 |
| Arne Duncan during Chicago Public Schools. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
What about home school graduation rates? I don't have numbers here, but I have not heard of home school students dropping out. As home school grows in popularity, even among non-Christians, I would venture to say that there are a few, so I would probably hold the graduation rate at about 98-99%, but this is an area where it's hard to nail down figures. Private school graduation rates seem to be in the 90-95% range.
So, if these numbers are accurate, and based on a few searches, they appear to be so, then why does the government continue to insist on educating our children? Follow the money. On average, it costs the government between $10,000 - $12,000 per child in the public education system, and the government wants to increase that amount, while the graduation rates are only improving in very small increments, if at all. We recently spent $400-$500 on curriculum for home school next year for 2 children. Take into account, a mortgage payment, and my salary, and we still don't reach the government's money numbers.
Now, take into account what students are actually learning in the public education classroom. Evolution is being taught as fact without allowing any other viewpoints. Students are being taught separation from religion and to try to think away from religious thought. Christianity, particularly, is targeted. Students are attending school in longer hours than ever before and nothing is changing. Teachers can't be fired for being bad teachers due to the Marxist/Socialist unions. All around, it's just a bad situation, and the government think that money is the solution.
The solution is for Christians to take a stand and to home educate their children again. Yes, I said again. Until the late 19th century, children were home educated. The industrial revolution started, men went to work in the factories, women had to start work, and children were handed to the government to educate. It's been all downhill since. If Christians were to lead in this area, and we are, in pulling their children out of public education to home educate, then the government would look at better solutions than money to fix their problem. I would love to see a school choice bill, at least in my state, become a reality. For one, it would give me back my money that is being thrown away on public education that I'm not taking advantage of. Another thing it would do, is give the parents of children for which the public education system is currently failing, another option. Private education might be the better option. Do you want to know why many of the great leaders around the world have been great? Home education or private education.
There are Christian educators in the public school system, and I know some of them. We need to pray for them, that they would be salt and light in the dark world they work in. As Christian parents, however, we need to protect our children, and be able to give them the education they deserve. They don't deserve this mess the government is giving them. No child deserves that. Let's take a stand on this issue and give the government notice that their system is an utter failure.
Disclaimer: I am a public education graduate, but I have gone on to earn both a B. A. and a M. A., but times were different, even 18 years ago.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please keep your comments respectful. I reserve the right to edit and/or delete comments I find violating these rules.