Public school

[shelly_freak]

Although I haven't gone to public school (unless you count college but I don't think that's the same) since 3rd grade I don't agree with what you're saying. It sounds like you don't want to have to deal with someone with diffrent views than your own. Being a catholic doesn't mean you don't listen to other's arguments. In order to better understand how your views fit into the world you need to understand how the rest of the world feels. I can tell you that even though I went to catholic school I knew pagans, wickins, atheists, and protestants. They were some of my best friends and although some of our views were diffrent it didn't mean we didn't respect each other. It's no good to grow in your faith and the church teachings if you're not willing to go out there and discuss these issues with people who see diffrent than you (and yes, you can discuss religion with a pagan without arguing).
If you think that the best way to grow as a catholic is to lock yourself away and only associate with catholics you're dead wrong!

PS: What's wrong with her being liberal?

PSS: Sorry if somehow I offended you, I didn't mean to. I know someone will prolly end up throwing this back in my face.

[Nicole8223]

[quote name='theculturewarrior' date='Mar 12 2005, 06:13 AM'] All I learned in High School was how to use a bong. It prepared me for nothing. [/quote]
DITTO!

[Catholictothecore]

Homeschooling is comfortable, pressure free environment when it comes to society. Most of the people I talked to when I was 15 were well into their 20's and 30's, and we enjoyed conversations pretty dang well.

[azaelia]

[quote name='shelly_freak' date='Mar 12 2005, 01:36 PM'] PS: What's wrong with her being liberal? [/quote]
I think he means she's pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage, pro-euthanasia, etc.

[theculturewarrior]

Shelly_Freak raises a good point. High School does expose you to a wide variety of people, and I guess it's possible to learn critical thinking skills and tolerance in high school. But just from my own experience, high school failed me there too!

Public School seems like the [b]least[/b] tolerant place I've been. I wasn't tolerant in high school and it seems like nobody else was either. Everybody was either a bully or bullied, and we all hated eachother regardless. Maybe I'm remembering it wrong.

My counter argument, would be that critical thinking skills and tolerance can [b]definitely[/b] be learned in college, and maybe that's a healthier place for it. I didn't learn to think for myself until I graduated college, and I went to public education the whole way through.

[jmjtina]

you can look at it both ways. When she is raging and shoving her views in your face, look it up. Find out why she is wrong. Be able to articulate it to the best of your ability.....or speak from your heart and what you know to be right. Speak up because this is a group, if it's only one thing you say to defend your view, then so be it. Ask God to help you.

I had the same thing going on in high school. I took the bull by the horns and even though I knew it was wrong, I needed to know examples, more reasons why, (faith and secular views) and really learned the areas most attacked....(abortion/homosexuality/pre-marital sex).

When college came, it wasn't easier, but I had gotten alot better at clarifying the "opposite" side, and what I held to be truth. I also got better at keeping my temper under control and not let the other "push my buttons".

Some people refuse to listen. Some people will listen. It's usually the ones that you aren't even talking to directly in the first place. (Such as the rest of the group who is hearing you and her discuss)

pray. ask for help. It'll come.

pax.

[littlewilli]

I go to a public school...actually this is my 1st year in a public school and I get annoyed with some things that go on, but I try to look at it as a chance to evangalize...

[Carnanc]

public school is fun, true we have discussion as you mention, but like people of said, this is reality that we live in, while Catholic school and homeschooling is of great value, being in the public school offers constant opportunities to evangalize.

[curtins]

If God ever gives me kids id send them to Catholic school

[Iacobus]

That, I say, is very good. You need to learn to be tolerant, as TCW talked about. You also need to be able to think from other stances. For example, I am writing a paper for my AP English about "The short comings of Christian Doctrine" not a stance I personally hold. Furthermore, what is a better place for you to be challenged? Your own personally views should be challenged, until you understand others how can you understand yourself? How will you grow as a mind if all the enviroments you are in do not challenge you.

[Sarcastic Stare]

Okay, public school has been a blessing on my life. I have a collection of friends on both sides of the tracks, and i get along with all of them. Although im the only Roman Catholic in my circle, most of the girls all attend one church or another, we share the same beliefs and have great memories. some of the guys are atheists, most are agnostic, some turned away from the church. 3 are Wickan. and of all these, we dont argue. we debate, we discuss, we talk, we have a good time. if you find it hard to speak to someone because they are closed minded, try another way, but dont give up.

and who said God has no place in public school? my freshman english class used the bible as a textbook! now i know my experiences are not the same as others, but they are a testament of the goodness of public schooling. i have learned how to properly deal with people who do not agree with me in any way whatsoever. i have learned to carry my religious beliefs with dignity. i have learned dicipline. i have learned that my actions thoughts and words hold sway outside my family. i have discovered courage to make terribly difficult descisions in the face of my peers. i have dealt with bullies. i have also seen them become good people, friends even. i have seen a kid who used to pick on me in 2nd grade defend a mentally retarded underclassmen in highschool. i have seen that mentally challenged student cheered on by an entire gym full of students as he played volleyball in class competitions [i]and he won! and they all cheered his name![/i]

now if anyone can look upon my school and say it is evil because of the liberal presence (the same presence you will all have to deal with in the real world) i will tell you you are wrong. i will defend my public education as fast as i would defend my faith. [i]because it deserves it.[/i]

[shelly_freak]

[quote name='theculturewarrior' date='Mar 12 2005, 02:05 PM'] My counter argument, would be that critical thinking skills and tolerance can [b]definitely[/b] be learned in college, and maybe that's a healthier place for it. I didn't learn to think for myself until I graduated college, and I went to public education the whole way through. [/quote]
That's true...

[curtins]

stare-

I would think youre case is not too common

but good to hear it

[Sarcastic Stare]

but what is the case, is that a student body makes the school what it is. my peers come from all different walks of life. we are a multinational school (upwards of 20 different countries present in the student body). now why is it that we can get along "against the odds" so to speak?

[theculturewarrior]

[quote name='Iacobus' date='Mar 12 2005, 05:09 PM'] That, I say, is very good. You need to learn to be tolerant, as TCW talked about. You also need to be able to think from other stances. For example, I am writing a paper for my AP English about "The short comings of Christian Doctrine" not a stance I personally hold. Furthermore, what is a better place for you to be challenged? Your own personally views should be challenged, until you understand others how can you understand yourself? How will you grow as a mind if all the enviroments you are in do not challenge you. [/quote]
I just don't think that institutional education is the only way to learn critical thinking skills, or even the most ideal, prior to college. I've learned more surfing the net than I did in any institution. I learned to question everything, and to alway evaluate my sources. I also learned a lot on the job. Working at a library exposes you to different people and different points of view.

I can see that some of you are prospering in public education, but I know my niece and the Maynerds are prospering or have prospered from homeschooling. Why can't we have both as options?

[Sarcastic Stare]

we [i]do[/i] have both as options. its just that some refuse to see the good that [i]both[/i] have to offer.

[zwergel88]

I really enjoy public school. I think that it is great that there are so many different kinds of people. It makes for some very interesting conversations when you have the opportunity to talk to people who are different from you.

[theculturewarrior]

[quote name='Sarcastic Stare' date='Mar 12 2005, 06:03 PM'] we [i]do[/i] have both as options. its just that some refuse to see the good that [i]both[/i] have to offer. [/quote]
Yeah, that's what I meant, except I would take it further, some refuse to see one or the other as [b]valid[/b] options.

[Sarcastic Stare]

bah, how about a big AMEN to plain ol' education! public, private or homeschooled we are nowhere without it!

[Luthien]

I find that opportunities to talk to people of different beliefs is a good thing. I mean, if you preach to the choir all the time, who's heart will you change? God puts us in situations that we dont like, but its usually for a good cause.

True, not all public schools are like Sarcastics, but some are. Sarcastic is very fortunate to be able to even take the Bible out without it being seized. This may sound alarmist, but its a problem down in more southern parts of the state. One of my good friends wanted to wear a prolife shirt for prolife tshirt day, April 26th. She may not be allowed because they fear it may offend. They claim its too graphic, but this is lame. Its a picture of a 4 month old child in utero, and it says "Abortion Kills Kids." This girl should not be censored. Freedom of speech nowadays seems to go only one way, their way. Sad reality.

But, this could be taken a different direction. Her dedication to her cause is inspiring for people like me, who fear too much what others think. She has helped me realize that there is no reason to fear these hypocrites. Maybe these people if forced out of THEIR comfort zones, they'll wake up and see how abortion is wrong.

Use this opportunity, like Sarcastic Stare, to be an example of holiness to these people that persecute you. Remember, Jesus told us to love those who hate you. What do you gain from loving who already loves you?