School's out – for good

Friends don't let friends send their children to public schools. So says Bruce Shortt, author of the compelling book "The Harsh Truth about Public Schools."

Prominent Christian leaders are proclaiming that when it comes to education, the facts are in and public school is out, not only for the summer, but for the long term. The days of trying to reform government schools are over.

Renowned minister and homeschool father Dr. Erwin Lutzer recently spoke at the Illinois Christian Home Educators convention. "There's no doubt that our public schools have betrayed the public trust," Lutzer said. "And all of you are standing against the stream of our culture – a culture that wants to sexualize your child, a culture that wants your child to buy into humanistic agendas. … I believe that … the public school today is not the place for a child if you intend to rear him or her for the glory of God."

In a recent column in The Christian Post, Dr. Albert Mohler, a prominent leading intellectual in the evangelical world, declared homeschooling "a major force in American education." Extolling the dedication of homeschool parents, Mohler stated, "These parents deserve our respect, our support, our advocacy and our prayers. This movement is a sign of hope on our educational horizon and a phenomenon that can no longer be dismissed as a fringe movement."

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Research shows that home education now surpasses all other educational methods in academics, socialization and spiritual health. The number of children being homeschooled is rapidly approaching the 3 million mark as homeschool associations across the nation provide support and parents take full responsibility for their children's education.

Home education best and most completely fulfills Christ's command to spread the Gospel because it allows parents to better educate and disciple their children. Clearly the tide is turning as Christian leaders and laymen realize that through a home education centered on God's purposes, the hearts of the fathers are turned toward the children and the children back to the fathers.

Mohler acknowledges that it is more efficient teaching a child at home since the time invested in public school takes up to half of a child's best waking hours. That is lost time for a Christian parent aiming to help his child fulfill his potential.

Sadly, the outcry is far overdue as the spiritual carnage in the lives of public school children is strewn across America's landscape. Several studies show that up to 88 percent of these kids lose their faith by their sophomore year in college, while only 2 percent of home-educated young people abandon their faith. Tender minds taken captive by the godless humanist teaching of public schools no longer understand that absolute truth exists. Schooled in sexual deviancy, Christian children exhibit rates of promiscuity similar to their secular counterparts.

The time has come for homeschool parents to boldly, in love, share the blessings of home education with others. Too often we fear offending with the truth, but the spiritual lives of children are at stake. This is missionary work at its finest because the revival of a generation is possible. To remain silent is surely sin.

Even the CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, Dr. Morris Chapman, is saying it is important for the evangelical community "to place great emphasis on training up a child in the way he should go" while he is still young. More and more Christians are realizing that the public schools must be left behind in the ash heap of history.

We are faced with one of two choices: Either we abandon the secular schools, or we abandon our children to the devil.

What are the chances your public school child won't be in the 88 percent of Christian government-educated kids losing his or her faith?

Are you a gambler?

Olivia St. John is a freelance writer with almost 20 years of experience as a home educator. Her work has been featured in several online publications, and she is seeking a publisher for her book promoting home education.