( The following is absolutely and entirely **general** and applies to the problem of government schooling across this nation in **general**. It does NOT NOT NOT apply to you personally because your situation may, indeed, be unique. That is possible.)
Questions:
1) What opportunity (**within the law**) is there to **meaningfully** share the gospel in this godless government school setting? The Barna Foundation studies show that even Christian children have abysmal outcomes, on average, if they attend government schools. If it is this bad for children in highly active Christian homes, why would we think there would be any benefit for non-Christian children if we continue to support godless government schooling?
2) Should Christians be subjecting **children** of other people to a Christian worldview when many are in this government institution because of the law and its implied threat of police force? I simply never remember see in the scriptures Christ advocating that the Roman legions round up children, against their parents’ will, so these children could be subjected to His preaching?
3) Even if God were made a part of the government school worldview, then which denomination would be chosen? Which writings of which church philosophers would be included in the curriculum and woven into to the fabric of the class discussion and activities? Again, at their very best government schooling was never more than generically and lukewarmly Protestant in its worldview, and the danger with this is that the children risked learning to be lukewarm and generic.
The danger of sneaking religious principles into the godless classroom is twofold:
1) Children are in danger of learning that Christians are sneaky.
2) Children eventually learn that the government schools are by law godless. If they are subjected to Christian proselyizng they risk learning that Christians are lawbreakers.
I can never recall any government teacher who is Christian answering any of these questions. These questions are merely dismissed with a quick, “ I feel called by God”, and that ends the discussion. Gee! Who can argue with someone’s personal revelation from God?
So...Finally...Yes, there are good government teachers but these teachers are doing all they can to warn parents to avoid these godless government schools. They are working on the political level to see that private choices are being made available. They are lobbying their church leaders, warning them of the dangers of the godless government schools, and they are urging church leaders to form church schools within their communities. They are **within the law** making their classrooms as traditionally patriotic and somewhat minimally balanced regarding religion as possible.
Personally, I have never met a “good” government teacher in person. Some on the Internet claim to meet this criteria.
And...Personally, I consider godless and socialist-entitlement schooling to be so damaging to the child and such a threat to our freedom that I won't have a government teacher for a friend. I would make an exception if they met the criteria for being a “good” government teacher, but I have never met one. I have met plenty of Christian teachers who grumble about the conditions but never do anything more than support, uphold, and establish the existing godless and socialist abomination ( misnamed: “public” school).
( The following is absolutely and entirely **general** and applies to the problem of government schooling across this nation in **general**. It does NOT NOT NOT apply to you personally because your situation may, indeed, be unique. That is possible.)
I, too, am opposed to compulsory education (I’ve yet to find anyone who I could force to learn). I, too, am opposed to government-run education (I’ve yet to witness the government do little else but muck things up).
I am not advocating for ANY world view. I am advocating for education—the instruction in and the acquisition of meaningful life-skills including, but not limited to: critical thinking, reading, writing, mathematics, communication, technology. Additionally, the inculcation of historically traditional American culture which requires the understanding of America’s foundational principles and civic responsibilities. To that end, I am not suggesting trying to “sneak” anything in, but, rather, to foment a discussion and consideration of all world views, including the historic contributions (and consequences) of each of these. As you might imagine, it is my belief that when this is done, biblical Christianity will be shown to be “the way, the truth, and the life” but, certainly not something to be “forced” on anyone.
Until such time as ALL concerned individuals rally their forces and their might and bring these to bear on the failed (not failing, but failed) apparatus that is public education in America today, I will do my part in creating a microcosm of such an educational model in my classroom. In doing so, I believe I am acting in good faith by honorably serving my God AND my employer.
So now you think public schools should be Godless. Please choose one story and try to stick to it for more than 15 minutes.