Public Education

I am sure that you all are very proud of your children and I am glad that they are doing so well being homeschooled.

I could list all the accomplishments of my grandchildren who are in public school. They attended a Christian School for a few years, but with five, it was a little pricey, so the parents placed them in the best public schools in town. The parents have always been involved in educating their children. Yes, they are Christian parents and most of the teachers are Christian teachers. I can't say that they all are, but probably. Most of them go to one of the Baptist churches in town

As to the teaching of evolution, you should have read the essay that my granddaughter wrote based on her Christian beliefs. She made an A on it.

I think the important thing is what one poster said, be sure to decide what is best for your children, your family; what your family can afford, and stay involved with your children's education.

 

I can't answer this question because I do not know what is best for your children.

I do think this is the parents' responsibility and it can be done even if a child goes to public school.

 

Yes, I think you are right. I do homeschool and I love it, but I do not believe homeschooling is right for everyone. I think we all need to respect each other's decisions.

I homeschool because I cannot afford the Christian schools and I think homeschooling is an excellent option for that. If somehow I could afford a Christian school, I don't know if I'd send my girls or not. I love the family closeness of homeschooling, yet some of my fondest memories are from the 4 years I was in a Christian school. I was in public schools for the rest of the time. My education in the public schools was good, but the problem I had was with the rest of the kids. If it was that bad then (goodness, I sound old!), then how is it now?

I am here in the Deep South, and to my knowledge, there is no homosexuality or anything like that being taught, but I know things like this is prevalent elsewhere.

HSMOM3

 

In all honesty, by posting the activities that our children are involved in I didn't mean that my children were somehow better than others who have come through the public school. It was mostly in response to the erroneous belief that somehow HS children are shy, can't interact with their peers or others in society, can't meet the real world as they grow, and won't be able to cope and handle things. Most HS children are given ample opportunity to interact in society.

When it comes to evolution and such, as a mother of five children, I did want to point out that it was not easy to keep up with all that they might be taught that goes against the Lord. That is my utmost concern.

Julia

 

I think socialization is a very outdated concern about homeschooling,in general....like you have stated Julia,there is no homeschool stereotype...we all are very different and do many things with our time. But,socializiation was a reason for us to homeschool....we did not want our children to be influenced by their peers at such a constant bombardment...(8 hours a day is a bit much to be with peers,watching and learning bad habits,etc). We desired for our children to be influenced greater by mom and dad at home using the Bible as our guide. Evne in Elem school,my oldest would come home and tell me the things the children were saying and talking about(these were*christian* children,by the way)...that was a big wake up call for us. Boyfriend/girlfriend things were emphasized,homosexuality was talked about among the children....the children were overall very disrespectful to eachother and teachers...I witnessed this on many occassions(I was always homeroom mother)...there were just a lot of concerns about the negative socialization aspect of public school. Still,the schools were good...I had some other concerns.

 

Reading these posts has reminded me of another reason why I oppose government schools. If all children were in private schools or home-schooled, then each family could have their children educated based on their values. But because most children are in government schools, different groups with different and opposing agendas fight over whose values the government schools are going to teach.

By the way, we do not have children so this is not an issue I have personally needed to wrestle over. We do have dogs. They are all home-schooled and some attend private organization classes.

 

I know it's been 9 years, but I'm trying to remember what values we were taught in school. Honesty, integrity . . . those sorts of things, that are generally valued by everyone, regardless of your religion or lack thereof. And really, active lessons about such things stopped before 5th grade. After that, they were reinforced via the rules (you lied to a teacher, you got deterntion, etc), but we didn't get any specific lessons on values once we got into middle and high school.

We did read various books, and there were value lessons there, but they weren't always overt, and we had many disagreements in class about what the lesson was supposed to be, and whether or not it was even a valid, valuable lesson.

My American history teacher did, once a month, let us have an open forum on a topic of the class' choosing, but he just moderated. We talked the issues out ourselves - homosexuality was one, premarital sex another, abortion, slavery, military, political parties . . . we covered a lot of ground.

 

Again, in my original post, I did not say that I am giving my daughters over to the government in order to teach them some agenda. Rather, I join in conjunction with teachers in a cooperation that allows my daughters to be taught the things that they will need to know (eg. reading, math, writing, the arts, music, physical ed, etc.). If I find ANYTHING objectionable in what they teach, then I will certainly take action.

So far, my daughters' publics school teachers have not taught them that homosexuality is all right, or that evolution is absolute fact. I cannot deny that some schools in other parts of the country may have an "agenda," and if they do then perhaps you may need to homeschool. But if you do not come across this, then any suggestion of an "agenda" is nothing more than paranoia.

To conclude, I would like to share with you a scenario that may happen. My daughter comes home and says, "Dad, the teacher said that homosexuality is all right, and that fundamentalist Christians are all weirdo nuts." I reply, "Well, girl, what do you think about what was said?" My daughter answers, "Well, Dad, to be honest, I didn't agree with what the teacher said. I have read my Bible and I have talked about this matter with you, and so I just don't buy what the teacher said." And then the teacher would be hearing from this weirdo nut.


mozier

 

I would just like to say, I am very Thankful for the teachers my children have had. Wonderful people. Some who really bent over backwards to make sure my kids understood things, especially when something might have been a little difficult. Coming in early to help, or staying later. It meant a lot to me and to my kids.

I know 4 of my childrens teachers I attended church with, and 3 different people I attended church with, teach at different schools. All give wonderful meaning to the word reward. For they certainly were to my children. My children learned a lot.

My Son last year gave the opening Prayer at his Graduation in front of several thousand people. To which I gave thanks and all glory to God! And he attended a Public School.

God bless
Sherrie

 

Mozier, Good for you.

Sherrie, that is a wonderful story, especially about your son leading the prayer.

 

Ken, what time are you talking about that you think we'll never get back to? Government in America has ALWAYS been involved in education. When the settlers first came here there were no schools of course, but it was a primary concern. Some places were sending their children to a mother in the neighborhood who could teach them until the government began organizing and setting up schools. True, the main concern at first was survival skills, but it didn't release the parents from being concerned about other types of education. One of the first things governments that were established did was require that parents teach their kids a trade, there never seems to have been a point in time apart from prior to the establishment of local government where there was no parental responsibiity toward government to have their children educated.

HCL, you mentioned something to the effect of "since when are we allowed biblically to let the government school our kids". My question is since when was that not allowed? In other words, what is your scriptural basis for saying kids of Christian families shouldn't attend a public school?
Gina

 

Hello Gina,
God did not give authority to the government to teach children in my understanding. He did give that authority to the parents, always.

I will qualify that with I know there are cases when homeschooling is not possible. But, many times it is possible for Christian families, but they choose otherwise.

The verses that I am using for this are Romans 13:1-7. Verse four tells us the purpose of the government. To bear the sword on anyone who practices evil. And verse seven being the one that tells us to render what is due to them, tax.

Even Jesus said that we are to render to Caesar what is Caesars. I know that children of born again parents are not Caesars. They never were and never will be. Matt 22:17-21.

1 Peter 2:13-14. Again we are told of the governments purpose. God gave them authority to punish evildoers, not educate children.

The task for training children is always directed at the father. Duet 6, Psalm 78:3-7, Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us, We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord....which he commanded our fathers, that they shall make them known to their children. THAT THE GENERATION TO COME MIGHT KNOW THEM, even the children which should be born......AND MIGHT NOT BE AS THEIR FATHERS, A STUBBORN AND REBELLIOUS GENERATION...." Ephesians 4:28, "Fathers, do not provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

 

Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject to the higher authorities. For there is no authority but of God; the authorities that exist are ordained by God.

Rom 13:2 So that the one resisting the authority resists the ordinance of God; and the ones who resist will receive judgment to themselves.

Rom 13:3 For the rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the bad. And do you desire to be not afraid of the authority? Do the good, and you shall have praise from it.

Rom 13:4 For it is a servant of God to you for good. For if you practice evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword in vain; for it is a servant of God, a revenger for wrath on him who does evil.

Rom 13:5 Therefore you must be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake.

Rom 13:6 For because of this you also pay taxes. For they are God's servants, always giving attention to this very thing.

Rom 13:7 Therefore give to all their dues; to the one due tax, the tax; tribute to whom tribute is due, fear to whom fear is due, and honor to whom honor is due.


Sherrie

 

This argument simply doesn't hold water. Where in the Scripture is authority given for the government to build roads?

 

Terry,
I already gave Scripture supporting the fathers role in edcuation. And so far I have not seen any that support the fact that the government teaches children. If there is one I am sincerely interested in reading it.

Yes, we are to obey government but even Peter did not obey the government when it went against what the Bible says. He was told to never preach the gospel again and he did.


This happens too often in public schools: Collossians 2:8, "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of this world, and not after Christ."

 

I believe that this is an area where the individual families should pray for wisdom in making the right decision. There is so much variation in the quality of public, private, religous, and homeschooling options. There is also so much variety in terms of children's interests, strengths, and weaknesses. There is no one size fits all for this situation.

Personally, I attended private school through tenth grade and then attended a public boarding school for the gifted for my last two years. My family and I made the decisions for me to attend the schools based on what programs were best for me at that time. If I were growing up in my hometown now, we might have made different decisions.

I never felt that I had values imposed on me in public school although I did encounter a situation in which a particular variety of Christianity (the "do you know that you know that you know" variety of undermining faith) while in private school. So situations in which teachings which are contrary to the beliefs of a family can occur in any situation. In my particular situation, I had been taught both by my parents and by certain teachers how to think and reach my own conclusions about the situation and not let it compromise my personal beliefs.

 

I teach in the public schools, (and am proud of it), and have never known anyone to promote an agenda of sorts. Students do, however, need to be exposed to different ideas. This does not need to amount to indoctrination, but they will come into contact with other ideas and need to know how to deal with them. That is why it is imperative for the parents to be involved in their childs life and to be sure they have a solid foundation in the Word. We do not, however, need to shelter them from things they will be exposed to later in life, in my opinion.

I respect anyone's decision to send their child to private school or to homeschool, but there is nothing wrong with sending your child to public school, but stay involved no matter where they are. The number one complaint I have as a teacher is the lack of parents who care about their child....the majority really don't...not the majority here, but in the world.

 

I teach in the public school arena. If the public education system is teaching children to "never preach the gospel" then it is wrong. To the best of my memory the school system I work at has never taught this absurdity to children.

 

I have never seen any of that either.

Matter of fact I know of three different Public School Districts where there is a Bible club for High School Students. And at our school, Middle Schools and under have Accelerated Reading Programs, and books of the Bible are on the A.R. list.

I also know that when it is Prayer around the flag pole, almost every student who is able to, mets at the Flag Pole, along with most teachers.

The Public Schools in our District also have an acting Pastor on hand to offer counseling to any student who ask for it, and also during a death of a student, students family member, or during a tragic time.

I also know that my children say grace before every meal, regardless of whether they are at McDonalds, or at home, or at School.

I do agree that teaching our children the Bible is important, and is the parents responsiblity. I for one, enjoy teaching my children this. I do not think I would want anyone else teaching that to my children. But it is a process that is not just for 1 hour a day. It is taught all along in everything they do.

And whats the since in them knowing it, if they nerver get to use, and experience what they know.

I am very Thankful for the people who have taught my children at Public Schools. I also know there are board meetings, and elected board members to help with any situation if the need be.

I also know because my children meet other children through Public School, I take several to church, and they have gotten saved and baptized. And then once this happens the childrens parents of some of these kids start coming too.

I have taken up to ten kids in my car at one time. 2 were mine. of the 8, 8 got saved and attend regular. One family is now attending with 2 of these children.

Sherrie