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Public Schooling and Self-Fulfilling Prophecies
- 12/17/07
- 79
I spent some time this weekend reading Al Mohler’s forthcoming book, Culture Shift (set for a mid-January release). In an endorsement of this book, John Piper writes, “Albert Mohler is a steady guide, unremittingly clear-headed.” This is a fair assessment. Anyone who reads and enjoys Mohler’s blog, will find this book is more of the same—commentary from the junction of faith and culture. In fact, many of the book’s twenty chapters are based upon Mohler’s previous commentary at his blog. It is a good book and one I benefited from reading. It has given me a lot to think about and, as you’ll see today, plenty to write about.
In June of 2005, Mohler wrote an article titled “Needed: An Exit Strategy” and discussed the issue of public education and the Southern Baptist Convention. At that time, for the second year in a row, a resolution was “submitted to the denomination’s Committee on Resolutions, calling for Christians to reconsider support for the nation’s public school system.” Dr. Mohler begins with this article and adapts it in the ninth chapter of Culture Shift. Here he says “Christians parents are increasingly aware that the public schools are prime battlegrounds for cultural conflict. Given the deep ideological chasm that separates the worldviews and expectations of many educators from those held by many parents, we should not be surprised by the vitriolic nature of this conflict.” He believes that the near future of public education will prove increasingly hostile to Christians and traditional values.
Examples of the downgrade of public education abound. He provides several examples. For example, he writes about King & King, a parable of homosexual marriage in which a young price decides he wishes to marry his true love, which in this case is another prince. This book has been read to seven year-olds in Massachusetts. He writes also of children who were sent home with “diversity book bags” to help teach that there is no such thing as a “normal” family and that all family structures are equal in value. And he writes of the national “Day of Silence” now supported in many high schools—a day organized by homosexual activists. These are not just extreme and isolated examples but are, more and more, becoming common.
“The breakdown of the public-school system is a national tragedy,” he writes. “An honest assessment of any history of public education in America must acknowledge the success of the common school vision in breaking down ethnic, economic, and racial barriers. The schools have brought hundreds of millions of American children into a democracy of common citizenship. Tragically, that vision was displaced by an ideologically driven attempt to force a radically secular worldview.” What was once one of America’s great strengths is now beginning to lead to her moral breakdown.
Because of these factors, Mohler believes that it is time for Christians to leave the public school system and that homeschooling and Christian schooling are alternatives all Christian parents should consider. Those who are not yet ready to make the move should, at the very least, have an exit strategy in place. In his original article, Mohler writes this:
I believe that now is the time for responsible Southern Baptists to develop an exit strategy from the public schools. This strategy would affirm the basic and ultimate responsibility of Christian parents to take charge of the education of their own children. The strategy would also affirm the responsibility of churches to equip parents, support families, and offer alternatives. At the same time, this strategy must acknowledge that Southern Baptist churches, families, and parents do not yet see the same realities, the same threats, and the same challenges in every context. Sadly, this is almost certainly just a matter of time.
In the book he changes the statement only to increase the scope from Southern Baptists to all Christians. It is time, he believes, to leave the schools. Or at the very least, it is time for parents to consider the alternatives and what factors would drive them to these alternatives.
As I’ve indicated in the past, Aileen and I choose to place our children in public schools. We do not do so lightly and certainly not without some trepidation. Yet, because of factors I’ve outlined elsewhere, we feel this is the best thing we can do right now. Every year we re-evaluate. While we do not have a firm exit strategy, one that says “precisely under these conditions we will withdraw from the public schools,” we do keep a close eye on what our children are being taught and do not take for granted that they will remain in the public system indefinitely. We benefit, I believe, from our province’s highly-regulated system where the curricula are consistent throughout the entire system. We benefit also from knowing teachers and from pressing them to understand what children are being taught and what ideology is behind it. We have been very pleased with almost all of the teachers we’ve met so far.
If the time comes that we feel it would be right to take our children out of the public education system, I will be left with two great and related concerns I would need to reconcile. The first is this. If all of the Christians withdraw from the public schooling system, it seems to me that we lose our ability and even our right to speak to that system and to influence it. Though the political system is terribly corrupt, Christians continue to be involved and continue to vote, knowing that only in this way will we have any influence. Yet in the schooling system many wish to withdraw. But when we do so, I fear, we lose any right we might have to correct or influence. As Christians we look to better not only our own lives, but the lives of those around us. We look to be a transformative influence. If schools truly are “prime battlegrounds for cultural conflicts,” as Dr. Mohler states, why would we purposely remove ourselves from them? Why would we give up and retreat from this battleground? If this is where the hearts and minds of generations of citizens will be formed, why would we take no interest in it? If we retreat, we lose our voice.
And from there I think we will see as well that the downfall of the public education system becomes almost a self-fulfilling prophecy. When I look at the examples Dr. Mohler provides—examples of all kinds of ugly things that happen in the public schools, I realize that things in Canada do not seem so bad. Canada is a very liberal nation and, by rights, it should be in worse shape than in America. Yet I do not see that this is the case. Yes, there are occasional stories that strike fear in this parent’s heart, but it seems that our education system is less corrupt than that of our neighbors to the south. And I can’t help but wonder if this owes to the fact that fewer Canadian Christians have exited the public schools. While the homeschool movement, following the American trend, is beginning to catch on in Canada, and while it seems that homeschooling is fast becoming the favored or even the default option for conservative Christians, this is largely a recent development. With Christian schools notoriously underfunded and overpriced, and with homeschooling not an option many believers have even considered, most Canadian Christians have kept their children in public schools. They have maintained their voice and their influence. When all the Christians leave, we would expect the schools to decline. And perhaps this is what we are seeing in the United States. Perhaps Christians are inadvertently contributing to the decline.
I wonder sometimes about a “Genesis 18” principle. In Genesis 18 we read of Abraham interceding for Sodom and for his people in that city. “Then Abraham drew near and said, ‘Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?’” Abraham asks God, pesters God even, whether God will preserve the city for the sake of the righteous. Will God preserve the city because His people are in it? God answers in the affirmative. And is it possible, I wonder, that the Canadian system has been preserved more than its American counterpart because God’s people have remained there? Perhaps this is a long shot; perhaps I am abusing the text and the principle it teaches; but I can’t help but wonder. Would we not expect God to preserve an institution where His people are present and are attempting to make inroads for His glory?
At any rate, Aileen and I continue to keep our children in public schools and continue to wonder if the day will come when this is no longer something we can do in good conscience. I believe that Dr. Mohler is right and that we will need to arrive at an exit strategy. Yet I hope this is never a strategy we need to put into action. I hope and pray that Canadian Christians will find that they can continue to place their children in public schools and that, as parents, they can continue to serve within the schools, to make their voices heard, and to positively influence this prime cultural battleground for the glory of God.
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I worship and serve as a pastor at 
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Comments (79)
Tim,
first, thank you for sharing your thoughts on this yet again, and for allowing the discussion. This is an important decision for every Christian parent, and for many it is posts/articles just like yours (and the following discussions) that go a long way toward helping parents make their decisions.
Numerous factors of course play into this (your local school district, your involvement and/or ability to be involved in your child’s education, the support or lack of support of your church, spouse, extended family, financial situation, etc.), and it’s a very personal decision that each family has to make based on careful consideration and prayer over each of the factors involved.
One of the things I do find striking is that the idea that kids from Christian homes are automatically considered Christian kids (by parents and church youth workers), and will therefore be the salt and light that I think we all agree is desperately needed to make an impact in their local schools. Carol commented here that with her experience working with a large youth group:
” I would say, out of our very large youth group, probably 80% of the kids you would not identify as Christians if you were to see them in their public school settings, based on how they dress, the music they listen to, their speech, etc.”
Keeping in mind this refers to highschool aged kids who have been raised up in Christian homes, for the most part. If they are like this by the time they reach their teen years (and from my own personal experience I would agree that 80% is a pretty fair stat), you have to wonder what their Christian maturity level is at 6, or 10, or 12, in the public elementary school setting. If by 16 they are more easily mistaken for any other unsaved kid (and so easily influenced by the worldly things they face every day), you really have to question the wisdom of having them immersed in such an ungodly surrounding for so many years. It certainly does take it’s toll on them, and I know many Christian parents who through tears, still pray about these decisions years later, hoping the Lord might be gracious to somehow undo the damage done.
While I would certainly say we should consistantly reinforce Christian principles and encourage our children in Christian education (as in family devotions, prayer, Bible reading, discussion, etc.) I would caution against saying these are “Christian kids” simply because they come from homes where the parents are.
Indeed we do homeschool (8 years this month) and we have 7 beautiful children between the ages of 25 and 4. We haven’t “arrived” but we’ve been around this education/parental block enough times to see first hand what it’s like at various ages and maturity levels (with our own kids as well as with others), and it’s been a real eye opener.
Just a few thoughts, for what it’s worth.
Carla said: “If by 16 they are more easily mistaken for any other unsaved kid (and so easily influenced by the worldly things they face every day), you really have to question the wisdom of having them immersed in such an ungodly surrounding for so many years.”and
” I would caution against saying these are “Christian kids” simply because they come from homes where the parents are.”
Right and right. In addition, someone else mentioned God’s call and sovereignty in each person’s life regarding salvation - schooling choice being completely irrelevent when this is considered.
I’m thinking that the choice of schooling has more of a role in the growth and maturity process and (I’m hoping and praying) to prevent some unwise choices and promote better family relationships. I agree with those in the family-integrated church movement who say that the so-called generation gap and the problems associated with adolecence are the result of sin and need to be dealt with as such rather than indulged as a phase that is a “healthy” part of growing up.
It is a personal choice.
Our choice was to homeschool them up to the 7th grade and then put them into a good public school.
I personally think that the years leading up to the 7th grade are the most critical years of their spiritual formation.
I do not believe we (christians) are to give up on the public school system. Just like the office of the president, it is worth fighting for.
Tim,53 comments already - you clearly touched a nerve on this post. My wife and I decided to pull our children from public school this year. We had a variety of reasons for doing so, but primarily the decision was based on issues that we had seen/heard in the school over the prior year. An additional factor was to teach our children biblically. The impact has been dramatic.
We are using a biblical based curriculum and they are in God’s word daily as a part of the largest block of their day. Much more so than when they were in a private Christian school as well (obviously) as when they were in a public school. After beginning homeschooling, I came across the statistic below:94% of homeschoolers keep the faith and 93% continue to attend church after the high school years. But a shocking 75% to 85% of Christian children sent to public school drop out of church, and do not hold a Christian worldview after high school graduation.
That alone would be a huge factor in making the decision if we were making it again. I would encourage you to try it for a year. I believe that once you have seen first hand the affect it can have on your children’s lives, you would not hesitate to continue.
We are still in the lives of unbelievers. Our children participate in extra-curricular activites with unbelievers. However, our children are not educated by unbelievers with a secular world view.
Tim,
I worked in the public school system (in the USA) as a school psychologist for six years. My wife taught high school English and Spanish for eight years. However, we have decided to homeschool our children in order to provide them with a Christ-centered education.
I ask the following question not in an adversarial or argumentative manner. I really just want to know.
When parents send their kids to public school, at a practical level how do they ensure that their children are receiving an education that places Christ at the center? In the USA at least, the best the school system can provide is a secular education for seven hours a day. How does a parent deal with this?
Thanks, Eric
Our family has done it all…public school, private school and homeschool. Each has it’s strengths and weaknesses. We are back in public school again and this is what I take from our family’s experiences: that parents are ultimately responsible to monitor what their children are being taught and make sure they understand the difference between Christian beliefs and the world’s beliefs. My children and I have had some wonderful conversations in the car on the way to and from school about spiritual issues that come out of something they heard from their teachers in the secular school system.
There is no reason to be afraid of what’s being taught in our public schools. The Bible teaches that He that is in you is greater than He that is in the world. Christians win in the end!
There is no reason to be afraid of what’s being taught in our public schools. The Bible teaches that He that is in you is greater than He that is in the world. Christians win in the end!
Yes, but how many parents falsely assume that He that is in them is already in their young children, and that they are able and ready to defend that presumed faith out in the world of wolves and haters of God?
Eunice said, “My children and I have had some wonderful conversations in the car on the way to and from school about spiritual issues that come out of something they heard from their teachers in the secular school system. ”
By sending kids to school, aren’t parents subtly sending them the message that the teachers are smarter than mom and dad? You’ve taught your children everything they need to know from the moment they left the womb, then suddenly, at age 6, they need professionals, because mom and dad can no longer handle the job. Obviously, parents don’t SAY this to their children, I’m just saying that it is the message they may be getting.
Could this contribute to a lot of teenage rebellion? How many teenagers think their parents are really stupid? Did that problem exist when the values of the teachers mirrored the values of the parents (or before there was widespread compulsory education)?
These teachers, who are perceived to be smarter than the parents, are put in authority over the children all day long and their viewpoints reign supreme in the classroom. If the teacher is an unbeliever, the Bible has a lot of words to describe that person. None of those adjectives is a synonym for “wise”.
After beginning homeschooling, I came across the statistic below: 94% of homeschoolers keep the faith and 93% continue to attend church after the high school years. But a shocking 75% to 85% of Christian children sent to public school drop out of church, and do not hold a Christian worldview after high school graduation.
I would certainly not argue for complacency in the education of our children. However, if God is sovereign and will save His elect, can we hold to a belief that our “choice” to homeschool or send to public school will frustrate His plan?
“Is it not the case that you pay tax dollars to the system whether you use it or not? That’s what happens in Canada at any rate. Whether we use the schools or not, we pay towards them. Thus leaving the schools makes no discernible difference to the bottom line of the school boards!”
Not true!!
School boards receive monies on a per capita basis; so much for each student. By removing your students from the pool you have reduced the funding available to them. Granted this will probably only make a small difference.
However, if you look at the issue of schooling from a practical standpoint consider this; how do you compare one hour per day of parental influence with 6-8 hrs of teacher and peer influence? Can you truly impart everything your child needs in one hour a day?
Will you have the energy and determination to debrief you children everyday about the lies they have been taught by the experts? What about the immoral assault they face…will they become numb to course language and filthy jokes? Why do you expect your children to be the missionaries you yourself are not?
Were your children in a “holiday program” at school this year?
What are your thoughts on what that teaches them?
Greg (#59),No one knows for certain that their child will be elect. We don’t know for sure that it is part of God’s sovereign plan to save a particular child. We can trust God, but also have to act in our child’s best interest.
Romans 10:14 says “And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”
We don’t argue that since the elect will be saved, we have no need to preach to them. Instead, we should share the gospel responsibly and pray. God will save his elect, but we are responsible to do everything we can to preach to the lost. Likewise, if we have children, we have to make wise decisions about what is the best way to bring them up. We cannot use God’s sovereignty as an reason to say our choices don’t matter.
I was public schooled. Public schooling does not guarentee apostacy, and neither does homeschooling guarentee good education. However, if it is an option, I think homeschooling is probably the best choice.
My three children all received their educations in public schools. My two sons have now graduated from public universities and moved into the public workforce. My daughter is a senior in high school. I’m convinced they are strong young Christians today because they learned to work through the many difficult decisions and influences in their formative years with our assistance. The benefit of public schools is that children work through peer pressure, intellectual attacks on their faith, and all kinds of temptations with their parents’ prayerful support while at home. Students in private Christian schools will eventually face these situations but without their parents guidance and without the opportunity for training. Furthermore, my wife is a school teacher, my daughter will become a school teacher, my sister was a school teacher (retired), my aunt and uncle (a bi-vocational pastor) were school teachers (retired), and three cousins are all school teachers. The answer is not an exit strategy, but an infiltration strategy. The Christian Church needs to purposely prepare and send out young Christian teachers into the public school system. This ought to be our same strategy for other public institutions as well. I don’t think Christ is honored and nor are our children made safer by giving ground.
Very thought-provoking post, Tim. I can see good reasons to have an “exit strategy” and I can see good reasons to try to “infiltrate” the schools. There is also the matter of preparing children for university-level education. There are, unfortunately, public school systems that simply don’t have the capacity to prepare children for the best colleges or the most rigorous collegiate programs. I believe the answer for Christian parents is unique to each school system, and each family, and even each child.
I have been a public school teacher for nearly 9 years and view my position as very important. Not only do I teach curriculum to students, but I represent Christ in how I live my life before students. Christian students also have this tremendous opportunity. I have two additional thoughts. First, I think you have to look at the whole system to properly evaluate it. If you are going to consider these examples of Christianity under attack, you must also look at the systems permission for Christian practice. For example, I lead two bible studies every week where Christian students and faculty get together to study the bible, encourage one another, and pray for the school. These types of activities happen across the nation. Second, public education provides a great opportunity for parents to shepherd their children through the perils of life in a sinful world. Sheltering a child through high school does not prepare them for college. Even if they go to a Christian college, they will eventually have to navigate an unsaved world. Teaching young students to do this helps them when they are older and independent.
“Sheltering a child through high school does not prepare them for college.”
I assume this means homeschoolers are sheltered and unprepared for college. My homeschooled 21-year old is about to graduate from a public university with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He is number one academically in his class. His next career move is to get a Ph.D.
My homeschooled 19-year old is in her second year at a public college and she is the editor of the student newspaper. She recently encountered some false teaching in a history textbook regarding the role of the Apostle Paul in shaping Christianity. When that question appeared on an exam, she took the time to explain how Paul was not spreading a different message than what Christ taught. She did that because she said, “The truth needs to be told.” She risked getting a lower grade and actually got some negative remarks from the professor; however, she still got an A in the class.
I think homeschooling prepared my kids for college.
Ralph, congratulations. While I’m not concerned about the academic focus, your child’s demonstration of discernment is probably due to the fact that you did not shelter, or should I qualify that statement with over-shelter your child. I do think that the typical design of homeschool does foster overprotection for kids. But that’s not to say that all homeschoolers do this. My church is full of homeschoolers to intentionally expose their children to challenging situations, but this does not speak for the majority. I think that the public school setting forces students to deal with these issues while the parents are there. To be fair and accurate, this only works when parents fulfill their parental responsibilities. Many Christian parents don’t support their children and this ends up in the same place as overprotection; kids do not take ownership of their faith and they are not able to discern spiritual challenges.
We cannot totally escape temptation. Children would face temptation even if they lived alone on a desert island, because their hearts are sinful. But I don’t think that means we take no measures to avoid temptation.
The argument for public schooling made in a couple of posts above (e.g. Tandy Vaughn, #63) is that children are best placed to face temptation with the help of their parents, rather than being isolated and facing temptation alone later on in life. I agree that this many children do withstand the pressures in public school. I got through public school with my faith intact. However, if the figures Voddie Baucham quotes in his talk The Centrality of the Home are correct, most children of Christian parents are leaving the church as the grown up.
I think this argument for public schooling is flawed.A child of 8 or 10 presumably knows less about the Bible than someone of 15 or 18 - especially if parents are taking responsibility to teach the Bible to their children, as Scripture commands:
“These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” — Deuteronomy 6:6-7
Someone who knows the Bible is better equipped to withstand temptation than someone who does not:
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” — Psalm 119:11
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” — 2 Timothy 3:16-17
As Tim Challies has said:”The Bible is the weapon God gives us to defeat the Devil. By memorizing Scripture I can keep my mind filled with the weapon I need to defeat the temptations Satan throws at me.”
I am not aware that the Bible ever advocates exposing ourselves to temptation as a way to avoid it - kind of like an immunization.
Where’s the call for Christians to stand up against the injustice of public schools in low-income areas? Shouldn’t we be on the front lines of helping inner-city kids get equal education opportunities as those in the suburbs?
I’d like to see the Church champion that cause.
SolShine7,Some research in the UK suggests that if people in low income are were encouraged to homeschool, they may be able to academically out perform their wealthier peers in public schools.
I would like to see Christian schools be more affordable. Covenant Life School (associated with Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland), for example has a Tuition Assistance Fund to provide aid to families with a demonstrated financial need.
If low income households, which have a high population of single parents (according to the U.S. census) became homeschoolers, they would be no income households. I wonder what percentage of low income earners feel forced to public school while preferring to private or homeschool and what can be done to provide an option to those families.
As for your #68 post, I agree that the Bible doesn’t say to intentionally go out an expose yourself to temptation; because we don’t have to. Temptation doesn’t start out there, it starts when one is carried away by his own desires (James 1:14-15) “Out there” may provide opportunities to be tempted, and in this case, homeschooling can merely serve as a delay to the inevitable opportunity, whereas public schooling would manifest the opportunity while the students is still under the direct care of the parent. As for memorizing Scripture (which is of the utmost importance), wouldn’t it be better for a student to wrestle with temptation when the parent is there and can help their child apply the Scripture they’ve memorized, in other words, learn how to use the sword that they have?
Here is what Robert Parham, executive director of the Baptist Center for Ethics had to say on this issue:
“The anti-public education agenda fits nicely with the anti-women, anti-science, anti-Disney, anti-everything ideology within the SBC,” Parham said. “That agenda runs counter to the best of the goodwill tradition within Baptist life that seeks the welfare of the public square.”
He left out “anti-race”
Tandy,I hope you are not taking Robert Parham’s comments seriously. I think many homeschooling mum’s would be surprised to hear that they are anti-women, and Voddie Baucham would be surprised to his that his advocating homeschooling is racist.
I don’t know Robert Parham, but this is what he wrote. I do think that there is an “anti-everything ideology within the SBC” and I do think that there is an anti-race and probably anti-lower socioeconomic level element in the push to pull out of public schools. “Element” by definition does not include every individual.
#71—Not completely true. My sister’s husband left her and their two children when the kids were 2 and 5. With the help of family and a wonderful church body, she has been able to homeschool them. They are now 14 1/2 and 17 and she is still homeschooling them.If the body of Christ functioned properly, a whole heck of a lot more single parents could homeschool! But the truth is people aren’t willing to serve and sacrafice themselves for others the way we are called to and exampled by our Savior.
Also, up until 150yrs or so ago….people did just fine sharing the gospel and being lights in the world WITHOUT the public school system. Almost all children were educated at home for thousands of years….yet the Gospel spread and as Christians we were able to share just fine. There are plenty of ways to be lights in the world outside of the public school system.I heartily agree with those who have mentioned the fact that the majority of the time, our children are unregenerate when they start school…and stay that way for many years. How can they be lights when they themselves are still in darkness? I understand that it may give the parents an opportunity…but Dad is at work, and Mom has a neighborhood full of unsaved people as well. As a homeschooler, I actually prayed that God would bring an opportunity to me, or show me some way I could be sharing the Gospel. He ended up dropping my unsaved sister-in-law into our home for a year where I got the chance to minister and share the Gospel, and indeed the Lord used that and captured her heart and the heart of the man she was dating and married this past March.
Choosing the right education for our children should be about the best education we can get for our children. But, before that, I as a Christian should clearly define what education is. Is ‘education’ defined differently from publics than privates, homeshooling? The State controlled system’s goal in the US is run by capitalism/MONEY. So in this case, educations goal is getting jobs and shoveling dough into the market, then we are happy. The Christian education goal, I hope to be, faithfulness to the Christian goal, Glorifying Christ.
When my one year old is 10, 20 and then 30 I could care less about his job and the money he pumps into the market. But, if at 30 he loves Jesus, faithfully serves the church, sacrifices for his wife and gives his all for Jesus, I’m happy and he will be eternally happy.
To me, a Christian parent, Education’s success is defined by faithfulness to Christ. We love to split stuff that never should have been split when Math, Science, History and dodge ball are all Christ’s.
I agree with those who say it should be a “case by case basis.” It is a generalization to say that “all public schools are bad.” Just as Tim’s community seems to have a decent educational system, so, too, does my community. Currently, my children are in a Christian school and my wife teaches there. However, the actual “education” of the school leaves much to be desired. In addition, the Christianity that is espoused there is rife with Legalism. What are we teaching our children when we simply back away from culture because they are acting just as we would expect them to act? Didn’t Jesus tell us that the world would “hate us because it hates Him?” I can’t help but agree with Tim and believe that Christians have spent far too many years now retreating and backing away from society. So much so that, indeed, in Science, the intellectual arena and the war of ideas, Christians have lost their credibility and voice. Someone mentioned that they fear “what their children are NOT being taught (assuming Biblical principles) but I certainly don’t want a public school teaching the Bible….do you? I am confident that the Christian education that my children receive at home and at our local Church is sufficient to prepare and equip them for their life’s journey. If we teach them that we are to be Salt and Light to a lost and dying world, and then, in our actions, force them to retreat from the same Lost and Dying world, we do Christ, our children and the Lost and Dying world a GREAT DISSERVICE! This is why, after the next semester, all of our children will be attending public school. Certainly, this is a matter of conscience and a blanket statement like that from Mohler (with whom I almost always agree) is just a sweeping generalization that may not always apply.
mikbry24,
Will you be sending your children to *any* public school or will there be some criteria as to what is and isn’t acceptable? If school A is acceptable and B is not, then doesn’t it follow that you have backed away from the culture in some sense by rejecting school B?
Challies, have you considered that perhaps demographics have a lot to do with the difference between the caliber of the American schools vs. the Canadian ones?
Also, as a historical tidbit (I do not know if it was this way in Canada as well), in the US, up until the mid-1800’s, most kids were schooled at home—-and the literacy rate was much higher. Only when the Fabians FORCED public schooling on parents (many of whom, knowing their constitutional rights, at first resisted—-which unleashed the militia on them!), did the public school eventually become the “standard.”
I do not think that the public school is a proper “fighting ground” for Christians, since the children are the “soldiers” and basically get massacred.
And this naive idea that God perhaps “preserved” the Canadian schools bec. the Christians didn’t withdraw: well, pray tell, why did American Christian parent withdraw in the first place? Bec. they were wise as serpents and saw the coming trajectory, way back when (a perspicuity that reminiscent of the Jews in Germany who already in ‘33 or ‘34 emigrated). They recognized the godlessness of the public “schools” and immediately acted accordingly.