out more about the options that may be available to you. Additional discounts are often available to parish (church) members.
One person stated, “I went to Catholic school because I got a scholarship, and the local public school was equally far from our small town.”
6. Catholic Schools Teach Faith
Occasionally, some parents will want a quality religious education for their children, even if they aren’t Catholic or particularly religious themselves. After all, religion does offer a number of excellent lessons and morals, even for those who don’t believe every word.
One person shared, “We are Christian, just a different denomination. There are only a few minor disagreements we have with Catholics that we don’t think actually impacts salvation. We want our children to learn about Jesus and Christianity at school, but the non-Catholic Christian schools are not as good as the Catholic ones in our area.”
Another shared, “My son is graduating from a Catholic high school this year. I was an atheist for 20 years and I decided to put him in a Catholic school for him to learn the faith.”
7. Catholic Schools Teach Good Values
Other parents are worried about the types of negative influences their children may be subjected to at their local public schools. For this reason, they’d prefer their kids to attend a Catholic school that teaches good morals and values, even if they don’t believe every aspect.
Someone shared, “I went to Catholic school as a non-Catholic because my parents found the morals and values better in a Catholic school compared to public schools.”
Another person said, “Because they do teach values and morality. Public schools are going down the drain in that aspect.”
8. Catholic Schools Were Open During Covid
For many families, particularly those with working parents, school isn’t merely a place for children to receive a good education. It’s also a much-needed form of safe and affordable childcare while the parents work.
During the pandemic, when public schools remained closed, Catholic schools that reopened were often a great option for parents without anywhere else to send their children during the workday.
One person stated, “We saw a big push into them from COVID with public schools staying closed and many private schools opening.”
9. Catholic Schools Have a Family Atmosphere
For some parents, the family atmosphere may Catholic schools prioritize can be a major benefit. While many (though certainly not all!) public school teachers are burned out and merely holding on for retirement, Catholic school teachers typically accept the lower pay out of a true passion for their faith and their students. This warmth and care comes across in the classroom.
Someone gave their reasoning as, “Family atmosphere with other parents and administrators.”
Another person said, “The relationships. Catholic schools foster a very deep sense of community. Kids who grow up in Catholic schools often remain close friends for life.”
10. Catholic Schools Can Be Less Expensive Than Other Private Schools
For some students lucky enough to have multiple private school options in their area, Catholic schools provide a more affordable option than some of the other private schools in their area. For this reason, they provide a great middle option between public schools and more expensive prep schools.
One person shared, “Where I am Catholic schools are quality private schools that are usually better than the public educational system but not as expensive as the nondenominational college prep private schools.”
11. Catholic Schools Offer a Private School Education
Alternately, some parents may not have (or may not be aware of) other private school options. Given the choice between a public school and a Catholic school, the private education is the winner… even if the parents aren’t devout Catholics themselves.
Someone said, “I had more than a few Protestants at the Catholic school I went to, and most turned out to be either the relatives or children of DC government officials that weren’t keen on the district’s public education.”
Another person commented, “It’s the ‘anything but public school’ thinking and Catholic schools are the most visible alternative.”
12. Catholic Schools Offer Smaller Class Sizes
For the majority of families, small class sizes with more individualized teacher attention are preferable to larger classes where students can more easily fall through the cracks.
This one factor was enough to make some families consider (and choose!) a Catholic education over the other alternatives.
One person said, “The Catholic schools in my area have better student to teacher ratios than the public schools.”
Another person added, “My oldest has a classroom size of 11 students.”
13. Catholic Schools are More Accessible
The largest and oldest Christian denomination in the world, the Catholic church is often better equipped to plant Catholic schools in more places. While many great Protestant schools exist, they typically don’t have the organizational structure and backing the Catholic school system has already established. This can make quality Catholic schools much easier to find and trust.
One person shared, “Protestant Christian schools in our area are harder to find and also are much more hit or miss when it comes to quality of education as well.”
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Are you guilty of believing any of these 15 Catholic Church myths?
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20 Easy Children’s Bible Verses for Kids to Memorize
It’s important to not only teach our kids how to memorize Scripture but also, to show them how to put these children’s Bible verses to use.
That’s one of the reasons there’s so much value in memorizing Bible verses for kids.
When they’ve already stored children’s Bible verses in their memories, it makes your job easier as a parent when you’re teaching them how to live. They already know the why (i.e. God’s people treat others with kindness) so you can just show them the how (i.e. not screaming at your brother).
20 Easy Children’s Bible Verses for Kids to Memorize
Brittany Ann is an ECPA bestselling author and founder of Equipping Godly Women and Monetize My Ministry. She’s also a Christian speaker, podcaster, and conference host. Her work has been featured on numerous TV, radio, and online ministries, including CBN, MSN, Christianity Today, Evangelical Alliance, Patheos, Crosswalk, and more.
