Comments

Posted by my3sons

I can't agree more! A fellow homeschool mom in my local group homeschools her 9 year old daughter and her high school age son attends public school. She was recently going through his advanced biology book and was shocked, to say the least. This book contains what many would consider to be p*rnography. It details the act of intimacy with pictures! An accompaniment book for that class has a chapter that totally details a rape, step by step. This is required reading for these students! She is on a mission now to get people to sign a petition, requiring those books to be removed. It is utterly appalling what these institutions many call 'schools' are requiring students to read and study, unbeknownst to their parents. Thanks for bringing this issue to the forefront.

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Posted by anotherblogonthefire

I totally agree.
When you mentioned that it's time for a change, it reminded me about Mindy Smith's new song "Out Loud".
She sings "It's time we need to change a few things" and in the video there is a picture of a gun scratched onto a school desk and then a child slides what looks like a primary grade cursive writing excercise sheet over it and starts to work.
When I saw that video, it made me think of the very things you just blogged about.
I thought about writing about it myself, but I didn't get there yet.
You can hear Mindy Smith & see the video here:
http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/smith_mindy/artist.jhtml
or here:
http://www.myspace.com/mindysmith
I hope you check it out and enjoy!

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Posted by SmallGreenRiver

I hear you about the need for parents to get involved in their child's education. Our need for equal opportunity has forced us to make enormous allowances for our children. I teach in a public high school. It takes a lot to give the students what they need when they come to school without having eaten, maybe having not seen parents in a day or two, made choices only adults should make, are told they don't need school, don't know who Mom or Dad will have in the bedroom tonight, think pleasing God is about going to church. I have 208 students. A big parent-teacher night for me is 10 parents. I am sad for the children.

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Posted by devdoordeborah

Absolutely! My question is, how can we as Christian parents hand our children over to the enemy's camp to be trained? It doesn't make any logical sense! Have you seen the National Eduation Association's website (www.nea.org)? There are whole lesson plans on teaching tolerance of all things sinfully evil. It's not just about that nice little brick school on the corner - it's about the junk that is being handed down from the government and forced onto the children in those schools. If you have any questions, take some time and look around the NEA site - especially under, "Other Issues." you will be appalled.

Here is just one of many statements on their site:

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Safe Schools for Everyone: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Students

NEA believes that a great public school is a fundamental right of every child—free from intimidation and harassment, and safe for all students, including those who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered.

There is only one real issue for educators: We are responsible for our students' safety and education. We must ensure that everyone is given the opportunity to achieve and thrive.

Measurable Damage

We know that students are more likely to learn and succeed in safe, supportive environments. Unfortunately, safety can be an issue for children and teens who are seen as different because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. From the earliest grades, students routinely use homophobic language, and verbal taunts often escalate to physical confrontations.

The effects of bullying, harassment, and discrimination are clear. Students who are subjected to frequent harassment do less well academically, and are much more likely to be truant or drop out of school, be depressed or suicidal, consume drugs or alcohol, or carry a weapon to school.

NEA is committed to reversing these trends and addressing the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered students. That's why we provide information and resources for educators to create great schools for every child.
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Great schools for every child? Not for any Christian child! In fact, all children are taught to tolerate all things except Christianity.

Anyway, didn't mean to be so long-winded. You just touched a chord in me.

By the way, great Science e-Newsletter on gyroscopes! Excellent.

Deborah

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Posted by SteveWalden

I really appreciate these comments. They’re shedding a lot of light on the problems within the schools. Now that we’ve been homeschooling for around seven years, I couldn’t imagine placing my children in a public school, even if a complete disaster happened to our family.

Yet, I need to remember that God is ultimately in control. As Christians, sometimes we fall so in love with the lifestyle God has called us to that we forget that there are other paths God has called others to. I have to be careful not to take my own experiences, apply them to other people’s situations and then render judgment on them. Some of my extended family members send their kids to public school. Some send them to private school. And still others have found homeschooling as good as we have. It’s unfair for me to look at my brothers and sisters and say, “If only they would homeschool their kids…” Am I God? How do I know their hearts? How do I know their kids’ hearts? Even if homeschooling is the best solution for my children, it’s unjust for me to say that everyone should homeschool their children. God is the only judge on that matter.

What I can say is that parents need to take a deep interest in their children’s education. This is more important than a parent’s job, their house, their car, their retirement fund, their vacation time or anything else except maybe their physical health. God has trusted them with these children, and like the parable of the talents, we will have to give an explanation at the reckoning when we stand before him. Do we carelessly stuff away our children somewhere like the wicked servant? Are we looking just to keep our children safe? Or do we actively seek education and learning experiences to grow our children like investments? My hope is that more parents everywhere will take a more active interest in their children’s primary and secondary education, and perhaps homeschooling will be an option to them.

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