The Protestant schools I attended were not unlike the description of the Catholic schools described: corporal punishment, indoctrination, revival meetings with altar calls, the use of guilt as leverage, etc., making the distinction between a cult and so-called 'mainstream' religion hardly worth disputing. At least you got to see actual Hollywood productions ... the only movies we were shown were dull religious documentaries and nature films!

I was raised by nuns for 9 years. Wall to wall nuns. Nuns everywhere. Our anthem was "We gotta get outta this place if it's the last thing we ever do, girl there's a better life for me and you" by the Animals.

Catholic school here, K-6. No nuns, no rulers. Just Thursday Mass and religion class, the Lord's prayer and blessing before lunch. I think the teachers were teachers first, who just happened to get a job at this school.

I loved it! Very affirming, culturally sensitive, and academically rigorous. I'd always heard Catholic schools were grievous but that just never matched my experience. Not even remotely.

I feel very lucky that I was able to start my education at a school with high standards and low student-teacher ratios! This was in the late 80s/early 90's in the American Midwest, btw.

@VictoriaNotes
I and my 3 siblings were sent to Catholic school and I attended until 6th grade. However, our school in Dallas was taught mostly by nuns and, although we had large classes I don't remember any problems with the nuns (I just now remember having a snowball fight and missing the other person and hitting a nun - she didn't do anything except yell and wave a stick). The one teacher that was my scourge was a layperson (I still remember her name, Ms. Klein). She was especially hard on me and one day I asked why. She said I was special and she wanted to instill a sense discipline in me (it worked). I was even an altar boy and no problems. My goofy brothers and I even put on play masses for my parents - it was a game to us. My biggest problem was bullying from some of my classmates. My brother and I stood our grounds many times.

I think the lack of bad experiences in school was one thing that kept me Catholic for so long. I continue to hear and read about horror stories that others had to deal with.

Catholic school grades 1-9 (plaid uniforms and all). In second grade I was spanked by the nun teacher in front of the class because I "couldn't close the door to the classroom" properly. Her name (I kid you not) was Sr. Assumpta and I was terrified of her. In fifth grade I watched a woman teacher (not a nun) yank a boy off his feet and punch him in the stomach. My brother received the smack on the knuckles with the ruler. I was bullied in school mercilessly and my very middle class (not wealthy at all) parents were happily paying tuition for this to happen.....I wish they had spent that money differently.

My children attended public schools.