By CHUCK GRIFFITH
Religion Columnist

My wife homeschools our children. The decision to homeschool was one we made based on our own convictions. This is our first year to homeschool but we feel real good about it.

What has amazed me is the way many people respond when you tell them you homeschool your children. Often they look at you like you are committing educational child abuse or intellectually and socially neglecting your child. Many feel compelled to tell you their convictions about education and the needs of your children. Even people who say it does not “take a village to raise a child” seem to think it takes a village to educate a child and act like parents serve only as the village idiots. The truth is just the opposite. Parents who blindly trust any system to educate their children without their active involvement are the ones failing their children. As good as any school system may be it can not and should not replace the parent. We need more parental control over education and less union control.

Children are impressionable. They need more than just secular information poured into their brains. Children need education that honors and affirms the convictions of their parents. Too many children have been subjected to teachers with agendas contrary to the convictions the child learned at home. This humorous story illustrates my point:

A young woman teacher with obvious liberal tendencies explains to her class of small children that she is an atheist. She asks her class if they are atheists too. Not really knowing what atheism is, but wanting to be like their teacher, their hands explode into the air like fleshy fireworks.

There is, however, one exception. A beautiful girl named Lucy did not gone along with the crowd. The teacher asks her why she has decided to be different.

"Because I'm not an atheist."

Then, asks the teacher, "What are you?"

"I'm a Christian."

The teacher is a little perturbed now, her face slightly red. She asks Lucy why she is a Christian.

"Well, I was brought up knowing and loving Jesus. My Mom is a Christian, and my dad is a Christian, so I am a Christian."

The teacher is now angry. "That's no reason," she says loudly. "What if your Mom was a moron, and your dad was a moron. What would you be then?"

Lucy paused, smiled and said "Then I'd be an atheist."

Do not depend on someone else to teach your child your convictions. If you are not actively involved in your child's education, whether it is public, private, or home-based, you are the one guilty of educational neglect. Parents should be the first and primary educators of their children whatever system the parent chooses to use.

In general homeschool parents are completely dedicated to their child's education. They make great sacrifices for their children. They are unjustly criticized and inadequately recognized. So I want to say to my fellow homeschool parents, "You are doing a good thing. I hope you will continue to lead the way in reclaiming control over education."

Chuck Griffith is pastor of Fayette Assembly of God, 1144 Ga. Highway 92 South in Fayetteville, 770-719-0322.

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