While private high schools range from approximately $2,000 to $27,000, many argue whether the education is worth the price. According to the Council for American Private Education (CAPE) 25% of schools in the US are private schools and 96.5% of private schools are religious.
Despite these statistics, some believe the size and quality of education affects growth and the ability to learn. Junior Cody Ashford attends Buchanan High and Peoples Church and believes the idea of a Christian school is flawed.
“I think the concept of a private school is faulty,” Ashford said. “Parents send their kids to a Christian school to escape the distractions of a public school; yet kids who get kicked out of other schools get sent to the private ones. It defeats the purpose.”
Ashford thinks Bible classes and chapel would hinder faith.
“At a Christian school chapel and Bible classes are mandatory,” Ashford said. “This means I am not challenged to read my Bible because it is required. It turns a personal relationship into a class.”
Although Ashford does not see the benefits of a private education, Abby Rambo, ’10, would appreciate optional chapel and religious classes at Clovis High.
“I think chapel would benefit my faith and help me grow in a godly environment,” Rambo said. “I wish had the blessing of Christian friends as well.”
Junior Lindsay Franz agrees with Rambo. She believes a private school’s atmosphere can encourage personal relationships with Christ, depending on one’s mindset.
“I really like the worship band and I always feel a connection with God during worship,” Franz said. “It feels like we grow closer as a school when we worship together.”
Sophomore Tiffany Lawrence, Buchanan High, wishes Christian teachers were able to share their faith.
“I think it is so cool that teachers can be open and share there faith with students,” Lawerence said. “Some teachers at my school often tease students in class creating a tense and unpleasant atmosphere.”
In order to work on this campus, teachers must obtain teaching credentials as a public school, however, must profess a Christian testimony. Principal Gary Schultz also requires references that support the teachers testimonies.
“The process is the same as the public school one,” Schultz said, “except teachers must present a testimony of faith in both written and oral form during the interview. They also need two credentials: a public school one and a Christian school one.”
Despite Christian teachers, some envision problems after graduating from a Christian high school. Junior Vince Clerou, Buchanan High, believes the small, Christian environment shelters students from reality.
“In a small school they will never be able to offer as many classes as a state-funded one,” Clerou said. “Also with an all-Christian world view students won’t be prepared for other ideals when they enter the real world.”
Not only do public schools enroll thousands of students, while this campus contains under 300 for the entire high school, they also offer a larger variety of classes. FC provides four AP classes, compared to Buchanan’s 17.
Students with specialized interested must often seek alternatives off of campus. Matt Andreatta, ’09, attends Center for Advanced Research and Technology (CART) part time for a boarder variety of classes such as biomedicine, English, technology, terminology and anatomy.
In Brittany Shaffer’s Dec. 10, 2007, article, CART examines medical aspiration, Andreatta said, ?I love going to CART because I?ve been coming to Fresno Christian since kindergarten, so it?s nice going somewhere different and having a change of environment.”
“It?s just so much different from Fresno Christian because they don?t talk about God at all,” Andreatta said. “There are also more hands-on projects and there?s a more diverse group of people there. It has been really difficult getting straight A?s, but it?s so worth it.?
Several students transferred from a public school. Rebekah Wells, ’11, attended Kastner Intermediate for two years before coming to this campus.
“Fresno Christian was like an escape,” Wells said. “At Kastner I wasn’t accepted for who I was. People were rude and unfriendly. I have so many more friends on campus. However, I know people who prefer public over private schools. But for me, I feel like this is where I belong.”
