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The sin of sending your kids to public schools


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My family and I were at a birthday party of a young man last night and of the 10+ teenagers there, the one young man there who has the respect of his peers and of adults as being an upright young man with a lot Christian character goes to public school (this was not the boy for whom the party was). The other 9+ there go to a Christian school in our area and over half of them have been into some pretty major trouble. One of which has actually been expelled from the Christian school. I commented to my husband last night on that very fact and we both agreed that while we plan to home school our children, that you can purpose in your heart to live right and do right while surrounded by all the influences of a public school (or any influences of the world for that matter). I've seen it both ways: home schooled children run straight to the world and public school students walk with the Lord. :twocents: Most of the Christian schools in our area are so close to the world you might as well send them to a public school anyway. again... :twocents:

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Understand that the term "Homeschool" means just what the name implies. It is a parent or parents teaching their child at home. It is not the same as sending children to a "Christian school". I would not send mine to one of those either. Does the Bible ever tell us that it's the State's authority and responsibility to raise our children? Well, the Bible in many places does give fathers and mothers the responsibility to provide for their physical needs, but also to protect and teach.
......bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4 So you take them to church for what, three hours a week and tell them that God created them, but then let this ungodly World have them for the rest of the week, to fill their heads with garbage?

A few months back, there was a bill brought before the legislature, here in Florida, which was intended to provide a system which would make teachers more accountable. Teachers who had good performance would be rewarded and those who performed poorly would not. Whether the system would have worked, we can't be sure because our governor, Charlie Crist, vetoed it. While it was still being considered, the teachers of Florida had a Facebook page on which many of them were voicing their disapproval of the Bill. You would have been apalled at the hateful and filthy language many of those teachers were using on that Facebook page. ...and those are people teaching our kids. So I ask the question: Would you be willing to send your kids to a place where you can't supervise, where they would be in the care of ungodly reprobates who will curse and swear, say filthy things, teach them Humanism and radical political beliefs? And I promise you; they WILL be taught Evolution.

I realize some people can't homeschool and that is unfortunate. But like I said above, it has to be a conviction to make the decision, because it will cost money and great deal of time. We have been given the freedom to do it so why take freedom for granted? How much are your children worth?


Daniel was educated and trained in the best government school of his day. As was Moses. I can go on, and on. The BIble is silent about how society should educate children. It simply does not address the issue. Whether parents send children to public, private or homeschool, their responsibility remains the same. School is a place educate and prepare children for jobs in this world. That can be done in many different ways. Elementary school teaches basics of reading, writing and math. As students advance, they tend to specialize more. There are apprentices that learn a trade. Education takes many shapes and forms. One thing I can say is that government is a God ordained institution. Government is there to manage and oversee the population of its citizens. It is the job to tax, ration, etc. You don't believe me? Joseph did just that. He taxed, saved crops during tiimes of plenty and rationed the grains during times of drought. Part of overseeing and managing the civilization, a government can reasonably conclude that education is very important. I agree with this. Before modern days, education was for the priviliged elite. IT is fantastic that it is not readiliy available to all through high school. The system is by far from perfect. It is subject to problems, corruption, etc. just as any human institution is. But overall, it is a good system. It is a system I will not abandon and will work to imporove in my town, as I see that as being a good neighbor. Any institution is made of the people involved. There are good public schools and there are bad ones. You cannot categorically say all public schools are wrong. I don't care if my kids are taught evolution. They will hear about it one way or another. I was taught evolution in my Christian school I was raised in, and we talked about the flaws of the theory, as well as the scientific evidence for the theory. At home, I discussed with my parents and learned that God created all things, and we discussed science and faith.

My children will come into contact with people who swear, in or out of school. It is my job to teach and build their good character so that when they encounter such, they will know better.

If you do not like your local public school, you can get in there and work with people to change it. My daughter starts school in 2 years. I am already talking to teachers, principals in our district, and have found many good ones and many bad ones. I am working to improve problems, etc., so that when her time comes, the school will be good. The good thing about our political process is that you can get involved and change it. Run for school board, work in the PTA, meet with superintendents, volunteer, and in doing so, demonstrate the love of Christ in all we do. That is how we bring the love of Christ to a lost world, not by segregating our selves and living in a lock box.

I am not saying public schools are right for everyone, I am just saying there is no reason to lump them into a category and let a few bad apples in the system spoil the whole bunch.
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Daniel was educated and trained in the best government school of his day. As was Moses. I can go on, and on. The BIble is silent about how society should educate children. It simply does not address the issue. Whether parents send children to public, private or homeschool, their responsibility remains the same. School is a place educate and prepare children for jobs in this world. That can be done in many different ways. Elementary school teaches basics of reading, writing and math. As students advance, they tend to specialize more. There are apprentices that learn a trade. Education takes many shapes and forms. One thing I can say is that government is a God ordained institution. Government is there to manage and oversee the population of its citizens. It is the job to tax, ration, etc. You don't believe me? Joseph did just that. He taxed, saved crops during tiimes of plenty and rationed the grains during times of drought. Part of overseeing and managing the civilization, a government can reasonably conclude that education is very important. I agree with this. Before modern days, education was for the priviliged elite. IT is fantastic that it is not readiliy available to all through high school. The system is by far from perfect. It is subject to problems, corruption, etc. just as any human institution is. But overall, it is a good system. It is a system I will not abandon and will work to imporove in my town, as I see that as being a good neighbor. Any institution is made of the people involved. There are good public schools and there are bad ones. You cannot categorically say all public schools are wrong. I don't care if my kids are taught evolution. They will hear about it one way or another. I was taught evolution in my Christian school I was raised in, and we talked about the flaws of the theory, as well as the scientific evidence for the theory. At home, I discussed with my parents and learned that God created all things, and we discussed science and faith.

My children will come into contact with people who swear, in or out of school. It is my job to teach and build their good character so that when they encounter such, they will know better.

If you do not like your local public school, you can get in there and work with people to change it. My daughter starts school in 2 years. I am already talking to teachers, principals in our district, and have found many good ones and many bad ones. I am working to improve problems, etc., so that when her time comes, the school will be good. The good thing about our political process is that you can get involved and change it. Run for school board, work in the PTA, meet with superintendents, volunteer, and in doing so, demonstrate the love of Christ in all we do. That is how we bring the love of Christ to a lost world, not by segregating our selves and living in a lock box.

I am not saying public schools are right for everyone, I am just saying there is no reason to lump them into a category and let a few bad apples in the system spoil the whole bunch.

Well, you have your opinions and I have mine. I'm thankful that we had the freedom and privilege to teach ours at home.
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Well, you have your opinions and I have mine. I'm thankful that we had the freedom and privilege to teach ours at home.

Actually, you have some biblically sound views while he is putting forth opinions that are not biblically sound.

I've never heard of or even read of a legitimate case where parents can't homeschool their children. I've seen God do amazing things in the lives of dirt poor families who determined to obey Scripture and keep their children out of the ungodly public schools.
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Can I summarize many of the negative responses like this?

1: "I've seen Christian schools turn out bad kids too." "I've seen bad things happen at Christian schools too."

This is a bogus argument because it reasons based on the outcome. I am convinced that in order to please God I must make decisions based on the principles of God's word, not on the outcome. Should I illustrate how it would be a mistake to go through life making decisions based on whether or not the outcome was favorable? I hope I don't need to do that.

2: "You're not loving your neighbor/ caring about others if you forsake public schools"

Hmm. OK. How many other commandments can we reject using the logic of "it is more important to help the community"? Perhaps the one about not eating with professing Christians who do any of the activities mentioned in 1 Cor 5:11. After all, they need to be reached too.

I'm willing to hear a reason of how I might be misapplying this verse, but so far I'm not convinced. Please explain how sending my impressionable children to be taught evolution and humanism is not sending them to "hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge." If the kids believe that stuff, they will go to Hell. You are saying it is OK to send the kids to a place where teachers are eager to convince them contrary to everything that might save them? And all I have to do is tell the kids not to believe any of it and it's OK?

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This is an interesting topic. I must ask what your motivation for addressing this topic? Condemnation or edification?


I feel very strongly about this. I believe the verse proves it is sin. I see people close to me being careless with their kids. In the spirit of Lev 19:17 (Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him), I want to be ready to convince when the opportunity comes up. I want to be sharp.
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My 2 cents, FWIW...
Full disclosure: I am a homeschooling mom, and love what I do.

I think I agree most with LuAnne's response. I do not believe it is a "sin" for someone to attend a public school, or that a family who utilizes the public school is "living in sin." Is it sin to "hear" (as in heed, hearken, pay attention to, listen to with the intent of obeying) the world's message? Yes. But a child who attends a public school need not fall into that sin. I think we all know about "success stories" of kids with great families who made it through public school just fine, and were shining lights for Christ in the process. Similarly, we all know about homeschooled and Christian-schooled kids who have made wrecks of their lives. These results aren't any help at all in determining whether or not it is a "sin" to educate children one way or the other. There is something deeper at work in these children's hearts that the mode of education had little to do with.

My kids' catechism question reads like this: "What is sin?" "Sin is the transgression of the law of God." So, the question really should be this: "Which law of God is being transgressed by the act of sending a child to a public school, or by the act of attending a public school?"

Edited by Annie
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Seth, Do you think many churched children are lost to the world because of attending public school? They do teach stuff that contradicts the Bible.


Not really, I think "churched" children that are "lost to the world" are "lost" primarily for two reasons. One, many have never been truly saved in the first place and have no heart for God. Two, many become disillusioned with the shallowness, fakeness, and unbiblical living of many members of churches that are "technically" doctrinally sound. They eventually come to the conclusion that a Christianity without power isn't really worth pursuing very much and that is pretty much all they feel they have ever seen despite protestations to the contrary. They come to feel biblical Christianity and a real walk with God is more a theory than a reality. Something almost everyone in a "solid" church claims to have and yet their lives and a lack of any kind of consistency in answered prayers would seem to deny that it is actually the truth though they many be "good" or "nice" people. I have seen a lot of "homeschooled" and "Christian schooled" "churched" children that end up being lost to the world too for exactly those reasons. I myself would have left IFB churches due to a very general sort of broad dissatisfaction with reality except I know quite well that there is nothing better out there and a great deal that is worse. I knew I was saved and I knew I didn't want what the world had, and I rejected other "denominations" for assorted biblical reasons. On the other hand I didn't feel particularly thrilled with how what I had seemed to work out for me or how it seemed to work out for others I knew, even if I respected them. I suppose I have a tendency to expect and want to much while under performing on my end of it. Therefore I tend to end disappointed.

Ah well, I suppose the conclusion could be come be an IFB, we're a sorry lot but most everyone else is even worse off. lol Yes, I can occasionally tend toward being a pessimist. :wink
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My 2 cents, FWIW...
Full disclosure: I am a homeschooling mom, and love what I do.

I think I agree most with LuAnne's response. I do not believe it is a "sin" for someone to attend a public school, or that a family who utilizes the public school is "living in sin." Is it sin to "hear" (as in heed, hearken, pay attention to, listen to with the intent of obeying) the world's message? Yes. But a child who attends a public school need not fall into that sin. I think we all know about "success stories" of kids with great families who made it through public school just fine, and were shining lights for Christ in the process. Similarly, we all know about homeschooled and Christian-schooled kids who have made wrecks of their lives. These results aren't any help at all in determining whether or not it is a "sin" to educate children one way or the other. There is something deeper at work in these children's hearts that the mode of education had little to do with.

My kids' catechism question reads like this: "What is sin?" "Sin is the transgression of the law of God." So, the question really should be this: "Which law of God is being transgressed by the act of sending a child to a public school, or by the act of attending a public school?"


"Don't pay any attention to it" = " cease to hear"

If I could agree that it is OK for me personally to attend a public university as long as I didn't "pay attention" to the bogus stuff, I would still have a problem with sending the kids. I'm responsible for them. Wisdom says, "the best way to avoid the sin is to avoid the temptation." In this case, why would I take any chances with those most precious to me?

The law I don't want to violate is the commandment not to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge. Edited by Captain Claptrap
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Captain, as I stated earlier, if you believe that God has shown you that you are not to put your kids in a public school, then do not do so! It would indeed be a sin.

However, the Bible does not state specifically anything about the place of education for children. Parents are responsible for that - and that father is to make the decision.

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Captain, as I stated earlier, if you believe that God has shown you that you are not to put your kids in a public school, then do not do so! It would indeed be a sin.

However, the Bible does not state specifically anything about the place of education for children. Parents are responsible for that - and that father is to make the decision.

The father is to make the decision in accord with the Word of God. Scripture is clear we are to separate from false teachings, to separate from bad company, to not be entangled in the affairs of this world, that children are supposed to be being taught Scripture throughout the day, to separate from the ways of the world, etc.
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Captain, as I stated earlier, if you believe that God has shown you that you are not to put your kids in a public school, then do not do so! It would indeed be a sin.

However, the Bible does not state specifically anything about the place of education for children. Parents are responsible for that - and that father is to make the decision.


True, it doesn't address the "place," but it does address the "instruction." It plainly says it has to be of the kind that does not cause one to "err from the words of knowledge." Who can say that public school curriculum doesn't qualify by that standard?
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True, it doesn't address the "place," but it does address the "instruction." It plainly says it has to be of the kind that does not cause one to "err from the words of knowledge." Who can say that public school curriculum doesn't qualify by that standard?


It's still up to each father....
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The only thing up to the father is whether he will obey the Word of God or not.

Yep - but it isn't up to any one of us to adamantly say that it's against God's Word to use the public school. We've gone round and round and round with this same argument. The plain fact of the matter is that each head of the household has to make that decision.

We can make any verse say anything we want it to say, but in the end, fathers have to decide.
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