Written by Ray Fournier
As I step out of my car and begin my long walk across the parking lot I can already feel the oppression in the air. With each step I take the darkness increases and I know deep in my soul that I am now behind enemy lines. Walking through the gates of the public high-school where I teach feels as if I were walking into a concentration camp dedicated to the spiritual death of those imprisoned behind these walls. As a missionary masquerading as one of the “guards” I am an eyewitness to the daily indoctrination and spiritual torture that is inflicted upon those who have been sentenced to come here by their own well meaning parents. The defiling effects of the government curriculum, the media, and the student culture can be seen everywhere you look, but especially in the faces of every student that I teach.
When I look around the room as I’m teaching one of my classes, I am all too aware that 15 out of 30 of these dear children are sexually active. You see, sexual immorality with several partners throughout high school is the norm. Our sex-crazed American culture has defiled the minds and bodies of our sons and daughters. So much so that 23 out of 30 believe that homosexuality is acceptable. 12 out of 30 have used marijuana. 14 don’t see a great risk in heavy daily drinking. 18 have cheated on a test during the last year, 9 stole from a store, 24 have lied to their parents about something significant, and even though they have done these things 28 out of 30 are satisfied with their personal ethics and character. My heart breaks over the moral decline of our youth, but we have an even bigger problem.
Between 70-88% of children from Christian homes walk away from the visible church by the end of their freshman year in college. Less than 1% of all Americans between the ages of 18 and 23 have a Biblical worldview including those that came from Christian families. The fastest growing religious group in America is made up of atheists and agnostics including many of our own children. God is being mocked as the minds and hearts of our children are being stolen by the world leading millions of them to spiritual destruction. The question is why is this happening? There are many contributing factors to this crisis, but there is one factor that almost 9 out of 10 Christian families have in common. 89% of Christian parents send their children to the public schools.
The idea that public school curriculum is religiously neutral is a lie. Evolution based science classes discredit the reliability of the Bible and get rid of God as Creator. History classes get rid of God as Sovereign King and demonize Christianity. English classes reinforce this message through the literature they assign their students to read. This deliberate indoctrination encourages students to break each and every one of the Ten Commandments and sabotages the message of the gospel. By getting rid of God, they get rid of His absolute moral law. Without God and an absolute moral law, the idea of sin and God’s judgment becomes a figment of someone’s imagination leaving students to sin to their hearts’ content. Without the reality of sin and hell, Jesus suffering God’s wrath on the cross in our place becomes an unnecessary myth, and the call to repent of our sins and trust in Jesus as our Lord and Savior becomes foolishness to the minds and hearts of public school indoctrinated youth. This has led millions of our own children down the broad road to spiritual destruction.
You might think that you are doing enough in the personal discipleship of your children to counteract this ungodly teaching or that by taking your children to a strong Bible believing church your children will be able to survive the public schools, but that is not what the statistics say or what I have personally witnessed during my 13 years of experience as a public school teacher. On the contrary, what I have seen is the destruction of countless children from Christian families, including many who went to doctrinally sound churches.
One such family that I knew from church was the Walsh family. The Walsh family home-schooled their children for many years but when two of their daughters reached high-school age, they decided to send them to the public school where I teach. As soon as I found out about their decision, I warned them about the spiritual dangers of public education, but sadly they ignored my warning. It was as if their daughters were placed inside a spiritual gas chamber. It didn’t take long for the poison to take effect. Within a year’s time one of them even became a lesbian. My heart broke each and every time I saw her walk around campus with her girlfriend. I can only imagine how utterly devastated her family must feel.
Stories such as this one have become all too common, but not all corruption is out in plain sight. I have seen many of our children pretend that they are who their parents want them to be, only to change their outfits, their personalities, and their moral values as soon as they get to school. The public schools steal the hearts and souls of our children long before they walk away from the visible church; many as early as elementary school, 40% by end of middle school, and 80% by the end of their senior year of high school. As a result, our families are crumbling, our churches are weakening, and our nation is on the road to becoming the next Sodom and Gomorrah.
At the end of every day, as I walk through the halls and glance into the empty classrooms, the whispers of lawlessness haunt each corner and desk while the stench of spiritual death lingers. I think back to everything that I witnessed throughout the day and I wonder how Christian parents could possibly think that this godless institution is the type of “education” that God intended for their children. If they only knew what was happening to their children “behind enemy lines” and what God actually says regarding education, they would not hesitate to rescue their children from the public schools and provide for them a Biblical education for the glory of God.
In the end, only God can save our children, only God can save our families and churches, and only God can save our nation. With that said, God often uses our obedience as a means to protect our children from evil and to lead them to a relationship with Christ. Seize the day! Even if you are in the middle of the school year, rescue your children from the public schools and return to the Word of God for His commands and principles on how to educate your children for His glory.
To learn more about what God says regarding education and a firsthand public school teacher’s account about what is really happening “behind enemy lines” please go to www.EducationReformation.org to read my book Education Reformation for free.
***You don't think the following verse is a warning to parents about
sending their children to public schools?
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and AVOID them...by good words and fair speeches {they} deceive the hearts of the simple.
Romans 16:17,18
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and AVOID them...by good words and fair speeches {they} deceive the hearts of the simple.
Romans 16:17,18
sangeetha menon · 537 weeks ago
My heart broke down while I was reading about today's youth tomorrow's future.
I go with you, let god save these children.
amanhiswife 27p · 537 weeks ago
FREEINDEED! · 537 weeks ago
hiswife522 43p · 537 weeks ago
This is SO important!!! I find it ironic, being as his reference that people think the public education system is religiously neutral, that a judge in OR just recently declared Secular Humanism a religion. Secular Humanism is the heart of public school curricula, and it is now being recognized as a religion, after how many years of Christians saying so?
I HUGELY believe that homeschooling *CAN* be done, even if both parents are working. Even if you have no budget to spend on it. Even if you think you aren't disciplined or intelligent enough. It *CAN* be done. It is so much more important than we think. People are often so scared or intimidated by it, but there isn't a reason to be. It's lies of the enemy, because he wants the hearts and minds of our children. (And yes, the lies even come from within the church).
This is a topic I could go on for hours and hours, pages and pages. So I won't. But *thank you* for sharing this!!!!!!!
If anyone needs help or encouragement about homeschooling, I'm happy to answer questions, encourage, direct you to proper resources. Post, or e-mail me 522hiswife (at) gmail (dot) com. DON'T let people intimidate you about it. It is so incredibly important. There is a video presentation by Voddie Baucham Jr called Children of Caesar (I can only find trailers on youtube, but it's worth the $20 to buy it - especially if some in your family are pressuring you to not homeschool). http://store.americanvision.org/products/the-chil... I was already firmly established and convicted of homeschooling, but watching the video gave me the words to defend myself against those who try to contest it with me. Of course, I don't get much push back anymore. Usually all I have to do is pull out our standardized testing scores and show that my children are in the 97th & 99th percentiles for their grade level and people usually pipe down.
Already rambled too much....thanks :)
Cynthia Swenson · 537 weeks ago
Kathy Stuk · 537 weeks ago
Anonymous · 537 weeks ago
Question: any thoughts for how to deal with the inequity between siblings because of age? Say a parent pulls their kids from public school, one is 14, the other is 8. The 14 year old had to suffer in P.S. more years than the 8 year old. Ideas on how to soothe resentments?
Thoughts: A local public school was torn down and rebuilt. The former building was charming, but well dated. The new school had everyone buzzing... how great for our students! etc.
I want the old building back.
The student bathrooms are open. I'll try to describe this as best as I can. Boys and girls share one huge room separated by an island well below ceiling height with toilet stalls on each side. No door separating the bathroom from the main hallway, and no doors separating boys and girls sections. Boys on the left, girls on the right. Only doors on the stalls that don't reach to the floor - space is everywhere. My standards are high - I NEED more restroom privacy than that, and want it for any future daughters in law, nieces, and these precious young students.
The stairs in the building have holes/open spaces between the steps. Ladies wearing skirts walking up stairs know what I'm talking about here. If people are under the stairs, they can look up skirts walking up the stairs if there are spaces between the steps. Pair these steps with cameras all over the building and girls wearing shorter skirts nowadays, and we have a lady's nightmare!!! Boys can easily look, purposefully or accidentally, parents of all backgrounds can accidentally or purposefully look, and who is behind the security cameras? These young girls go skipping up the stairs every day. :(
The school is in an affluent area, financially. But, these are the trends. :(
Megan · 537 weeks ago
wendytamaryoung 37p · 537 weeks ago
AMY · 537 weeks ago
Ken · 537 weeks ago
That said, I am sure that his system is one of the toughest in the nation with an integration of 4-5 different cultural mixes and languages. I can imagine that some school systems are half decent and have some great administrators and teachers in them. A Christian parent will need to evaluate their own school system and discuss the discussion with Lord, seeking His will. Is it worth the chance? Can a parent be involved enough to know what is going on with their kids at school with both what is taught and their friends before damage is done? Is K-5th grade OK, and above that when more dangerous sex and drugs and worldly things become more prevalent? Every parent has the responsibility to decide and stand before God with this important decision.
Inna · 537 weeks ago
Tiffany · 537 weeks ago
RTD · 537 weeks ago
As a side-note, think about the social media culture and how that impacts our students. Protect your children from social media! Cyber bullying is not the same type of bullying we dealt with as children and teenagers. Parents, protect your children. Teach them to think for themselves. Even if they disagree with you, at least teach them how to reason logically so that they can own their faith. They need you!!!
Doug Jones · 537 weeks ago
Amazingly, 5 of our girls now have loving Christian husbands. God did it. Not us. Yes, they were bombarded by evil secular philosopies and very much in the world. But we believe through His sovereignty He tested them with fire and they hung onto Him. Never underestimate Gods saving power. As parents we need to be living examples. We went the route of no bubble, Not only can He do it, but He wants to make our kids strong and real lights in the darkness. We don't believe that happens if your primary concern as a parent is to only protect your child. Pray that your kids will influence their secular friends. They have to be in the public system to have such friends. Yes, we are responsible to train our kids. I think we got here by grace, deciding with the Lord the best thing to do at each step. Our hearts are still very much with our kids and grand kids as I'm sure yours are. Hang on to God and pray boldly. He won't let you down.
Sami · 537 weeks ago
Katie · 536 weeks ago
Chris Thompson · 536 weeks ago
God bless.
Chris
So Much At Home
Chris Thompson · 536 weeks ago
God bless.
raphenroch 9p · 536 weeks ago
My parents started going to a church that had an abominable youth program. For the life of me, I cannot understand why they are still there. But by the grace of God, I became best friends with a girl from another church. I started going there my senior year, and I think that is where I was truly saved. Now that I'm out of college, I wish I could've gone back and been homeschooled all through high school. I doubt I'd have met Cari that way, so I can see how God used it for my good, but I still see nothing good about public high school.
One of my sisters entered public junior high. Thankfully, her experience was so miserable that Mom homeschooled her again off and on until she graduated (high school, junior college, and cosmetology school at 18). She's married now, and she and her husband go to a very large church. I haven't been myself, so I can't speak to the doctrinal soundness. But they are professing believers, so that is good.
My oldest brother just graduated high school last year. Public school was good and bad on him. Nearly all of his friends are very worldly, and of the few who profess faith, none live it that I can see. He also professes faith, but I don't know if he even knows for sure what that means. Again, the youth group at my parents' church is abysmal. It'd be better if it didn't even exist. But before he left for Basic Training, he asked for a Bible in a sturdy metal case. And he attends chapel faithfully each week in training. So I'm encouraged by that.
My next sister troubles me greatly. I think public school has done the most damage to her. She was never homeschooled because she and the other two youngest were adopted from Haiti, and they needed exposure to others to become more proficient in English (and Mom couldn't handle homeschooling AND watching them all day—they were monsters when they arrived). But now, this sister is very worldly. She goes to that same horrible excuse for a youth group, and she would say that she's a Christian, but I see absolutely no evidence in her life. Once she came to my church with me. The youth pastor talked about church discipline. She was livid on the drive home. I also know that she disagrees with the Bible on homosexuality. She consistently refers to it as "two people loving each other", though we rarely talk about it anymore. She is a prolific reader, and the heathen John Green is one of her favorite authors.
My youngest sister is much more hopeful. She seems to have a greater interest in spiritual things, and she's dating a kid from her church. Once again, their youth group is a pathetic excuse, but he comes from a very good family. She also is doing a Bible study with a good friend of hers. This friend goes to my church, and her family were missionaries in Brazil for decades before moving stateside to work in the home office as the founders retire. I am very encouraged by that. This sister is very shy and tends to stay in her room except for during meals, but I am pretty sure she is saved.
I keep criticizing their youth group, and I should explain. When my two younger sisters came to my church to visit, one of the first things they remarked to me was how shocked they were that the youth pastor actually had them open their Bibles. They don't even bring Bibles to their own youth group, apparently. All they do is talk about various things and sometimes watch videos of other people teaching. Considering that at their age I was watching Rob Bell's Nooma videos, I shudder to think of the nonsense they're exposed to under the guise of Christianity.
My youngest brother is 11. He goes to a Christian school where my mom teaches. Mom didn't want to work, but for financial reasons it became necessary for her to get a job. (My dad's previous job was so stressful, it was literally killing him. His blood pressure was high enough for him to have a stroke at any moment, and he was so depressed and overwhelmed that he would go days without being able to sleep. Thanks be to God, he found a job in town that was much less stressful, but it required Mom to get a job of her own so we could keep up the house payments.) Anyway, one perk of her teaching at the Christian school is that my brother can go for free. I hope and pray that he will receive a steady feeding of the Gospel so he can become mature in his faith before graduating middle school. From there, he'll probably have to go back to the public school unless my mom is able to homeschool him.
I know this is a long comment, but I am burdened by all of this. It breaks my heart to see how the younger ones have been so negatively influenced by public school. And I am frustrated by my parents' church, but for some reason my dad doesn't want to leave. There's nothing I can do about it, either. I know that for my house, my wife and I will homeschool our children. I'm not married yet, but that will be a prerequisite for whomever I do consider for marriage.
Lukas · 450 weeks ago
Any opinions? (Just a question from a not yet married man in Indonesia)
Jesus Bless!!