SBC to continue sacrificing children?

Just a couple of questions intended to foster discussion.


First, the proposed resolution did not exactly tell families how to educate their children. The AP story linked in the OP starts out this way:

The resolution did not even call for an exodus. It did call for churches to begin thinking about how they could help families who need to leave the public schools in their area. So, what's wrong with asking churches to think about these issues?


Second, if it is not the place of the SBC to instruct families how to educate their children, then why is it the place of the SBC to instruct people what to drink? What should the SBC say and what should it not say? Where do you draw the line?

 

I got a question then: Why shouldn't the SBC be discussing how they could improve the public schools in their areas instead of exiting.

 

That's exactly what the SBC just asked their churches to do. Is that all that needs to be done?

 

Everything you just said is 100% correct. The resolution would not have even done what James seems to think it would had it passed. There was nothing wrong with the resolution. It was a great resolution and I reckon the SBC probably rejected it because they didn't want to offend anyone. They threw wise judgment out the window for the sake of unity and political correctness.

Joseph Botwinick

 

What makes you think that leaving the schools is not a great way to improve them? I think that charter schools may be a good idea in many cases.

 

This doesn't seem geared to improving public schools at all.

 

I would say this would have been the right thing to do.

But these things are met with the rhetoric and scare tactics of how bad the schools are and instead of tackling the problem it would have ended up in a retreat, no doubt.
My kids have been to 4 different schools because of the growing population and our location and I have NEVER seen this:

My nephew also just graduated top in his HS class from another district and during his speech he quoted scripture and no one so much as blinked an eye.

 

Benjamin,

This resolution was not meant to call for a mass exodus from the public schools. Even one of the supporters of the resolution, Al Mohler, acknowledged that there are good Public Schools that still teach the kids and provide safe environments for learning. The purpose of this resolution was to encourage folks to start planning for the worse, but to rejoice if it didn't happen. Where I live right now, I am planning now for my 3 year old to financially be able to go to private school when he gets in Middle School. I know it seems nice to say let them be light in the darkness, but I am not going to subject my child to an unsafe environment at school. Things could change in 8 years and I may decide to let my son go to Public School, and if so, Praise the Lord for the extra money he will have for College. I am glad you have had a good experience in your local public school, but you must realize that all schools are different from area to area, and even from administration to administration (when there are changes).

Joseph Botwinick

 

Joseph,

You surely have to do what you think right for your child. I’m sure you’re more informed than me about this proposition but I become suspicious from the wording I see as the true goal being to pull out of the public system. One of the reasons I would be inclined to believe that is that out of the 4 Pastors I know or have known from my church all have children in the same district I reside in and all have elected to either home school or send them to private schools; that sends a message to me of societal bias from the church.

I have had concerns and had to deal with situations/teachings that came up and some were a bit overwhelming to begin with but we have been blessed in the outcomes. My definition of “unsafe” would be a lot more daunting I think. I just don’t feel this type attitude should be the solution nor do I think these private schools have all that much greater environments as my most irritating recent issues are currently coming from unruly older boys in the church youth group.

Issues and debates such as abortion, homosexuality, and other religions have only succeeded in my child being stronger in her faith by a desire to speak up and resulting in leading some of the other children into the truth. I’ve used these opportunities to teach my child the truths, how to face persecutions, and returning God’s love through righteousness. I’ve often thought it would have been easier if she had a Pastor’s child in the same classroom to help support her, but I don’t see that happening in the near future! The hardest thing I have had to deal with was evolution because I didn’t have the knowledge to counter all the claims and I would think it to be more productive if the church was seriously involved in organized teachings of rebuking these theories instead of organizing to pull out.

Anyway, my 2 cents.

 

If you re-read the resolution you will note that there is nothing in the article that "demands" parents to place their kids in the public system. The whole of the resolution is to reaffirm Christian teachers and Administrators of the public system.

My wife and I homeschool our kids----and we believe its the best avenue we could possibly take---is it the only avenue?? No! But its the best!!

But in my church I pastor--there are at least 12 (+ or -) public school instructors in the whole teaching spectrum--K-12---who in my opinion--are some of the brightest and dynamic individuals anyone could possibly be acquainted with. Although I homeschool mine---I have without hesitation from the pulpit have reaffirmed their professialism(sp--sorry guys) and individualism.

Will there ever come a time that I place my kids in the public school arena?? No---I don't believe you can hold a machine gun on me and get me to do it--I'd tell you to go ahead and make that machine gun "chatter" but it won't "matter" 'cause I'll balk!!

Do I see the collapse of the public school system?? Yes---but the collapse won't come because of what is taught as a general rule. The system won't collapse over the teaching of reading, writing, and arithmatic---the system will collapse at the fault line of socialization---the most dangerous thing a parent can do is send their children to public school in order to socalize

----I've heard this once over and over to the millioneth power---

"You're homeschooling your kids??? What about their socialization??"

My answer to that is

I and my wife teach them socialization

I'm gonna stop writing now--but there's more that can be said

But again---re-read the resolution and you'll discover it is a reaffirmation of the teaching professional---nothing more--nothing less!! Tis no different than---say---your church honoring war veterans and the like on some July 4th Sunday---no different than your church saying---Lets pray for our troops overseas! No different than you supporting your President--on and on!

 

LifeWay has opened a division too publishing helps for Christian educators and homeschoolers.

AND isn't that one of the major purposes of the convention -- to offer help for various like-minded pursuits.

 

I don't necessarily have a problem with what is taught for the most part because most of the teachers are very good and reasonable. Those who are trying to attack our beliefs will not have the final word because I will spend the time it takes to correct wrong teaching. Even in a private school, I realize that this is no guarantee against wrong doctrine being taught, etc...

When I talk about an unsafe environment, I am talking about kids who are increasingly becoming involved in gangs, drugs, sex, etc... at younger ages and a school district which is increasingly becoming more tolerant of bad behaviors. I have no intention of subjecting my son to this if I can do anything about it. That is why I am following the advice of this resolution because while, yes, even private schools have their problems, they at least deal with the discipline problems and it is a much safer environment than the public schools at the Middle School level.

Joseph Botwinick

 

First, suppose you were running a public school, and you got word that a large percentage of the parents of your students were talking about the possibility of leaving your school for some other school. Would you not take this as an indication that something might be wrong with the school that you were running? Would you not try to find out why those parents are talking about leaving, and try to address their concerns? I think you would.

Second, I would also encourage you to read the actual resolution, and not what the AP writes about the resolution. You will find that it does not call for people to leave public schools.

 

So your schools are fine. Well, the resolution wasn't about you then. It was about parents and kids who live in the areas where "federal circuit court judges held in November 2005 in Fields v. Palmdale that 'parents have no constitutional right ... to prevent a public school from providing its students with whatever information it wishes to provide, sexual, or otherwise, when and as the school determines that it is appropriate to do so'", for just one example. Those parents and children need alternatives, and if SBC churches can help provide alternatives then thy should be encouraged to do so.

I am constantly amazed that so many people think that because their kids' schools are OK then all schools must be OK. If your schools are OK and if you think God wants you to leave your kids there then by all means you should do God's will in the matter. That does not mean that others do not need help, though, and I don't know why anyone would want to stand in the way of others who do need help just because they don't need help themselves.

 

I had/have a learning disabililty. I also deal with dyslexia. In my early years teachers told my parents I would never make it in the public school system and would need specialized educational care.


I went to public school anyways. I was a mediocre student up to the the start of my senior year. Dad was a pastor and college professor. Over the years he tried to help me develop a study plan. I just didn't get it.


Due to an illness, I was homeschooled for most of my senior year. Dad gave me the whole flippin' hamburgers story. That and the fact I couldn't go anywhere, I made the conscious decision to hunker down. I went from a B-C student to an A-B student for the year.


I went to college after several years of trying to find myself. I never did find anything but trouble. I graduated with a 3.0. Of course it took me 5 years.


My wife has been a music teacher for 17 years, everything from band director to choral director. Taught in the public school system for the 1st 9 years. Has been teaching in a private academy for the last 8 years. Both of our children have been through her class. It was pure torture!

Homeschooling may work for some, but for others, it's may not be an option; single parent families, children with uneducated parents.

 

I think you have summed up a great deal of it very well.
Worth repeating.

 

I agree with several of you on this thread so far, and would like to throw in something.

I graduated high school in 89, and had taught h.s. science up until 3 years ago. The main thing that I noticed about public school was: "it" is worse now than when I graduated! Let me define "it." The sinfulness of the students. There may be great teachers (I hope I was), there may be accelerated education and special ed, etc., there may be great facilities and athletics....but what about the behavior of the "peers" that our children would be exposed to.

I often ask myself, where did I learn curse words? my family? NO, my church? NO my teachers? NO my friends at school? YES!
Where did I learn about drug use? About sex, porn, etc.? About stealing? Smoking? Alcohol? My peers (friends) at school taught, encouraged, pressured me into these things.

After having been in the classroom as a teacher, and seeing the things that children are exposed to on a day-to-day basis (think about what happens between the time you drop them off at school and pick them up from school) I would never want my children exposed to that. They are precious to me and I have been entrusted to care for them as tender little plants (olive plants from psalm 128).

Remember, your children are young, innocent and vulnerable! Even if they claim to be a Christian, there is a strong influence from Satan through the peers at school.

 

I hope that those of you that are so opposed to the public schools because of the corruptness of the actual students that go there are also praying and witnessing to those very same children. They are children!!! They cannot help who their parents are. Who is going to witness to them? Whose child is going to befriend them and get invited to their home for a sleepover and attend church with their family? This thread has just added a new prayer to my life. That my children and my family may be a shining light to another unsaved child. We are equipping out children for the work of Jesus...are we not? Are we cloistering ourselves apart from the world and refusing to share our joy? I get so worked up over the coldness of how some of us look at non-christians. Jesus ate with sinners, please let us all remember!