tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post5948895160621610946..comments2024-03-01T21:01:15.174-06:00Comments on Biblical Christianity: Government schools and the erosion of the American visionDJPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16471042180904855578noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-9582884851682734872011-04-10T23:37:47.342-05:002011-04-10T23:37:47.342-05:00ahhh...
We're struggling with a 14 year old wh...ahhh...<br />We're struggling with a 14 year old who has a small man complex and 1/2 who will not let his mom help with Algebra. So, my hubs is wanting him to go to the local public high school next year. Big little man is also a problem in other ways disrupting my homeschool day. Sigh. I don't want to send him and yet, we don't have money for private. I am praying we can find a way to keep him home and get the homeschool back on track next year.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-45250700690603017032011-04-08T17:48:08.978-05:002011-04-08T17:48:08.978-05:00I'm reading a fascinating book called A Brief ...I'm reading a fascinating book called <em>A Brief History of Education</em> byt Ellwood Cubberley, copyright 1922. It is striking that over and over again this man (jubilantly) equates progress in education (both theory and practice) with the transition from religious schools to secular schools:<br /><br /><em>"The first half-century of the national life may be regarded as a period of transition from the church-control idea of education over to the idea of education under the control of and support by the State...Up to the period of the beginnings of our national development education had almost everywhere been regarded as an affair of the Church, somewhat akin to baptism, marriage, the administration of the sacraments, and the burial of the dead...In the meantime, the demand for education grew rather rapidly, and the task soon became too big for the churches to handle. For long the churches made an effort to keep up, as they were loath to relinquish in any way their former hold on the training of the young. The churches, however, were not interested in the problem except in the old way, and this was not what the new democracy wanted. The result was that, with the coming of nationality and the slow but gradual growth of a national consciousness, national pride, national needs, and the gradual development of national resources in the shape of taxable property - all alike combined to make secular instead of religious schools seem both desirable and possible to a constantly increasing number of citizens."</em>Paula Bolyardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05567777774272590296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-37850562294961821582011-04-08T09:07:06.520-05:002011-04-08T09:07:06.520-05:00A few years ago I saw this article about the purpo...A few years ago I saw <a href="http://www.wesjones.com/gatto1.htm" rel="nofollow">this article</a> about the purpose of public schooling, how it's basically designed to produce unthinking mediocre childish adults who won't question their overlords. It sure made my public school experience make a lot more sense in retrospect. I doubt all (or even most) in public education are aware of what they're doin, of course, but the design of the system is clear enough if you pull back and look.trogdorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11452996348717802065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-56323203588219209422011-04-08T00:01:32.973-05:002011-04-08T00:01:32.973-05:00@Fred:
That's Arkansas...a whole other countr...@Fred:<br /><br />That's Arkansas...a whole other country. ;)Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15285043747501470199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-72361376146479460642011-04-07T21:32:45.688-05:002011-04-07T21:32:45.688-05:00Angie writes,
(I'm only 30, but I also remembe...Angie writes,<br /><i>(I'm only 30, but I also remember being told to lay on the horn if there was trouble when my mom left my sister and me in the car while she ran into the grocery store as a kid, and that was okay back then)</i><br /><br />You ain't kiddin. <br />I can remember when I was a 8 year old kid and could go down to JJs Market in Salado, AR, and buy my aunt a couple of packs of Virgina Slims no questions asked.<br /><br />A tad off topic, but she got me reminiscing.Fred Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16025967176465685306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-5610787823529732012011-04-07T19:11:58.344-05:002011-04-07T19:11:58.344-05:00Economic security is a basic human right, and The ...Economic security is a basic human right, and The State has to give it to me.<br /><br /><i>Imperium Eleison</i><br /><br /><br />(It's kind of like when I was a kid and I wanted my parents to buy me something. They could just go to the bank and get some money -- there's lots of money there after all -- to buy it with. Good thing my parents weren't elected by their constituency.)Mike Westfallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06944727980772754938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-5233822689482292962011-04-07T18:43:53.675-05:002011-04-07T18:43:53.675-05:00"The Grownups have arrived."
And they&#..."The Grownups have arrived."<br /><br />And they're from Wisconsin! Who woulda thunk it?Tom Chantryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02485908616177111150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-50013105683080178072011-04-07T14:53:07.286-05:002011-04-07T14:53:07.286-05:00I do agree in alrge part with you Dan. How did it ...I do agree in alrge part with you Dan. How did it get this bad? I have a friend in the system who has students that believe Obama was alive in the 19th century. <br /><br />I don't want to give on my government. There are good men fighting a lot of really bad mistakes made by their predecessors.<br /><br />I honestly equate the liberal politicals to Emergents: they don't respect anything sacred. It only exists for launching their own agenda.Scothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16573138499478048502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-77164090535986349622011-04-07T14:34:19.370-05:002011-04-07T14:34:19.370-05:00Ok, last point:
"Why don't people rebel ...Ok, last point:<br /><br />"Why don't people rebel today?" <br />Part of this has to do with christian complacency and an attitude that says we shouldn't be involved in politics, government, or do anything to force our religious views on anybody else.Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15285043747501470199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-44545250999624010852011-04-07T14:30:29.432-05:002011-04-07T14:30:29.432-05:00I also wanted to say that American churches are as...I also wanted to say that American churches are as much the problem as Government schools. In fact, if it weren't for the deficiencies of the churches, we probably wouldn't have the schools we have. We've totally abdicated teachings such as "If a man will not work, he shall not eat" and "do not show favortism to a poor man in his lawsuit." If you don't stand on the Bible, you'll come to liberal social teachings everytime.Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15285043747501470199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-39425556629743327202011-04-07T14:28:31.958-05:002011-04-07T14:28:31.958-05:00Which form of education is the best is (A) an inte...Which form of education is the best is (A) an interesting question, and (B) not the focus of this post. Just to be clear.DJPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16471042180904855578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-12166208175896023692011-04-07T14:24:09.729-05:002011-04-07T14:24:09.729-05:00I think I have an interesting point of view. I wa...I think I have an interesting point of view. I was homeschooled during my 6th through 9th grades. The company my father worked for went bankrupt and so we wound up moving when I was in 4th grade. The public school system where we moved to was so poor that I found myself horribly bored in class. The public school tested me for the advanced classes but decided that I was so far ahead I would need to start going to high school. As the cliche goes, idle hands are the devil's workshop, and so I got into a lot of trouble at school. My parents, not having the money for private or military school, decided to homeschool me. I hated it and developed serious rebellion againt my parents. Eventually I progressed scholastically to a level that my parents couldn't really homeschool me. My parents moved so they could send me to a very good public high school. Scholastics were good and I don't recall any anti-religious bent (in fact, my biology teacher said we had to learn about evolution but we didn't have to believe it). However, as is always the case, I fell in with a crowd whom I most wanted to emulate. Bad company corrupts good morals...and I was for sure corrupted. But then again, I wanted to be corrupted. I went to college...a private one that was once associated and founded by a Protestant religious denomination. I majored in Accounting so there wasn't much talk about religion there one way of another. <br /><br />So while I agree that most public schools are inherently anti-Christian, I don't think that homeschooling is a cure-all.In fact, I see a lot of homsechooled kids now that are well on their way to outright rebellion.<br /><br />So (A) Nothing you do can insure that a person will not develop a selfish, sinful view of life and politics. With my daughters, I hope to send them to private institutions or failing to afford that, I'll homeschool as the last resort (public school is just not an option for now). But that's not enough. I hope to take them around the world to show them first hand where sin leads and the ill effects of liberal policies. So (B) seeing is believing. It's easy to deny the truth from our relative safety of our small suburban neighborhoods. and lastly (C) best friends of the same gender are probably as influential as a spouse or parents. I pray that my daughters will find best friends that are strong Christians themselves.Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15285043747501470199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-40529109006609334282011-04-07T14:21:58.149-05:002011-04-07T14:21:58.149-05:00I went to a bunch of different schools growing up ...I went to a bunch of different schools growing up - mainly public, but also a quasi-Christian girls' boarding school, a super Christian college, and now I've circled back and am experiencing a state junior college as a grad student. My kids are currently in a fairly expensive Christian (of the squirmingly evanjellyfish,Arminian variety) school. <br /><br />The consistent theme I remember from my own experience, and now as a mom, is the importance of ongoing, intentional engagement of parents. The more the "outsourcing" mentality rules,the poorer the outcome. The more the "loving engagement" mentality rules, the better the outcome. And by "loving", I don't just mean my child. I mean my child's teacher, her friends, their parents, the administrators. It takes a tremendous amount of love and careful diplomacy to remind both your children, and their school, that <i>you</i> are in charge of your child's education, and <i>they</i> are your trusted, loved, supported, prayed for <i>helpers</i>. We've already gotten a few opportunities to have to redirect our kids thinking about a particular chapel, lesson, kid drama, away from their teachers. So far, it's been a valuable exercise in measuring every argument against Scripture, even at a "Christian" school. <br /><br />I totally agree that, for the most part, in California, public schooling is a choice fraught with peril. I know people who do it, and who have even built credible ministries in it. But it's been built on a willingness to suffer ridicule and harm for the cause of Christ. I'm willing to do that for myself, but when my kids are at risk of suffering for my sake, instead of on their own for Christs', that's not a strategy I'm willing to subject them to.<br /><br />Thanks for the careful words Dan. You aimed your fire at the right targets, and were careful not to leave any collateral damage in civilian quarters. Mission very well accomplished.Rachael Starkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10781158372237369417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-73514955242816039302011-04-07T14:18:44.571-05:002011-04-07T14:18:44.571-05:00So well said.
I am 56 and I too was sent off brow...So well said. <br />I am 56 and I too was sent off brown bag in hand skipping into the future of humanism. Indoctrinated by Darwinian evolution by people I trusted believing they knew what they were talking about then off to church on sunday. <br />Our intellectual elite have an agenda and that agenda is SELF/MAN..the ultimate in free willism (is that a word?). <br />As you so well said-<br /><br />"They were my benevolent caretakers from my early single-digits to my seventeenth year."<br /><br />We believed and why not this is where Mom and Dad send me every day, my friends are here and we play kickball, and from this what did I learn?......<br />I am the master of my fate:<br />I am the captain of my soul.<br />To think I, except by the grace of God was steering that ship into eternal outer darkness.<br /><br />Never do I cease to thank God for His divine election of myself and family.<br />Great article right between the eyes!Not Ashamedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01229118745427873095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-62458772242048325102011-04-07T12:49:48.338-05:002011-04-07T12:49:48.338-05:00Dan...all net, no rim, three pointer. Expect linka...Dan...all net, no rim, three pointer. Expect linkage soon :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-76939039209529308152011-04-07T12:38:08.484-05:002011-04-07T12:38:08.484-05:00If I told you what my instant thought was, when th...If I told you what my instant thought was, when these educrats basically patted us on the head and told us that our kids were <i>their</i> concern, I'd have to ban myself... or at least delete my comment give myself a stern warning.DJPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16471042180904855578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-3755475548178843952011-04-07T12:33:50.689-05:002011-04-07T12:33:50.689-05:00The State giveth and the state taketh away. Blesse...The State giveth and the state taketh away. Blessed be the name of the State.Kurt Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17922190564522510470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-46692453223055573152011-04-07T12:28:16.839-05:002011-04-07T12:28:16.839-05:00"When I hear leaders and talkers say, as they...<i>"When I hear leaders and talkers say, as they must, that the American people are smart and all that, I can't agree. If they were that smart, there would have been no Clinton 1, and certainly no Clinton 2, and certainly no Obama; let alone Pelosi, Reid, Frank, Shumer, Snowe, Chaffee, and the like. ... And for that, in part, I blame the state-government conditioning we underwent for the most formative years of our lives."</i><br /><br />Some other culpable parts are:<br /><br />o The influence of the liberal meanstream media.<br /><br />o The waning of Christianity and the rise of aggressive liberal secularism.<br /><br />o The waning of Christianity is also largely attributable to Liberal Protestantism. And weak-spined conservative Christians.<br /><br />o Liberals capturing higher education, kinder-secondary education, the media, Hollywood, the judiciary system, and political power.Truth Unites... and Divideshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08891402278361538353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-57134002156840315492011-04-07T12:25:57.211-05:002011-04-07T12:25:57.211-05:00I agree with all the points, at least in theory. ...I agree with all the points, at least in theory. We don't have children, but have seen several examples of very poor homeschooling (though a few very good cases), where the childrens' academic skills are seriously lacking -- thoughts and writing at the level of a 5th grader when they're finishing up high school, for instance. Most of these home-schooled children do not continue with college or other education, but end up staying at home well after high school and working low-end, unskilled labor jobs. I would fault the parents for not raising their children to become productive adults capable of functioning on their own. <br /><br />On a recent Christian radio show, I heard it pointed out from scripture -- Paul's reference to tutors and such -- that it is perfectly proper (and according to the model of ancient times) for the parents to delegate the responsibility for teaching, to those best able to do it. <br /><br />I don't think that government schools (which cater to the lowest-common-denom) are the answer, and would be all in favor of abolishing public schools all-together. Forget the mediocre system and taxation of it, and do what worked historically (at least for all but the very poorest): parents provide the appropriate education, whether high academics or skilled-trade apprenticeships, etc.Lynda Ohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01755739519555633760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-29652900465377122542011-04-07T11:47:30.922-05:002011-04-07T11:47:30.922-05:00After listening to Harry Reid at a press conferenc...After listening to Harry Reid at a press conference just a little while ago, I have come to the conclusion that Dan is just an extreme tea-bagger with an extreme agenda.<br /><br />I like it … extremely so.<br /> <br />Too bad that, for the Life of him, Harry wouldn’t know the Truth if it stood in his Way.JackWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16384160992033491748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-7498927466536838442011-04-07T11:34:41.549-05:002011-04-07T11:34:41.549-05:00Hi, Pierre from Canada up here...everything you wr...Hi, Pierre from Canada up here...everything you wrote but to the power of 3 up here.<br /><br />A well known Canadian brodcaster and conservative voice up here, hehe, yeah I know...there's actually conservative voices here...once related in a book of his how a caller into one of his shows declared how people would be "dying in the streets" if we got rid of welfare. <br /><br />Being Canadian I grew up in a largely Liberal run country, and "A MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA/ONTARIO" on every every commercial break on TV.<br /><br />I have two small girls...2y.o and 4y.o. My 4yo is in kindergarten, public school. Ontario governemt is planning all day kindergarden with not only a teacher but a "Early Childhood Educator" in each class, and "play based learning".<br /><br />Still have to see what that entails. But here too, in our current election time, the Liberals have promised all day Kindergarden, and the Conservatives have not...b/c the Conservatives know there's no money in the system for it.Pierre Saikaleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09409964448078910855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-37358900313028895402011-04-07T11:33:11.062-05:002011-04-07T11:33:11.062-05:00Amen, amen and amen!
“Give me four years to tea...Amen, amen and amen! <br /><br />“Give me four years to teach the children and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted.” – Vladimir Ilyich Lenin<br /><br />The progressives know this and they know it well. I remember a long time ago I heard one of the gay activists saying, "Get them by eight or it's too late."Gabbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04074084804171553745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-25681799401946791562011-04-07T11:22:11.295-05:002011-04-07T11:22:11.295-05:00There are some (of us?) who support revolution.
S...There are some (of us?) who support revolution.<br /><br />Secession now!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-23858739072077554322011-04-07T11:21:50.844-05:002011-04-07T11:21:50.844-05:00This post speaks deeply to me, as my wife and I ar...This post speaks deeply to me, as my wife and I are expecting our first child. I'm no fan of public education even in Canada.<br /><br />My struggle is perhaps only earthly: In my current job, I have not the financial wherewithal to send my child to a private school, nor can I or my wife teach the children at home at the expense of the paycheque.<br /><br />So, it's fortunate that this decision is a number of years away. Still, that weighs on me a little.Chris Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09852172543604796279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9313009.post-76140814346028317002011-04-07T11:13:43.602-05:002011-04-07T11:13:43.602-05:00We had our older two in public school until the 4t...We had our older two in public school until the 4th and 2nd grade, and then pulled them out. My husband had not been favorable to home educating before that, but now... the longer we are out of 'the system' the more and stronger reasons we have to continue. (I won't even go into the actual academics.)<br /><br /><b>Whose are our kids? Who do they belong to? And what ought they to be prepared for</b>?<br /><br />If they belong to the State, they should serve the State. Public schools will prepare them for that very 'nicely'. Just put them on the Yellow Prison Bus (a Voddie Baucham euphemism) every morning and voila.<br /><br />If they live to serve their own interests, then education is valuable as a marketable asset.<br /><br /><i>But if they belong, ultimately, to God, and ought to prepared and fitted for His service, then we need to rethink the whole thing</i>. <br /><br />Yah?<br /><br />And let me tell you, if you have a kid with a disability (and Robert, I sympathize with you here), you will face a LOT more pressure to keep him in The System. 1. Most of them genuinely believe that they know better than you what your child needs, and you are reckless and irresponsible not to leave him with The Experts. 2. Schools get a LOT more money when they have kids with 'labels' on their rolls. LOTS.<br /><br />Just my two cents.<br /><br />JulieHerding Grasshoppershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15668974245505544238noreply@blogger.com