Schooled

The kids are out of school and Christmas is definitely in the air. I love this time of year!! It's even a little cold this year. Growing up on the gulf coast I don't ever remember a cold Christmas much less a white one. I do remember getting out of school and knowing that I had two weeks off. That was only topped when I got to college and realized I got a month off at Christmas. Incredible!!

I had a conversation about school with a friend the other day. He and his wife have chosen to put their kids in a private "christian" school after homeschooling for a few years. He made a statement that I have a problem with pertaining to public schools not being a good place for children to get their education.

I had a problem on a few levels....

1. my wife is a teacher in the public school system.
2. i taught and coached in public schools for 15 years before going into full-time vocational ministry
3. all of my kids are in public schools.

I guess my issue lies in the fact that I know that private "christian" schools have the same problems as the public schools, the kids there can just afford the private school tuition. I taught in several schools over my teaching career and saw my share of parents get upset with the system because of their kid's behavioral issues and just transferred them to a private school. I also had my share of kids that got kicked out of private schools for many of the reasons we were kicking kids out of public schools.

But on a spiritual level I just think that kids that have a relationship with Christ will have a bigger impact on their community if they are actually interacting with their community on a daily basis. To live out the life God calls us to in a public school, where all of society is represented can be huge. Obviously there are things that we don't want our kids exposed to, but is putting them in a bubble really helping. What happens when they get to college?

Don't say... well by that time they'll be mature enough to handle it. You're kidding yourself with that philosophy. Truth be told.... you risk them going stark raving wild when they get a glimpse at the world they've been "protected" from their whole life.

Teaching our students to stand for what they believe in the face of all the world has to throw at them is teaching them real, missional, Christianity. Life is gross and dirty at times and we can't protect them from everything, but we can show them what it looks like to overcome and stand for what is right. When you teach your kid to drive, you don't have them drive around a parking lot until the day they get their license. You get them out on the road and show them what it's like to navigate through traffic and obstacles. Life is no different..... they've got to see what it's like to take a stand when they're students, while they're still under our roof..... if they get away without that experience it could be trouble.

I'm out.....