What I learned teaching in a Protestant private school....
I do not doubt the sincerity of those who organize and run these schools. They honestly believe that we Catholics are misguided at best and hell-bound or worse. And not all schools that claim to be Catholic truly fulfill the mission of helping the parents properly catechize their children.
Still, I think I would send a Catholic child to a public school, a Jewish school, an Anglican school, or even a secular private school before I would send the child to one that uses either the Abeka or BJU curriculum.
Thanks for the pointer. I'll be linking to this story later. Kind of makes me a bit reassured that we didn't go with Milford Christian Academy.
We used a BJU history book when Zteen was in the 4th grade or so--before we converted. One page was so obviously awful that I did something I have never done before or since--I censored the page. It was a big ole chart that showed (purportedly!) the differences between "Bible believing Christians" (seriously, that was the column heading) and "Catholics". I taped a big piece of paper over it, and wouldn't let Zack read it.
I told him, "I don't know enough about Catholicism at the present to refute this adequately. But I KNOW that this isn't right. This is ugly and hateful. We won't read it."
Then we read enough--and became Catholic.
Boy, do I agree with you on all points. And I'm glad I came to my senses before we went into debt to send one of our daughters to a local "Catholic" girls high school. I'd rather send one of my kids to a school that teaches no religion than one that teaches off-kilter Catholicism.