What is Jewish Education? and is it worth the price?

Is Jewish Education actually worth the huge price tag? What do our children get from going to a Jewish school?? I went to Jewish day schools as a child, and I am still not sure I have fully recovered from the experience. By Junior high we are in school almost the same number of hours then the average American spends at their job. (traditional jobs of 9-5 are approximately 40 hours, Most day schools start at about 8:30 and go until 5:30 Monday-Thursday and end slightly earlier on Fridays putting kids in school approximately 42 hours), and they get less time for lunch (and no recess). So children ages 11-17 are expected to sit in school all day and learn how to be good Jews, and have no time for extracurricular activities or socializing. This is a powder keg for discipline problems, nervous breakdowns, drug abuse and a host of other problems (which by the way do not exist in the Jewish community at all. note the sarcasm.). What would happen if we pared down the day school curriculum to basic? if we had to hire less teachers and operate the school for a shorter day, therefore using utilities for 2-3 hours less PER DAY. how much would we save in operating costs?
In addition to saving operating costs we would also have happier healthier children. Children who have time to be children. Children who might be able to see the glory of G-d and the beauty of Judaism instead of children who are burnt out by age 15 and hate being Jewish and learning. What the schools should focus on is HOW to learn instead or cramming in all the material, and on teaching children how to be menches rather then twelve prakim of Gemara every week. We need to embody our children with a love for G-d, Judaism and the Jewish people. We need to bring down tuition prices.  Doing the two together at the same time? PRICELESS!

demoralized Judaism

As Rosh Hashana looms, as well as the start of a new school year I have become demoralized. I am committed to having a Jewish home and family, but the financial burden of doing so has simply become too much. We do not drive fancy cars, we do not own a huge house (we do not even own a house yet and given yeshiva tuition we may never be able to), we do not go on fancy vacations. I do allow myself a few luxuries, but they are few an far between. I see people blogging about not needing such fancy things and not needing the best of everything, i don't think these people really get it. I am not talking about getting an Ipad or even an Iphone, i am talking about being able to pay our electric bill versus buying RH seats. I've been told that preschool is a luxury, what am i supposed to do keep my child home until she is 5? Who will she play with? All the other children her age are in school. I am not begrudging the institutions the money they need to function, the shuls and schools do need to be financially viable. I am also not expecting a few wealthy people to carry the entire community. However something does need to happen. Whether we follow the Talmud Torah model where the children go to public school in the morning and have Talmud Torah in the afternoon, or follow the Kehilla model where each family gives 10% (maaser) to the Kehilla and the funds all the Jewish institutions or some other yet to be discussed model, something has to change.  People can not maintain this lifestyle any longer. Something very basic in our community has to change. I don't have all the answers, i don't even have some answers, but i know i am not alone in my feelings and hope that instead of rehashing the problem, we come up with some viable solutions.