This is the second part of my thoughts on Bruce Shortt's The Harsh Truth About Public Schools. If you would like to read the first part, go here. The thing I found most interesting in the second half of the book was the section starting on page 320 about all of the "but"s people use to squirm out to taking their children out of public school.
"But our government school is different."
Read the book. If you still think that the federal laws, court decisions, and teacher's unions do not assure that your government school teaches a secular humanist world view, read the book again.
"But my child is salt and light."
If this was being said of well grounded college students with a great Christian world view, I might agree. To expect a 8-year-old to withstand the constant spiritual battery of a government school let alone change it is mind boggling. Children must be trained before they can be sent out.
"But we can't just withdraw from culture."
". . . if all Christians withdrew their children from government schools, sending children to government schools would no longer represent the cultural norm - we would have changed it."
"But our pastor hasn't said it's a problem."
Really, if you can't think and reason for yourself, I feel very bad for you and worry about your spiritual well being.
"But our government school has some Christian teachers."
Even Christian teachers are bound by the law, curricula, etc. that make getting a Christian education via government schools impossible. All they can provide is a less corrosive environment. They cannot teach Christian values such as you matter because God created us and loves us. They cannot teach that there is right and wrong and God decides what is right and wrong.
"But what about socialization?"
Christian children can't be Christian and be just like the world. That said, there are plenty of ways to let your kids interact with other kids and grown-ups. Church, karate, going to the dog park, going to the library, inviting people over for dinner, etc. are all examples of this.
"But what about extracurricular activities?"
Really if cheerleading and chess club are more important to you than your children's spiritual well fare, I feel sad for your kids. That being said there are 4-H, boy scouts, church choir, etc. that anyone can participate in.
"But what would my family and friends think?"
WHO CARES?! God's opinion is the only one that matters.
"But we went to public schools and we turned out just fine."
I went to public schools too. I didn't get pregnant or do drugs or get involved in the occult. I also don't think that I reached my full spiritual potential in school despite reading the Bible daily and having Christian parents who made sure that we did at least know the Bible. And government schools get worse every year because of new court decisions, laws, etc.
"But we can't afford it."
My husband and I probably live below the "poverty line", but we do NOT send our kids to public school. Be willing to sacrifice. Be creative. You can do it.
"But we can't send our children to Christian school and I don't think I am qualified to teach."
If you don't think that you are qualified to teach, read chapter 5 of the book. Also, I suggest that just as any person that knows how he/she was saved can teach the Gospel anyone who is literate and can learn can teach their children. If you need a jump start, you can always purchase curricula.
"But we can't send our children to Christian school and don't have time to homeschool."
First of all, it only takes three (or less) hours a day to homeschool your kids. Second, I think that most of us can sacrifice TV time, reading the newspaper, surfing the web, etc for the sake of our children.
I highly recommend The Harsh Truth About Public Schools for anyone who wants a thorough and well-thought-out read.
4 comments:
Found your site through Huckabee site. Good explanations about sending kids into the fire (public schools). I live in a county where they're teaching about transgenderism and homosexuality and not presenting that it's possible to "come out" of that lifestyle.
How I wish I could get some of my tax dollars back that pay for this kind of indoctrination . . . especially when I pay for my daughter's PRIVATE school education in order to avoid the 'indoctrination'. What if all of the folks who were concerned about this politely demanded some of their hard earned tax $$$ back??
Get your friends registered to vote -- send them to vote-smart.org and tell them to download a PDF voter registration form and send it in. Check out the issues information about incumbents at vote-smart.org -- see how they voted on education (what % they sided with the NEA, etc.) and other topics and you'll get a great sense for your state officials as well. Feel free to email your friends with this information so they can have an impact at not only the state level but the national as well!
Blessings to you!
Thanks for the vote smart info. I will check it out.
Most Christian teachers in government schools are doing far more HARM than good!!!
True Christian teachers in government schools only have 2 options:
1) They can get themselves fired by acting like **real** Christians! They can protest, reject,and refuse to cooperate, with the Secular Humanist, Marxist, atheistic, pro-abortion, pro-homosexual, anti-American, anti-family, anti-Christian agenda. The can also refuse to pay another dime in union dues to the NEA!
2) Or,,,they can quit!
If the so-called Christian teachers accommodates, agree with, and assists with the atheistic Secular religious worldview in the schools, he or she teaches the following:
1) Christian teachers will sell their principles for a paycheck.
2)Christian teachers who try to slyly sneak in a little Christian worldview ( without mentioning Christ, of course!) have taught the students that Christians are sneaking and sly.
3) Christians who hand out materials and textbooks that are in complete contradiction to Christian belief have taught the children that Christian will teach students what the teacher knows in a lie.
4) Christian teachers say, "I know this is wrong, but I have to teach it." Well they have just taught the students that teachers are too cowardly to tell that to the adults running the school, but will apologize about to KIDS!
5) If the Christian teacher says, "Where would I get another job?", then he is teaching the students that Christians are too stupid to find work in the free market. Either that or the Christian does not trust God's Providence!
If Christ would spit out of his mouth lukewarm, fence sitting, hypocritical, lying, sneaky, sly, stupid, distrustful, unconfident people would would sell their principles for a paycheck, then I am not surprised that kids do too!!!
And,,,Kids do spit the Christian teachers' message out of their mouths. Bruce Shortt of the Exodus Movement reports that 85% of children of Christian homes leave the faith within 2 years of graduating from high school! Geeze! If the government school experience is this bad for Christian kids, what effect does a lukewarm, hypocritical, sneaky Christian teacher have with a non- Christian student? I'd say he would have more luck throwing a grape at Jupiter!
So...the next time a so-called Christian teacher says that he has a "calling" to be a teacher in a government school, suggest that he take an Alka Selzer! He probably doesn't have a "calling". He has indigestion, probably from too much greed over a paycheck!
Wow!
Doesn't the Bible say that unsaved people will know that we are Christians by our love? This seems pretty high handed at best.
I have been struggling with this issue for some time. I currently have my children at a Christian school, but question what God has called our family to do in this area.
How many in Christian education have actually prayed, and asked God what he would have for their family? Do we pray about this anymore, or is this just one more issue that good people can not disagree on?
These posts sound hateful. I'm embarrassed that they come from someone who claims to be following Christ.
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