Here's an article today from Ethics Daily about how, after a couple of years of resolutions and rhetoric attacking public schools, anti-public school sentiment may be growing among Southern Baptists. Welcome to Ethics Daily.com!
One of the leaders of this movement, Bruce Shortt, argues:
"Many leaders and pastors have been afraid to speak out about the ways in which public schools are destroying our children because of the influence within their congregations of public school teachers, administrators, and parents."
I don't think people have been quiet because were "afraid to speak out." Maybe it is because they just don't agree with the doomsday "prophets" (or doomsday “profits” as the private and home-schooling businesses hopes to attack public schools enough so they can make more money!). Why must we always have an enemy that we need to attack? And why must we always believe that everyone else is out to get us?
Consider this: since most Americans claim to be Christians, most public school teachers and officials probably are as well. And if we did not have so many Christians home-schooling or teaching in private schools, then think of all the Christian teachers that could be in the public schools making a positive difference. Regardless of what type of school one goes to, the real difference in the child's life will be the parents. We can't just pay a few extra dollars and expect everything to suddenly work out okay.
We don't need more Christians to quit being "afraid to speak out" against public schools. We need more Christians to speak out by teaching at public schools and by getting more involved in their children's lives. And what we really don't need is more Christians like Shortt speaking out against public schools—he is wrong on the facts and he is wrong with his tone.
One of the leaders of this movement, Bruce Shortt, argues:
"Many leaders and pastors have been afraid to speak out about the ways in which public schools are destroying our children because of the influence within their congregations of public school teachers, administrators, and parents."
I don't think people have been quiet because were "afraid to speak out." Maybe it is because they just don't agree with the doomsday "prophets" (or doomsday “profits” as the private and home-schooling businesses hopes to attack public schools enough so they can make more money!). Why must we always have an enemy that we need to attack? And why must we always believe that everyone else is out to get us?
Consider this: since most Americans claim to be Christians, most public school teachers and officials probably are as well. And if we did not have so many Christians home-schooling or teaching in private schools, then think of all the Christian teachers that could be in the public schools making a positive difference. Regardless of what type of school one goes to, the real difference in the child's life will be the parents. We can't just pay a few extra dollars and expect everything to suddenly work out okay.
We don't need more Christians to quit being "afraid to speak out" against public schools. We need more Christians to speak out by teaching at public schools and by getting more involved in their children's lives. And what we really don't need is more Christians like Shortt speaking out against public schools—he is wrong on the facts and he is wrong with his tone.
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