What About Public Education?

Anyone who knows me, knows that I never back down from a good debate. It's not that I'm a contentious kind of person, but the challenge of matching wits and ideas with a worthy opponent is quite stimulating, to say the least.

Lately, I've gotten involved in some on-line discussions regarding education, and government schools in particular. So, it's gotten my juices flowing.

Can I stand on a soap-box and judge parents that place their children in public schools? No. "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth." (Rom 14:4) As parents, we are given the responsibility to train our children in the "nurture and admonition of the Lord." (Eph 6:4) But is there anything in Scripture that commands us to homeschool?

And these words, which I command thee this day,

shall be in thine heart:

And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children,

and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house,

and when thou walkest by the way,

and when thou liest down,

and when thou risest up.

And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand,

and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

Deuteronomy 6:6-8

In this passage, we see that parents are to be the spiritual teachers of their children. But does that mean that other forms of education are forbidden? Can parents give their children a secular education while training them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord?

I believe they can. But the risk is high. Consider Lot, Abraham's nephew. He's listed in the Hebrews Hall of Faith, and Scripture teaches that living in Sodom he, "vexed his righteous soul from day to day." (2 Peter 2:8)

The Bible does not condemn Lot, but as we read his account in Genesis, we see the natural consequences of his poor choices. When angels appeared to warn him that Sodom was to be destroyed, they had to drag him and his family out of the city by force.

Despite their warning not to look back, Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of salt for her disobedience. Lot's daughters were preserved; but in wicked disbelief, they tricked their father to an horrible act of fornication. Sodom may have been burned with fire from heaven, but it remained in their hearts and in their descendants.

What does this have to do with public schools? Everything. So many parents will wring their hands in despair as they see the trend of wickedness in the school system, but despite the vexation they may feel, they are unwilling to make any drastic steps. And if angels could barely drag Lot's family from Sodom, I'm well aware that all my debates are fruitless too.

"When an opponent declares, 'I will not come over to your side,'

I calmly say, 'Your child belongs to us already. What are you?

You will pass on. Your descendants, however, now stand in the new camp.

In a short time they will know nothing else but this new community.'"

– Adolf Hitler

Jesus said, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's;

and unto God the things that are God's." (Matt 22:21)

To whom do your children belong?