It's no secret that thousands of parents across the country are ditching public schools. Just in my little rural farm town, there are many parents who are pulling their kids out of school because of the craziness that's going on, opting instead to either school their kids at home or enroll them in a charter program. Why? Because parents understand that most kids need a sense of stability and calmness during their childhoods. With all of the issues going on in public schools right now - the masking, the fear-mongering, and the insane regulations for children (hello, Washington and ankle monitors for underage high school athletes) - a lot of people are realizing that they need to take more personal control over their children's education, as well as their information input. As parents, you need to realize that you should have the ultimate control over what your children are ingesting on a social, moral, philosophical, and spiritual level. You are the penultimate authority in your child's life, tasked as their caretaker and protector by God Himself. Children are, after all, a reward and a gift from the Creator (Psalm 127:3). Whether you have one child (like me!) or six (bless your heart), it is never too early or too late to get involved in your child's education. Today, I'm going to talk about the history of the modern education movement, the devolving downward progression of American morality, the dangers of state and federal-funded education, and the myth of secular neutrality in the classroom.
First, let's talk about the history of education. What does education actually mean? When we say that we are sending our children to school to be educated, what do we mean by that? Typically, we mean that they will be sent to a government-funded institution so that they can learn how to read, write, and do basic math. They will learn social skills. They will be involved in sports. They will build friendships and bonds with peers and teachers. These are the positives. But what about the negatives?
Well, let's talk about the history of modern education in America for a moment. Education overhaul began with Horace Mann, who most of you probably know was the Secretary of Education in Massachusetts in 1837. He utilized his position (which, at that time, was brand new), to champion tax-funded public education. He also proposed that teachers should be formally trained, which better guaranteed the quality of education that children would receive. While his ideas were thoughtful and, for the most part, practical, this tidal wave of educational reform changed the entire purpose and bent of education in America.
Prior to Horace Mann's education overhaul, schools in America were based primarily on what was called Calvinism (check out this link to learn a little bit more about that). Calvinism was centered on teaching moral principles and spiritual ideas, rooted in the Christian gospel. Local schools were small and usually funded by the local church - not the state or the federal government. This meant that the content of the schools was also controlled by parents and parishioners, rather than a board of elected (or appointed) politicians. It was simple, but the baseline idea was great: parents and locals maintained control over what their children were learning. Horace Mann's educational reforms took that control out of the hands of locals and placed it in the hands of the state - whether intentionally or not, this ultimately has not resulted in positive things for students in America.
Some of you may also know about the Morrill-Land Grant Colleges Act of the 1800s, in which the federal government offered grants to westward-pushing pioneer towns who promised to establish colleges. This laid the groundwork for an interconnected network of educational institutions across the country. In some ways, this was great. Brilliant minds were able to coalesce and develop ideas, study scientific theories, and advance technology like it had never been advanced before. Unfortunately, education in America would grow to monstrous proportions - taking the place of the American church and introducing students to Darwinism and secularism. In addition, the introduction of federal and state tax dollars into the school system created a dangerous and slippery slope for schools. When you take money from someone or something, there are usually strings attached. Expectations. Take state money, and you must obey state standards. This can be a good thing. Or, if morality is in decline, it can be a very bad thing. Separation of church and state was the battle cry of many education advocates. An illogical argument, to be sure. If the state wasn't involved in education in the first place, it wouldn't be a problem. Never mind the fact that separation of church and state is a phrase that is echoed nowhere in the United States Constitution, but rather, it exists as a sentence, taken out of a letter written by Thomas Jefferson in 1802 to the Danbury Baptists Association (you can look at the letter here). Indeed, the Founders never intended for children to be schooled in secular common schools (as Horace Mann espoused). It was, after all, John Adams who said that the Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. Is it any wonder that the moral decline of America corresponds directly with the devolving slope of American education? Can you truly expect children, who grow up in school being taught nothing about right versus wrong, nothing about logic, nothing about reasoning, nothing about God, and nothing about morality to grow up and be a moral and religious people? You will be hard pressed to find that to be so. Because of this, I contend that the idea of education itself is a myth. Education today exists not to educate the minds of children - but rather to deter them from believing in God. And a society that does not believe in God certainly cannot have objective views of right and wrong. A scary thought indeed. But am I saying that every school and every teacher in the country is hellbent on advancing a nefarious agenda? Certainly not. Many wonderful teachers have left the profession, though, or retired, simply because they don't want to deal with the garbage that is being pushed in schools - socialist, racist agendas like Critical Race Theory (check out Allie Beth Stuckey to learn more about this). I was training to become a teacher when I changed my career path, disillusioned by the stupidity of Common Core (or as I like to call it, The Methodology of Not Thinking) and frustrated with the bureaucratic overreach of federal and state programs. I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Not to mention the words of Jesus in Matthew 18: 6 kept echoing in my ears: ...but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. I think the Bible makes it clear that anyone who teaches - and those who teach children, especially - are held to a higher standard of culpability when it comes to the perversion of morality. I think this is something that everyone should think about when they are considering a career in teaching. What are you willing to teach? When will you draw a line? What are you willing to stand up for or against?
Aside from the moral dilemmas that teachers are beginning to face today, let's talk about the total devastation of Horace Mann's dreamy vision of the common school. How many kids get to college but still can't read? How many special-needs kids struggle in school? How many gifted children are told that they have a learning disability simply because they are learning differently or learning faster than the rest of their peers? This is not just a failure of the educational system: it is a system that is designed to stifle children, squash creativity, and separate a child's mind from spirituality. Secularism in schools is not secular. It's humanistic. And humanism is a religion, just as dogmatic as any other. Don't think for a second that your child isn't being exposed to religious fervor: they absolutely are. Remember what we talked about last week: there is no such thing as neutrality. If you're not indoctrinating your children with morality and values and beliefs, the school will do it for you. And they will do it five days a week, 8 to 10 hours a day, for 18 years. Who do you think is going to win the battle for their minds and souls? Chances are, it's not going to be you.
All of this, then, begs the question: what are parents supposed to do? The insidious machinations of national banking, credit card loans, mortgages and rising inflation have made it almost impossible for a family to survive on a single-parent income. Moms and Dads are both driven into the workforce to provide for their families (to pay those taxes, too), forcing them to put their children into schools. Is this merely an unfortunate byproduct of poor executive leadership over the years? I argue that it is quite deliberate. The destruction of the nuclear family is, after all, the most effective way to efficiently collapse any country. And you see that here in America - this financial stress that drives parents and children to work and live and function separately from each other every day. It's not natural. It's not healthy. We might tell ourselves that it is, but it's not.
So this movement that you see across America, where parents are taking control over their child's education, visiting school board meetings and demanding that school districts hear their voices is a wonderful thing. Parents, never forget that your children belong to you. Moms, your children are yours. The school system, and no, not even the most wonderful teacher in the entire world, will go to bat for your child like you will. Remember this. Hold onto this. Fight for your children. And if that means that you have to take them out of the school system to protect them - do it. Don't hesitate. If you can pull it off, do it. Because your children will always be better off with a loving parent than with anyone or anywhere else.
Are there exceptions to this rule? Certainly. Are there alternative, on-campus educational paths outside of public schools? Of course. But let's face it, most people can't afford to put their children in a private school. It's just not feasible or doable for most Americans. Charter schools can often provide the next best thing for kids who need structure and education but their parents still have access to teachers and resources. For others, homeschooling is the best option. You have to do what is best for your child. And children should never be made to fit in box. They certainly should never be made to sit at a desk, imprisoned behind Plexiglas walls like a gerbil, muzzled with a mask like a dog, and quarantined in isolation if they sneeze (yes, that's a real story: here's the link). The psychological ramifications of the disastrous and hideous methods that many schools are using to deal with Covid should be enough just right there to motivate you to rescue your children from such a fearful, communistic environment. And if you can't remove them from school, fight like hell to protect their rights. Parents, you need to go into proverbial battle for your kids. Don't shy away from it. Embrace it. This is your duty as a parent. Get ready, because it's going to get a lot harder before it gets better.
This article is already way longer than I intended it to be, so I won't be posting my educational literacy and logic tips for children in this particular post. I'll share that in the next article. Below, I have included some helpful links and resources for those of you who have questions about the history of public education, the statistics and concrete scientific data surrounding the mask debate for children in this country, and some encouraging resources for you if you're thinking about pulling your kids out of school and sending them somewhere else, or even homeschooling.
Remember, readers:
For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7
RESOURCES
Allie Beth Stuckey:
"Why Kids (And You) Shouldn't be Forced to Mask"
She has extensively compiled all of the data on mask mandates in relation to children, and this particular post gives you some serious insight into the insanity of America's position in the debate. I highly recommend checking it out. This is good for all you "follow the science" types, because that's exactly what she does.
HSLDA
If you are looking to pull your kids out of public school right now with the intention to homeschool instead of charter school or private-school, contact Home School Legal Defense and get a membership ASAP. They will provide you with legal advice and protection. Because trust me when I say there is a good chance you may catch a lot of crap from the school district. They don't like it when you pull your kids out - and just one of the many reasons why is because doing so takes money out of their pockets.
Catherine Duffy's Website
Duffy wrote a book a number of years ago called Nanny State Government, which simply and quickly explains the corruption of the educational system in America, as well as the malicious intent of Goals 2000. She has a website where she reviews homeschool curriculum for parents seeking resources. This is a great place for parents who are looking for either homschool resources or just want some additional curriculum to fill the gaps in their kids' downtime while they're at home.
The Epoch Times
I highly recommend turning off the news. Get away from mainstay, corporate-controlled political propaganda monstrosities and get back to fact-based journalism. The Epoch Times is a newspaper that my family discovered during COVID. They publish breaking news online, but you can also order a newspaper and have it sent to your house every week. Pretty cool, right? They will report the news and statistics on COVID without conflating everything to sound like it's the Bubonic Plague. In general, though, one of the best things you could do is turn off the freaking news and don't get your information from influencers, Instagram, or Facebook. Go to the source. Find outlets that are reporting scientific data and facts.
FIND OTHER PARENTS:
This is not a link. This is advice. Find other parents who are like-minded. Parents who will fight for their children's well-being and protection no matter the cost, no matter what people say. It will encourage you, it will encourage them, and slowly, you can begin to bring more exposure to the conversation about public education and the integral need to protect the minds and bodies of the next generation.
Romans 8:37
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
EDUCATIONAL SHIFT: SHREDDING THE HISTORY OF MODERN EDUCATION, FIGHTING FOR YOUR KIDS, AND RESOURCES FOR PARENTS
