Saturday I had to attend an Eagle Forum conference with my job. Although I’ve been to jillions of these types of conferences, I actually enjoyed going to this one. I felt like I learned a few things – which is sometimes hard when you’ve been in the movement for a while. (Not that I claim to know it all, of course. It’s just that, after a while, most things at these conferences are fairly familiar.)
One of the most interesting speakers was a pastor from Long Beach, my hometown. He had something interesting to say about public education that I hadn’t thought about before. He said that, although Christians are mostly opposed to public school because of things taught in the classroom, such as homosexuality, sex education in general, theories of evolution taught as factual, etc., the thing that we should be most concerned about is something very subtle: “public schools teach children to succeed without God.” I thought this was an interesting statement because it’s so simple yet so profound. As a pastor, he observed how hard it is to combat the lies and distorted philosophies children are taught in the public schools. “Kids spend 35 hours a week in school and we (the churches) get them for maybe 3 hours a week, at best,” he said. “Add to that all the time kids spend with their peers, watching television, playing video games, etc. This is why we feel like we’re fighting a losing battle for the minds and hearts of our kids.” His solution to the problem: “Take your kids out of public school. And do it now.”
Before I end this post, I would like to say that I’m not the type of person who judges all parents for placing their kids in public schools. I believe that parents have to do what they think is best for their kids, with a pure conscience before God. And I also know that the public schools in California are much worse than elsewhere. But I hope that all Christian parents seriously consider the potential costs before placing their kids in public school.
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3 comments:
I went to Christian schools until college. Between my siblings and I, we've pretty much done it all. Some years of home schooling, two different Christian schools, and now one is in public school. I don't think the issue is that one is right and one is wrong. I think it depends on the child and the family. The Christian school I went to has changed a lot since I was there. Instead of a small, Christian school that was focussed on coming along side churches to help educate students in the Bible it is now more of a prep school that has chapel and a Bible class. Home schooling did not work for my one sister and for my brothers it only worked for a little bit. I probably would have been too distracted by other things to get my work done.
When I was choosing a college to attend I realized that Christian schools have the same problems as public schools, they're just more hidden. Ultimately in a Christian school you battle gray issues. In a public school you battle black and white.
Where does home schooling fit into all of this? Well, a lot of the issues are not an issue since you don't have to worry as much about the peers in your class. Still, the trend is growing to have home schoolers get into groups for classes so some of the issues might start to become a reality.
Ultimately, the issue is parental responsability. If you have a good relationship with your child, it won't matter that they're learning evolution in school. They'll be grounded firmly in the truth which they learn at home instead of what they are taught in whatever school they go to.
I think the worst part of public schooling is what they teach "secretly"...the issues of such things as evolution and abortion, etc. are pretty open. But the things they teach that try to influence the child to rebell and to separate from the parent are even worse. Because it is covert and hidden and very hard to combat.
Yes, Amy, you are so correct about the California schools. I was a student there from 1957 to 1966 when we moved to Idaho. I went the first year in Idaho to public school too...but there was no comparison at all between the Idaho school and the ones in California! Idaho ones had problems too...but much more minor and they still taught respect for authority and respect for parents etc. And the line between the bad kids and the good ones in Idaho was strongly drawn. Either I was the only child who was a Believer in the huge California schools I attended or else no one else wanted anyone to know they were! I admit I was less than perfect in those days too. The peer pressure was way beyond believeable for that time and I am sure nothing has improved since! When one realizes that the goal from the beginning for public school was to help our country become socialistic....well, we are there now. The original plan was for it to take a decade...it took much longer but it is here. I fear for you who are my children's ages and now having your own babies. I do not think the freedom to homeschool will remain long. But I would take it for however long I could.
We used public, private and homeschooling to educate ours. With varying results. Scholastically all are top students. Though I wish we could have sent them to Christian colleges...we have not been able to do so. And frankly, even the best ones I know are not worth the money when you see the ideas the kids come out with. (Other than a couple of them...Liberty and also the one I think you graduated from are likely exceptions). God help us. We are going to have to depend on Him more and more I think.
Elizabeth
I agree with quizwedge. Both Christian and secular colleges have big problems. Unfortunately those shades of grey that Christian colleges struggle with can do just as much or more spiritual damage than what youth would encounter at a state university. I expected to find "lost" people at my community college--I didn't take what the professor said as "Truth" and I didn't expect administrators to look out for my best interest. But Christian colleges have always jaded me because of the selfish motives of those in leadership who are more concerned about money than character (their's in particular) and have convinced themselves that the end justifies the means. If my children choose a Christian college, I will be reminding them that ALL have fallen short of the glory of God and not to expect things to be much different there. -rlr
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