This year, my wife and I had a decision to make. Do we enroll our son into public school like any normal, sane person would? Or do we homeschool him like a weirdo?
We chose the latter.
And every day, I am more affirmed that we made the right choice.
As most of you know, this past week was the nation-wide gun control walkout. Students and staff from high school down to kindergarten took the day to protest for stricter gun control policies. Lovely signs included "As a black boy, I just hope that one day I have as many rights as a gun" and "NRA = BLOODSHED." Students that didn't participate were reprimanded. Students who raised signs supporting the Second Amendment had them confiscated. In one case, a teacher was put on leave for questioning the walkout. And in the same week, two students were suspended for visiting a shooting range with their parents, breaking the school's "no guns on or off campus" policy.
This isn't the exact reason we decided to homeschool. But it does exemplify the problem.
And the problem is this: Public school is no longer neutral ground.
As Christians in a secular society, we understand that the public sphere is always a battlefield. And as parents, one of our goals is to train and equip our little sheep to be little soldiers. We don't want them to be swept up and, as Paul says, "tossed to and fro by the waves, carried about by every wind of doctrine, human cunning, and craftiness." We take seriously the call that we are to "bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."
School, of course, is one of the earliest testing grounds of this. It is where they are often first exposed to people of contrasting views. Here they can continue to grow, learn, and be challenged in a relatively controlled, appropriately safe setting.
Not so anymore.
A kindergartner stepping through the classroom door is stepping into an arena. And if the opposing team were just made of other kindergartners, that would be fine. Good, even. But the problem is that the opposing team consists of kindergartners, coaches, and referees.
We're ok with marching our little soldiers into an unfair fight. We're not ok with throwing our little sheep into a pack of wolves. And presenting modern sex education to five-year-olds, which is something schools in our area have begun doing, is the latter.
Now, I fully grant that not all teachers are like this. Not all school staff is like this. I know plenty of teachers and administrators who are great and in no way reflect this. Some even see the problem and are endeavoring to be part of the solution. Yes and amen.
And I fully grant that not all schools are like this. I'm confident there are schools that have not and will not go this route. I do think that it will get better. Yes and amen.
But here in the greater Seattle region, we are under no illusion. We are in a midst of a culture that stands opposed to Christ and His kingdom, and the schools are no exception. And the more we see what qualifies as "normal" in today's society, the more ok we are if our kids turn out a little "weird." In fact, I think we'd prefer it.