Mass exodus from public schools?

It would certainly ease the crowding in the school system

They have always had the option of church funded schools or home schooling. The problem with church funded schools, is...believe it or not...most churches are losing the funding because people have stopped going to church.

I went to a catholic school for 12 years and I DO think I got a better education than the public school children around here. When my parents were in high school, there were 3 catholic high schools (2 for girls, 1 for boys and it was also a seminary) plus 4 grade schools. This was in the 50's. Once I got to high school (in the 80's), we had 1 grade school, and all the high schools were merged into 1 in the late 60's. By the time I graduated they merged again and my senior year we had 6th graders in the same building. Two years later they closed ALL schools and put everyone from 1st to 12th grade in one 3 story building. Part of this is because of factories closing and people moving out of the area, but a lot of it had to do with people just not following the examples of their parents.

I think it would be great if more people who cared got a religious education, but the cost is so expensive. My senior year in high school cost more than my first year at a community college. But, my parents wanted me to have a catholic education, and I thank them for that. As for the beliefs, I took what I believed and came to my own conclusions on some things.

BTW, I just want to say I'm NOT busting on public schools or their teachers. I feel I got a better education because of the smaller classes (20 kids instead of 40). Some public schools are great...and some are disasters waiting to happen. But, that probably can be said for any private or religious school too. I'm just speaking from my own experience.

I don't think people have stopped going to church as much as it is, people have changed churches and are leaving the mainstream religions, such as Roman Catholic and what not and going to Non-Denominational Christian churches. The non-denominational ones seem, to me, to be the ones that membership is really going up. Plus the fact that churches must appeal to the younger generation to survive and some of the old time churches just don't seem to get that.

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life published a study last year (February 2008) that concluded that 28% of American adults have switched to another religion, or no religion at all. It's a pretty fascinating study:
Key Findings and Statistics on Religion in America


There's still a geographical factor involved, which is shown in these maps.

I also attended Catholic schools for 12 years, including 4 years at an all-girl high school. My DD attended the same grade school I did, and struggled terribly for 6 years. We eventually had to enroll her in public school because they had the ability (funding) to address her learning issues. I cried when I was told she just wouldn't be able to attend the Catholic high school I had attended.
However, the economics of the situation finally hit me and I was relieved the choice had been taken out of my hands. We were paying almost $1400 a year for grade school tuition, and this isn't even in a "well-to-do" area. By the time she would have been in high school, tuition would have been over $5000 a year. I don't know how we would have paid it, but I suppose we would have found a way.
If DD had been a 'normal' student with no learning problems (English is basically a 2nd language for her) she would have received a wonderful education in a private school. As it is, she is attending a community college and is taking remedial English and Math courses. The public schools acted as little more than baby-sitters. DH & I met with her counselors on a regular basis; at each meeting I voiced my concerns that DD was being given good grades (As) when she couldn't even spell or construct a sentence properly. Their answer? "At least she's trying, and it's good for her self-esteem to be given good grades." UGH!!!!
It's unfortunate that private schools need to charge such high tuition, as I firmly believe they provide a better education.