Christian Schools Shelter Children from the Real World!
(Or So They Say)
How often have you heard this statement made as a criticism of the Christian school? In my experience, it is the single most frequent objection raised by those who do not believe in the value of Christian schools. Here are some of the ways I respond to this charge:
1. Yes! Isn’t it wonderful? One of the primary functions of the Christian school is to eliminate a lot of the garbage which children are exposed to in the public schools. In other words, humanism, evolution, immorality, and materialism are not promoted in the Christian school as they are in the public schools. Even ignoring all the positive influences the Christian school provides, simply removing many of the negative influences makes it an attractive alternative.
2. I certainly hope so! The Christian school is chosen by parents who see that one of their primary jobs as parents is to monitor the input that their children receive. They shelter their children at home by monitoring the books they read, the programs they watch, and the friends with whom they play. The school supports and continues the work which most parents do during all the other hours of the week.
3. The real world? Who are we kidding? The real world is the one created by God in which all things hold together by the power of His Word. Only an education which acknowledges the sovereignty of God over the affairs of men can be considered an education about the real world. Public schools are the ones which shelter children from the real world, not Christian schools.
4. Sheltered from the impact? Yes! From a knowledge about it? No. Christian schools routinely discuss humanism, evolution, and other non-Christian views, but they do so from a Christian perspective. The public school ignores the Christian view or presents it as only one alternative from among many.
5. Only for a time. The Christian school works somewhat like a greenhouse which is designed to provide the optimum conditions for growth while a plant is young. Young children are protected and carefully nurtured to help them develop and mature properly. When the time comes for them to be "transplanted" into a more hostile environment, they will be able to endure the difficulties and continue to thrive.
The Christian school provides a wholesome environment where children can develop to their fullest potential. It serves to support and extend the work of the Christian home by reinforcing the same values and beliefs. It makes the very difficult job of parenting a little bit easier by removing a major source of negative influences from a child’s life. Sheltered? Yes, in a positive, constructive, life-changing way! Isn’t it wonderful?
Brian Hazeltine, B.Ed., M.A., Ed.D.
How often have you heard this statement made as a criticism of the Christian school? In my experience, it is the single most frequent objection raised by those who do not believe in the value of Christian schools. Here are some of the ways I respond to this charge:
1. Yes! Isn’t it wonderful? One of the primary functions of the Christian school is to eliminate a lot of the garbage which children are exposed to in the public schools. In other words, humanism, evolution, immorality, and materialism are not promoted in the Christian school as they are in the public schools. Even ignoring all the positive influences the Christian school provides, simply removing many of the negative influences makes it an attractive alternative.
2. I certainly hope so! The Christian school is chosen by parents who see that one of their primary jobs as parents is to monitor the input that their children receive. They shelter their children at home by monitoring the books they read, the programs they watch, and the friends with whom they play. The school supports and continues the work which most parents do during all the other hours of the week.
3. The real world? Who are we kidding? The real world is the one created by God in which all things hold together by the power of His Word. Only an education which acknowledges the sovereignty of God over the affairs of men can be considered an education about the real world. Public schools are the ones which shelter children from the real world, not Christian schools.
4. Sheltered from the impact? Yes! From a knowledge about it? No. Christian schools routinely discuss humanism, evolution, and other non-Christian views, but they do so from a Christian perspective. The public school ignores the Christian view or presents it as only one alternative from among many.
5. Only for a time. The Christian school works somewhat like a greenhouse which is designed to provide the optimum conditions for growth while a plant is young. Young children are protected and carefully nurtured to help them develop and mature properly. When the time comes for them to be "transplanted" into a more hostile environment, they will be able to endure the difficulties and continue to thrive.
The Christian school provides a wholesome environment where children can develop to their fullest potential. It serves to support and extend the work of the Christian home by reinforcing the same values and beliefs. It makes the very difficult job of parenting a little bit easier by removing a major source of negative influences from a child’s life. Sheltered? Yes, in a positive, constructive, life-changing way! Isn’t it wonderful?
Brian Hazeltine, B.Ed., M.A., Ed.D.