I picked this up over on Alasandra’s Homeschool Blog and have been trying to sort out something to say about it ever since. I’m still trying to figure out the title, however.
You Had Better Get Your Shovel The Master Will Be Coming Back Soon
In writing this, I am sure I will raise the ire of every homeschooler across the land.
Well, with a title and introduction like that, you really aren’t getting off to a great start. It is like the emails I receive assuring me they aren’t spam.
Now on to the subject at hand homeschooling, while I understand the frustration at the public school system having dealt with it for twelve years I also know you do not fix something by turning your back on it and walking away. Ibid.
Not actually sure who you are talking about there. I mean, some homeschoolers have left the public school system but that cannot necessarily be equated with turning our collective back on public education. I suppose I should define some terms here, though, or else this could get quite confusing.
Education is a much broader concept than merely “school.” It is about bringing up children, and encompasses all which is involved, including enlightening the understanding, correcting the temper, forming their manners and training them for a future vocation (from Webster’s 1828 Dictionary).
Please remember that we still pay taxes. We still vote. We still talk to other parents. Some of us have even run for and won seats on the school board. Education issues remain top concerns for homeschoolers and we have hardly washed our hands of the system.
The minute the exodus started to the private schools and homeschooling that was the minute we started to lose our power in the schools. Ibid.
Really? The Supreme Court ruled that schools could not lead children in prayer in 1962. Interestingly, the current debate over tax credits to benefit families who send their children to private schools began back in the early 1970’s due to a fiscal crisis faced by America’s private schools. There was no mass exodus of Christians from public education immediately following the Court’s decision, and such a hypothesized exodus certainly wasn’t the cause of it.
And homeschooling wouldn’t make its entrance until the 70s with specifically Christian homeschooling not becoming much of a movement until the 80s. Long after the power shift you reference. Which occurred due to cultural changes, by the way, not due to Christians leaving the school system en masse. In fact, the movement really got going not in the wake of particularly anti-Christian legislation, but in the wake of desegregation. Maybe it was better to let that statistically insignificant portion of the population remove their influence from the public education system, if that fact is anything more than coincidence. And homeschooling has changed a lot since then. We can hardly even be considered a “Christian” phenomenon anymore, if it was ever an accurate description.
Those of us who have not made the mass exodus from the public schools are looked upon as not caring for our children or not religious enough, well I think it is high time some of us had a say in this matter. Ibid.
Really? Well, I’m sure some homeschoolers feel that way. But then, we are often looked at as weird, radical, over-controlling, over-protective or as abandoning children we have never even met to a system you are unhappy with. Believe me, there is enough judgment of how parents raise their children to go around. The trick is really understanding your family, your family’s abilities and the limitations before you and making the best decision for your family. You can’t parent by polling those around you. You are responsible to God for the decisions you make regarding the bringing up of your children, not to me.
Lets get a few things straight shall we, now that you have left the public school system and all the children that you decided could just make it on their own you have no cause to say anything about the school system, you have left the battlefield and you left men behind. Ibid.
I’m going to shy away from the battlefield metaphor just a bit. I am Christian as well, and believe strongly that there is a spiritual battle, but I’m not sure it is appropriate quite in this context. The thing is, the public school system is everybody’s business. It is my parent’s business, even though all of their children have graduated. It is my business even though my children have never attended. It is my neighbor’s business even though they have no children yet. And it is the business of those who never have had and never will have children.
We all pay taxes and we all have an interest in the education of children in our society. Because homeschooling and private schooling is not necessarily an option for every American, we have decided to construct and fund an education system which is free and available to all. Even if we never set foot in the building. So exactly what do you mean by saying I have “no cause to say anything about the school system?” I should just write the check and never take a moment to find out what is going on in my local school? Do you realize how much private and public schooling actually saves the state? How much additional funding is available to your public school because of the families which have found other alternatives?
And have you ever considered the pressures public schools are under to maintain enrollment numbers? Have you taken a look at the diversification of programs which have occurred over the past several years? Once, there were public schools and private schools with the oddball homeschooler here or there. Now we have charter schools and virtual schools along with public school programs offering greater diversity right down to public school at home programs. This means there are more options, not less, for families who may not be able to afford private school or homeschooling for whatever reason.
I have read that there are churches calling for all religious to put their kids in private schools and for the churches to rethink their priorities and start schooling our kids. Ibid.
Actually, I think it is about time. I do not have anything against private schools per se, except the tuition. I know many have a scholarship program, but I cannot help but wonder what our culture would look like if our Christian schools seriously did not turn little ones away. If we were as energetic about educating the poor in America as we are those in Nigeria.
If we do not take hold of our government, our schools, our colleges then we are the ones to blame when they fail. God has given us these things and we have buried them afraid of what would happen if we tried to fix them, you had better get your shovel the Master will be coming back soon. Ibid.
Now you are talking like the dominionists I periodically run into within the homeschool community. The ones most likely to heap condemnation on you for persisting to educate your children under Caesar’s authority. I’m not one of them. Even in my most anti-public school rants I am quick to note that Moses was educated in Pharoah’s halls and Daniel was educated by the best Babylon had to offer.
God did not turn the government over to us. He gave us His Son, and one day the government will rest on His shoulders. He also gave us the Great Commandment, of course, but that is to go out and preach to all the nations. With nations being people, not governments. And while I agree that Christians have the right and the responsibility to remain active in all levels of civil government, it is not our primary purpose here.
Your children are doing well. That is a credit to you and your sincere involvement in their education. You have been richly blessed by that investment, and maybe it seemed at times more difficult than it should have been. But don’t direct that anger at other parents who, like yourself, are taking on the institutions of our society in order to provide what they believe is best for their children.
And yes, our Master is coming back soon. But I think He will care much more about what we have done for the people He has put in our lives than the state of institutions which exist to govern us.
I do identify with those *feelings* of abandonment sometimes in public schools, especially as concerns my older children. I think that if some of these ultra-involved homeschool moms had their children in the high school, I wouldn’t be told by staff that I am the *only* one opting my kid out of sex ed or the *only* one complaining about yet another “write a prayer to the sun-god Ra” type of assignment.
But I also know, as the writer should, that being involved with the school does NOT necessarily produce any change whatsoever. Sad to say it, but there it is.
I think also many parenting dynamics change with high schoolers. Parents of little elementary kids seem to want to do a fundraiser every week and do little workshops on reading and science, but in the high school level, not many parents even know what Junior is listening to on the radio, let alone reading in class. :[
You have done an excellent analysis of this issue. I also believe that all Christians should attempt to influence the public school system for the better. However, I believe that is the responsibility of adult Christians, not vulnerable little children. You don’t have to have children in the public schools in order to elect school board members or try to influence the content of the curriculum.
Dare I say, “Amen?”
Well in expecting the village to reform education from the outside then it would be the responsiblity of all citizens (childless people, empty nesters and even grandparents, 20-somethings who recently graduated and hated school) to join in on the efforts.
It is unfair to guilt or blame the less than 1% of families whose 1% or 2% currently homeschool with having some part in failed attempts at education reform. The 10% or so of kids who attend private school, well there have always been kids in private school, this is no new phenomenon. And can a Christian actually be upset with Christian parents who use Christian schools (or Catholic parents whose kids go to parochial schools)?
This columnist clearly has not realized that for a hundred years, attempts have been made at education reform, (I own a book dated 1906 that cries out for reform and for worsening situations and dumbing down schools)—no attempts for reform from those inside the system (teachers and administrators) and so far everything done has not made everyone happy. TEachers and administrators still cry out for education reform. It took a little leave of absence in these last few years while they bashed No Child Left Behind.
I would advise that columnist to start doing some homework and realize that so far no parent-group has really been able to do much to reform public education.
The situation is getting worse. I advise that she read the books “From Crayons to Condoms” and also “Ships Without a Shore”.
Or she should watch John Stossel’s report from 20/20 “Stupid in America”, which usually can be found on YouTube.
Nice analysis Dana.
Nice post Dana.
I knew I couldn’t change the local public schools soon enough to benefit my children (in fact I have been told they have gotten worse since we left) so I opted to remove them and homeschool. But I still do what I can to make the local public schools better for those who choose to use them.
Until we get some alternative choices around here, the members of the school board (who serve very long terms) will continue to make bad decisions because as one of the members stated “The parents have to do whatever we decide, they don’t have a choice (in regards to mandatory public school uniforms).”
Excellent analysis, Dana. And she completely ignores the educational issues many of us have with the public schools. If we think the schools mis-educate our children because the current system is a fundamentally flawed educational model, we’re supposed to what? Ignore that, link arms with her and sing a rousing chorus of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic?” If we think schools are becoming increasingly totalitarian, we’re supposed to shrug and tell our children, “Life’s a battlefield, kid. Keep your clothes on?” Yeah, I’m not moved by your pity party, lady. I don’t have to make my kids keep yours company while the roof falls in.
Listen, I don’t doubt that you love & desire the best for your kids because you send your kids to public school. Stop assuming that I hate the world and don’t want to associate with heathens because I homeschool.
(Dana, I think she may have been referring to the parable of the talents and they guy that buried his. She thinks highly of us.)
I went to the authors blog to make a comment, but the ability to comment has been turned off. I see these kinds of rants and I wonder if they ever make them to people’s faces. Or do they just save their illogical, completely emotional rants to the internet, like everyone else?
The worst comments I’ve ever gotten to my face was the socialization question. I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing because we were at a football game that my son was in.
You’ve done a good job. I hope she reads your response.
Mrs. C., this is the one argument about homeschooling which I have struggled with. We are removing some of the most actively involved parents from the schools, and it has always been the parents which have made the greatest difference in education…at least for their own children.
But it seems like we could use that to then concentrate resources on those children who need it most…whose parents can’t or won’t get as involved as you or I would. And then I sort of realized that we do have an affect on the system.
Like, have I ever told you how much I love the homebirth movement even though it scares the bajeegers out of me to think what I would do if I couldn’t get to the hospital? Because I do not think for one minute that the hospital I’m delivering at would be quite so home-like, complete with tv and internet for visitors and a hospitality center so that my husband and I can serve guests, if it weren’t for all of those people who have chosen to birth at home.
We have options that we didn’t have before, and that is good for everyone, even if it means a few growing pains for everyone.
April, that might work (parable of the talents), but I’ll still say that the government, schools and colleges she refers to us burying were not given to us. They are institutions in every nation and while I do believe government is ordained by God, that extends to Babylon as well.
And in general, this rant fits better on a blog than in a newspaper as an “independent columnist.” On a blog, it is just someone venting and the excessive emotion, factual inaccuracies and even grammatical problems are not that important. But in a newspaper? Where you have an editor? And an audience that reaches far beyond those you have attracted to your blog?
Thank you everyone for your comments!
As someone who hires employees for our small business, we also have another interest in keeping an eye on public education. We hire these folks–if we can find quality people to hire, that is.
A good education isn’t just about passing a class or getting into college. It should be about acquiring the skills needed to succeed in life. As taxpayers, we definitely are interested in making sure that our investments are profitable to society.
We are first called to know HIM, and to walk with HIM.(Genesis) That is learned at home. Then and only then are we called to evangelize the world teaching others to follow HIM. Public schools are hardly the place for either, last I checked you are not allowed to openly worhip Jesus in a public school. Christians would be better evangelists if they were taught and strengthened at home and then after being firmly built with a right foundation shared with other as GOD open the doors.
Since when do we ask a carpenter in training to build our house? Much less a multi story hotel? The carpenter must first learn to be a carpenter.
Our children must first learn to walk with Christ.
Appreciated your take on it,
blessings, Penny Raine
http://pennyraine.com/blog
You should be able to post comments here, though there’s really no point.
http://thevoice.name/?p=13192
I used Shauna’s link. The author seems to have quite a bit of anger – it’s even more apparent in her responses to comments. It’s an interesting perspective; it doesn’t seem to have any logical basis, but it’s interesting.
Follow Shauna’s link for a little more revelation. Her comment at 1:08:
“I know a lot of people who home school some of which I do not even bother to talk to because they make it very plain to see that they think we are below them because we do not home school. We tried Private school for two years with our daughter, Nun’s and everything it was a joke the whole first semester of the first grade they could not be bothered to let us know that she was failing and not turning in her work but they sent us a note home because she wore red socks. She was sexually assaulted by another student, the doctor even said she had been and we were told it never happened that we were just trying to cause trouble, this was a school my husband went to as a kid so we had a choice keep our mouth closed or sue, I opted for public education after that and have not been sorry about it since”
So, some homeschoolers she knows are jerks and she had a very bad experience at a private school. Her “come to Jesus” moment must have happened after she enrolled her kid in public school. I think she’s probably writing out of hurt and anger. So it’s understandable, but not wise.
She starts with a false premise – that Christian homeschoolers have fled PS and think they are bad and unsaveable.
But not all homeschoolers feel that way.
In our family, for example, we’ve homeschooled, public schooled, private schooled, and even had two homeschooled and one PS kid during the same year. We make the decision based on what is best for our family at the time.
And I homeschool not because I think PS are unsalvageable, but because I like it and the PS calendar annoys me (among other reasons!)
I would like to focus on one specific issue, “It does not matter what ‘laws or institutions’ a nation has implemented, if God is not in the heart of the people.”
The United States of America and the US Constitution are perfect examples. America still has the ‘laws and institutions’ as at the founding but as God is removed the nation has fallen astray into let’s say, ’some depravity’ in numerous areas.
What is important, as a Christian parent, whether you public, private or home school you are trying to put God back into the heart of the nation, a generation, as best you know how, and then as the heart returns to God, so will the nation.
Maybe this is beside the point but say we homeschoolers go back to the gov’t schools and we all ban together and throw our weight around and even go so far as to get prayer and Bible study back into the school. We would then be putting the non-believer in the position we are in now. Forcing them to pay for our child’s Christian education and forcing that education on non-Christian’s children. How is that Constiutional? It’s stealing for them to take my money and pay for the very secular, humanistic education of their children. It’s stealing, all the same, if it were a Christian education.
True. The reason that official prayers, etc. were taken out was not because of the inactivity of Christians, but because of our changing society.
Interestingly, she is Catholic, a group which suffered most at the hands of a Protestant system which targeted Catholics. Compulsory education laws were largely targeted at Catholic immigrants. The “glory days” of Christian expression in schools was not kind to Catholics. That is why we have such a strong Catholic private school system. There was no alternative.
“Mrs. C., this is the one argument about homeschooling which I have struggled with. We are removing some of the most actively involved parents from the schools, and it has always been the parents which have made the greatest difference in education…at least for their own children.”
Often not even for their own children. I mentioned it in a comment at Alasandra’s blog but my mom struggled with schools for years, mostly on my brothers’ behalf. It made no difference. Mostly because with each new year there was a new teacher, a new curriculum and often a new administration.
It’s like battling a hydra.
But don’t ever feel like we’re depriving schools of active parents. We aren’t abandoning schools. We’re stepping off the same road everyone else is walking and showing them that there are other paths. We’e creating different models of education for public schools to measure themselves against. We’re challenging assumptions and lies people believe about kids, education and school.
And all of that makes what we do more valuable to public schools then if we had stuck it out with our local schools and attempted to make some lasting change.
Very thoughtfully (not meaning to offend anyone) I am thinking for the first time thanks to this conversation, that it’s so funny we don’t have a word for people who defend and buy into public schooling right or wrong, similar to “Uncle Tom”. . .
Wow! Amen. This is in the top two reasons I get from Christian friends for why I’m so selfish and evil for homeschooling.
1. My children are not being salt & light.
2. I’m abandoning the public schools instead of making a difference.
I hear #2 ALL the time because DH is a public school teacher and many of our friends are also.
Nice to hear a rebuttal.
That would make a fun web contest, JJ! What would I get for a prize if I win? After I win Dana’s contest… :p
And reading that comment about the sexual abuse… HEY, do I get to yet again add here that abuse happens in public schools? Should I have had to have subjected my child to continued closet-lockings to make people like that happy that I’m “fighting” the system (and losing)?
Should I just be blunt and say what I’m thinking… OK… we’re all friends here, I think. People that are THAT concerned about “quality public education” and think that everyone should have to send their kids can go move to the inner city and put their money and their CHILDREN where their mouth is. I know some people in the past who have done it, IMO it has to be a calling… but to hear a usually suburban mommy with neurotypical kids criticising my choices really smacks of hypocrisy.
Um, on BOTH sides of the homeschool debate. I have an older autistic son I don’t blog about much (due to age, mostly) who is a public school student, and some places the way the rants go you’d think kids like mine don’t count. :[ !
To Mrs. C —
Maybe it speaks well of us as nicer people than our critics, that we haven’t ever coined such a derogation?
I guess Uncle Sam is taken?
Just as a start, as I still have much to read of this post, I recently posted my own definition of education as I have been contemplating the whole education/school/learning issue piece by tiny piece.
I think that words and their meanings evolve over time, and what education once might have meant may have very well changed or grew or evolved with all of our experiences. I cannot see education today to mean correcting the temper, forming their manners and training them for a future vocation; I even have a hard time seeing education as including enlightening the understanding. Webster’s definition just seems different to me: different from my own education as a child, different from the education of my own children over the last 25 years.
Off to finish reading… your articles always give me so much to think about so I wanted to get that thought out there before I moved on
Finished reading… very well stated. I don’t have much more to add beyond my definition of education comment as this is a subject that doesn’t really concern me all that much. But I enjoyed your article!
Why is being active in schools presented as the only way to support children? I was active for over 8 years with a local at-risk mothers mentoring program. There are plenty of ways to support kids that don’t involve banging your head against the school system.
I figure that if folks like John Holt and John Taylor Gatto and the host of other folks who have tried to reform the school movement could not do it, then I certainly did not have any additional wisdom.
I have limited time and prefer to put my efforts where I think I can do some good.
OK, reading some comments now… like I said, your posts always get me thinking including your very insightful readers and their thoughts:
Vanessa states: “You have done an excellent analysis of this issue. I also believe that all Christians should attempt to influence the public school system for the better.” And I agree–EXCELLENT analysis. BUT, I am sorry, I do not want anyone intentionally influencing my children when my children are entrusted to their care. It is school, not church and although Christianity may call for witnessing and going out and preaching to the nations… I don’t children were the intended target. A Christian may want to preach to him as might a Hindu or Muslim or Pagan. Again, school is not the place unless the parents are aware and consenting… and I am a Christian.
ChritineMM: I watched Stupid in America and I respect John Stosell, but I am afraid I found even his piece a bit sensationalized with data out there that contradicts some of his finding. It is worth watching though and definitely gets you thinking… and hopefully investigating.
Rose: I have to wonder, is education about skills or is schooling about skills? “It should be about acquiring the skills needed to succeed in life.” And is education about succeeding in life and by whose definition of success?
Penny: “We are first called to know HIM, and to walk with HIM.(Genesis) That is learned at home. Then and only then are we called to evangelize the world teaching others to follow HIM. Public schools are hardly the place for either, last I checked you are not allowed to openly worhip Jesus in a public school. Christians would be better evangelists if they were taught and strengthened at home and then after being firmly built with a right foundation shared with other as GOD open the doors.” I couldn’t have said it any better. Very much my feelings.
Milehimama: “In our family, for example, we’ve homeschooled, public schooled, private schooled, and even had two homeschooled and one PS kid during the same year. We make the decision based on what is best for our family at the time.
And I homeschool not because I think PS are unsalvageable, but because I like it and the PS calendar annoys me (among other reasons!)” Again, very well said and I couldn’t have said it better.
Amanda:”Maybe this is beside the point but say we homeschoolers go back to the gov’t schools and we all ban together and throw our weight around and even go so far as to get prayer and Bible study back into the school. We would then be putting the non-believer in the position we are in now. Forcing them to pay for our child’s Christian education and forcing that education on non-Christian’s children. How is that Constiutional? It’s stealing for them to take my money and pay for the very secular, humanistic education of their children. It’s stealing, all the same, if it were a Christian education.” Interesting. I think if the scenario you mentioned existed I would be even more inclined to HS… I don’t want religion or faith or any form of spirituality forced upon my children.
Dawn:”But don’t ever feel like we’re depriving schools of active parents. We aren’t abandoning schools. We’re stepping off the same road everyone else is walking and showing them that there are other paths. We’e creating different models of education for public schools to measure themselves against. We’re challenging assumptions and lies people believe about kids, education and school.
And all of that makes what we do more valuable to public schools then if we had stuck it out with our local schools and attempted to make some lasting change.” Interesting! I like it!
Now I am done and am truly enlightened. Thanks for the post, Dana.
Shawna, the reason I like that definition of education is that it demonstrates that education encompasses all of bringing up a child, not just the schooling aspect. It is preparing a child for the future, even if it isn’t a specifically planned future like it used to be.
I understand, Dana. I just do not see educating a child as all encompassing. I see educating, nurturing and mentoring as different parts of parenting. But I tend to like to compartmentalize things LOL I suppose that is why I have a hard time with schools wanting to take an all encompassing approach with children as well… I simply want them to educate; the rest comes from other aspects of life for me.
But I will tell you that it has taken me many years before I even asked the question: what is the purpose of education? how would I define it? So glad to see others weren’t as go-with-the-flow as I was as a young parent. Your posts really are enlightening for readers… especially the lurkers who haven’t yet ventured into commenting.
That’s nice of you to say, Shawna.
Very interesting article and comment section. I fully agree with Penny. I don’t buy into the philosophy of some Christian parents when they say, “My child is a witness to the kids n the public school, it’s like a ministry/mission’. Our children are not ready for that kind of battle. Even the Christian lawyers have a hard enough time getting prayer allowed in school.
The children must first have Christ as their Savior, which usually doesn’t happen until between the ages of 4-16. For some, it’s later than that! THEN they must be discipled themselves, which takes quite a while. Then teach them how to win souls. Not many lost people are going to want the Jesus of a child who doesn’t even obey their parents.
Jesus said “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” We must first follow Him, for a child that entails a lot of training and teaching.
Thank you for the time you invested in this article Dana, and the comment section.
Great post! I love reading things like this so that I can see how things are going with homeschooling in the US — what people are saying and thinking. Here in Japan there are so few of us (sort of like the US back in the 80’s, but with a less threatening CPS), and as a foreigner married to a Japanese I am really on the fringe over here anyway. I do know that some people at our church would agree with the “salt and light” sentiments. Thank you for sharing your well thought out answers.