léelo en Español
PART I
The education offered by the public schools today is becoming a serious problem for concerned parents, Christians and non-Christians. The material used in the public schools and topics thought in the classrooms in many cases are not appropriate for the grade levels and for the intellectual comprehension of the students.
Other factors affecting the education of our children are the quality of the teachers and their dedication to educate without the indoctrination on political topics, opinions and irrelevant subjects not part of the educational curriculum. In an attempt to improve public education, some State Houses are considering new legislation to tie the performance of the teachers with the academic achievement of students in the classrooms. But, this is not enough.
Parents are concerned that many public schools are promoting sex education, acceptance of homosexuality, political agendas or anti Christian teachings for the sake of creating a broader knowledge for the students. Many refuse to teach about the existence of God; but, they go on teaching new theories opposing the existence of God.
Can you see where the education of our children is heading in the public schools today? In many instances, the School Boards are the source of the decay in our public education. They approve text books with inflammatory content, strange theories and liberal / socialist doctrines not appropriate for our children. The latest is that, some Elementary Public Schools are teaching the students about “gun control.” This is another subject irrelevant to their education.
In view of this transformation taking place in the public schools, parents are becoming more outspoken about the quality of education and teachers, and about the education materials used in the public schools. Parents are waking up to the fact that our taxes are paying for an educational system that it is broken and it undermines the minds and character of our children. Many public schools are also allowing their teachers to indoctrinate our children on social and political agendas and turn children against parents to become social activists at home.
Without any doubt, public schools are the source of social decay in our country today. In the public schools our children are exposed to gangs, drugs, alcohol, smoking, student bullying, physical intimacy with opposite sex and patterns of hostility against authority and disrespect for teachers and peers. We recognize that many of these problems are also caused by the changes in our society caused by broken homes and one parent assuming the roles of father and mother and unable to handle the hostile behavior of their children.
We also recognize that there are thousands of good teachers in public schools. Teachers frustrated with the educational system. We praise them for their dedication and efforts to educate and engage parents in the education of their children; teachers dedicated to teach and not to indoctrinate our children on social and political issues.
In recent years, frustrated parents are taking the education of their children very seriously and many are opting to pull them out of the public schools to educate them in private schools, Charter schools and at home under a more controlled environment and with selected teaching material, and away from the indoctrination and social decay found in the public schools today.
NAFAPAC is taking a stand to “SAVE OUR CHILDREN” and supports school vouchers. School vouchers will allow parents to choice the best education for their children in a private school.
David Boaz and R. Morris Barrett wrote for the CATO Institute an article titled, What Would a School Voucher Buy? In this article they wrote, “American schools are failing because they are organized according to a bureaucratic, monopolistic model. A school voucher of $3,000 per student per year would give more families the option of sending their children to non-government schools.” They went on saying, “In fact, Education Department figures show that the average private elementary school tuition in America is less than $2,500. The average tuition for all private schools, elementary and secondary, is $3,116, or less than half of the cost per pupil in the average public school, $6,857. A survey of private schools in Indianapolis, Jersey City, San Francisco, and Atlanta shows that there are many options available to families with $3,000 to spend on a child's education. Even more options would no doubt appear if all parents were armed with $3,000 vouchers.” Nonetheless, Teachers’ Union opposes “School vouchers” for a number of reasons, including self preservation. However, while the school vouchers are implemented by the States, something has to be done.
But, what can we do to protect our children from the wrong teachings and indoctrination in the public schools today? How can we protect the education of our children?
The answer is Homeschooling. Unfortunately, many parents feel incapable or not having sufficient knowledge or education to become the teachers for their children.
Here are some interesting facts about homeschooling:
1. Studies show that home-schooled children have less behavioral problems than their counterpart in the public schools, their achievement grades are higher that those in public schools and their personality and behavior are far better that those in the public schools.
2. Home-schooled children are more likely to have a strong sense of self confidence and higher concentration on education. Recent articles published in the internet indicate that, “ the average home schooled student in grades one through four was a grade level above that of public school peers and, by the time home schooled students reached the equivalent of the 8th grade, they were as much as four years ahead of students attending public school.”
3. Home-schooled children do better at college level, are more focused on their education and have better vision and drive on their goals as professionals.
4. There are several credited Homeschooling Programs suitable for each grade level for parents to follow using videos, manuals and testing to make it easy for parents to follow at home.
NAFAPAC supports homeschooling as an acceptable method to rescue our children from mediocrity and remove them from the decay found in the public schools. NAFAPAC is reaching out to parents to take control of their children’s education and home-schooled their children. In doing so, we are protecting the future of our children and building their minds and character to be responsible members of our society and strong leaders for the future of this nation.
NAFAPAC invites Pastors and Monsignors of all denominations to take the leadership role providing support to parents willing to teach their children at home. As Christians, we have a tremendous responsibility to protect our children.
What can the Churches do to change the trend? The following are some key steps the Churches can take to change the education of our children:
1. Churches can assign a member of their churches to provide guidance to parents interested in homeschooling.
2. Churches can assist parents selecting the best Homeschooling programs available for their children.
3. Churches can create courses in Bible teachings for different grade levels as part of elected courses under the homeschooling curriculum.
4. Churches can provide the social interaction with other children in a Christian environment where God is the center of all things.
5. Churches can assist parents setting up their own homeschooling schedules and curriculum
6. Churches can provide spiritual support to parents and children
7. Churches can be instrumental in the formation of the future Christian leaders of this nation
8. Churches can help building a nation of young men and women of faith.