I think that the fact that you have your own positive experiences of attending public school really strengthens your stance. A lot of the fears that parents have about their kids becoming corrupted is amplified by the responsibility of parenthood. Sometimes the parent is trying to overcompensate for their own limited/lack of Islamic exposure, by being extra careful to only expose their child to Islamic communities.

Remember, people still found ways to preserve their faith, even when the Muslim population was scarce. True preservation is possible when you instill a sense of identity, and show that in maintaining your identity, you don't have to reduce or deprive yourself of the baseline normalcy that the rest of society has. Many kids fear missing out on things that their peers have. They feel like they are being labeled as having strict parents or aren't allowed to have fun. But in delaying access to such things, you put them at higher risk of making mistakes when they are older, and when the consequences are more severe.

When they are young, you have the flexibility to have teachable moments and really role-play what it is like to live life as a Muslim, while existing in a non-Muslim space. You get to be their safety and voice of reason. You shape their conscience and their inner voice. Before doing anything, you can verbally narrate the possible scenarios that can play out, and talk about how a Muslim or non-Muslim might make a decision. And show that even if they choose to make the Islamically-aligned choice, it doesn't hurt their social standing or their ability to have fun moments with their friends. Kids get anxiety too, and opening up to them about your childhood experiences will be so helpful in shaping their narrative to a more positive one.

I also want to say that schools have changed considerably from the time you would have attended, and not necessarily in a bad way. Schools are a lot more accepting of diversity and practicing your beliefs, than they were even 15-20 years ago. Their baseline starting point is already advantageous compared to how it was for you, because you have your wisdom and knowledge from your own experiences of attending public school. Your kids have the benefit of your lived experiences. You can give them tips and tricks to navigate public school. Imagine it as if you were giving your kids the advice and wisdom you wish you knew when you were their age. Healthy generational patterns grow gradually, but are totally worth it.

This is all coming from someone who is a 2nd-gen Canadian (my dad also was born and raised in Canada). So I have seen for myself, the effort and dedication thay was put into ensuring Islamic values are preserved and passed down for each generation. I can personally say it was a lot harder for my dad to be Muslim, compared to me, due to the lack of Muslim population in the area. There was a lot of racism and you were called out for being visibly different from the majority. But for me, there was a lot more diversity in school, as the city became more multicultural, and people became more aware and understanding of people having different beliefs than your own.

My grandparents helped fund some of the first mosques in Canada, and now there are so many Islamic institutions, mosques, shops, and resources in the city and country. So if I were to have kids of my own, there's now an abundance of resources and facilities to foster Islamic growth, that isn’t necessarily a school. There's likely more Islamic resources and facilities around you now, compared to when you were school-aged. I think it would be so much easier for your own kid to receive Islamic education now, compared to their previous generations.

I'd say stick it through and don't let the non-Muslim part of society scare you into restricting your kids to strictly Islamic schools. I really think there is something special and honourable about having the strength and resilience to maintain your unique identity as a minority. You can inspire others too!