Choosing a School??

Choosing Schools Sucks!!!!! Up until this point, it has always been easy choosing where my Son will go. I have always had good guidance. But what do you do when the guidance takes you somewhere you can't possibly afford?? We can't afford most of the private schools especially when we will have two more there in three years. Most private schools around the area come in at $5k per year in the beginning and go up to $16k by the end and that's just NOW! I've also been informed that those prices rise by 5% each year.
The public schools in our area just simply SUCK! I have been on forum after forum researching and discussing in person with every parent i have ever met in the area since my Son was born 4yrs ago. One school is full of violence, neglectful disciplinary issues, over populated and completely mismanaged and the other i've heard only one bad report about a teacher calling the kids nasty names and no one has taken any action against her....yes, HER! Also it just makes me uneasy, it always has. It's so exposed and so danky looking...how do i go against my gut instinct when its all i have to protect my Son?
We are totally and completely without religion so that doesn't help us make any decisions. I do think its important to learn about religion but which one? And do i want it shoved down my Son's throat before school, before lunch and at home time? I honest feel like i'm going insane. I want to bury my head in the sand...but i can't,

Its all about him. Its all for him

What if they ruin him?

Don't worry, I know i am sounding Crazy right now. I AM on information overload.

Am I over thinking things? How do you choose a school that is right for you?