Teaching my sons the bible?

[BIG AL]

I am anti-religious, but i want my sons to have a good education outside of public schools..
For this to happen i can only send them to catholic and christian private schools, as there are only alternate private schools WAY out of our district.
I am afraid that i will be sending them the message that they must read the bible... or that someone else will make them.
A childs mind is easily poisoned with sensationalism.. like coco-pops, coke, new fad toys from ads, and god.
What else can i do?
What can i send them out there with?
Will these religious schools prevent my kids from learning properly about science? And replace the answer;
Water is H2O, with.... God made water cause water is water and God made water, cause he just DID make water with love and in genesis from nothing KAPoW! ?(bleh!)?
Excuse the carry on... but i just wanna know if these schools will scare my kids into thinking their father is bad, even tho i love 'em.

[OPM]

Catholic schools won't, though they will have to take religion classes, everyone does. Children are smarter than you think, explain your ideas to them in respectful ways. They are going to grow up and think what they want anyway. At least this way their exposure to religion is occurring in a way you know about and they can learn to both be respectful of other belief systems and also learn they do not need to share a belief system with their peers.

[James]

Most of these schools will not teach things like creationism, but if you found that it did then pull your kids out quick.

As for the bible etc, try explaining the situation to them, inform them that there are many different religions in the world and its up to them to understand them and make informed decisions, explain that the bible although viewed by many as a holy book is also viewed by many as complete fiction.

Hopefully your kids will be clever enough to look at these things rationally. If they are instructed by school to read the bible, then get them a copy of the Torah and other religious books so they can study them all, and group them in the same bracket of fiction.

Plus you are allowed to instruct the schools that they are not to push their religious views onto your kids. Freedom of religion remember that includes freedom from religion.

[ALy]

Its good to hear even though you're against something, you're still leaving the opportunity for them to choose what they want to believe in! That's a good parent there.
I would just explain to them, don't feel pushed to believe in anything because of anyone else. Support what they want too. But guide them the way you want them too.
It sounds like you have a very good idea on raising your kids and its good to hear.
Sending children to a religious school, they will learn religious things. I don't believe science would be changed in any way, you're best bet would be to contact the schools on their teaching styles.
I think a magnet school or private school would be your best bet, or even homeschooling! I'm 17, and I was home-schooled after 9th grade, then went onto college when I was 16. I love it! You don't have to be religious to do that either, my family isn't really at all either.
Its an option. Just think of whats best for your CHILDREN.

Hope I've helped! good luck =]

[Everydaycatholic]

Catholic schools teach science. They even teach evolution. They will also teach them about the Catholic faith.

Ask your kids what they learned in school and if there is anything they are taught that you do not agree with, tell them.

[apples_ll_apples]

I sent my kids to a christian elementary school but choose to remove them from that environment when they reached middle school age. It's true that on average private schools do provide a better education for kids. I doubt that it has anything to do with religion. It's most likely due to a better teacher to child ratio. So I think it's a good idea to place them in a private school for their early education in order to get a good foundation of learning. However, that being said, there is a risk of what your child will be taught while in that environment. You have to stay involved in what they are learning and spend some time supplimenting those things that the school might not accept but you do. For example, my daughter was taught in a christian school that Dinosaurs didn't really exist. She knew that we believed that they did so she questioned the teacher further about it and was told that "God put dinosaur bones in the earth to make the earth appear older than it really is". It might sound funny to us but kids will accept an answer like that so you have to be careful and stay on top of what is being taught.

So I guess my advice to you is...Talk, talk, talk to your kids when they come home from school. Don't put down the teacher or tell your kids that the teachers don't know what they're talking about. Use it as an opportunity to educate them in the fact that many different people believe many different things. Then support your point of view with trips to the library and let your child make a truly educated choice.