A story that plays into where we are now bears recitation. I’m working from memory here and some of the details may not be precisely correct but the take away message has stuck with me all these years.
In August, 1977, a small church in Louisville, Nebraska – Faith Baptist – was raided by armed agents of the state Department of Education for running a Christian school. The ostensible reason for the raid was that they were NOT adhering to the state “requirement” that ALL schools and teachers be “certified” by the state. A judge issued an order that the school be closed. They remained open and the raid ensued. The teachers and 17 students children were terrorized as they were held at gunpoint on the floor. The pastor, one Everett Sileven, was arrested and held in jail for some time.
Public pressure forced his release and he began a crusade the effects of which are still felt today in the Christian and home school communities.
Here’s the take away message about which I have the clearest memory: Pastor Sileven appeared on a TV debate program to defend his church school. Also there was an official of the Nebraska Department of Education.
At one point, either the moderator or Pastor Siliven turned to the school bureaucrat and asked the real reason why the state had such a problem with their small church school?
Without missing a beat, through a sneer anyone who has visited the DMV will recognize, the bureaucrat declared (and I’m paraphrasing):
“Because you are denying the state schools needed money. And because you are educating children outside the public school system, in the world we’re designing for the future, THEY WON’T FIT IN!”
Dwell on those last 4 words for a moment.
If you’re curious about just what that world they were designing might look like, LOOK AROUND.
You’re living in it!!
Thanks. You need to repeat this story everywhere you can.