By: Matt MeadeAs I’m writing this, we’re preparing our oldest daughter to start public preschool in one month. I can’t believe I’ll soon see my firstborn child put on sneakers and a smile as she walks away from us and into the care of another human for the day. It’s a melancholy feeling—excitement mixed with uneasiness, fear, and sadness.
I grew up in Lincoln County, West Virginia. Back then, there were four high schools in our small county. My graduating class had about 30 people. For us, there was no thought of alternative education; most of us only had public school as an option. Fast forward to today, and education is a hot-button issue. Getting your kids to school and yourself to work on time is far from the only worry crossing parents’ minds.
This is the third installment of our Education Matters series. The previous blog focused on homeschooling (available here) and offered a great perspective for families on that option. Our goal with this series isn’t to say one option is better than the other, but instead to offer perspective. That’s an important word: perspective. As I’m writing about public school, I’m only writing to show a personal conviction, not to convince you that I’m right. This is the beginning of our education journey as parents. What works now for one of our kids may not work a few years down the road. But we’re convinced, through prayer and discernment, that this is right for our family right now.
What We’re Up Against
The education debates are endless. People are fighting over what is being taught in schools, what isn’t being taught in schools, and even the personal lives of teachers. The curriculum is scrutinized by people who have never taught in school systems and have no formal education-related training. There are podcasts, documentaries, and endless social media posts devoted to the issues facing our school systems. Parents do have the responsibility to steward their children’s exposure to certain topics and ideologies, especially in education—but we can’t assume public school is our outright enemy.
Not all of this is new. We did have issues when I was in school, but they weren’t nearly as heated or publicized as what we’re seeing now. Private Christian schools, charter schools, and homeschooling options are more popular than ever. So, when given the choice, why would a Christian parent choose a public school for their kids?
Many people (including Christians) believe public school harbors all the things we want to keep away from our children. Our values are often contradictory to that of public institutions. Ideologies incongruent to the gospel abound in secular organizations and institutions. It’s undeniable that our children will eventually come face-to-face with these things, regardless of the type of school they attend. We want to protect our kids, but also give them an age-appropriate framework for understanding these issues.
The prominence of the LGBTQIA+ movement and the harmful effects of social media—particularly on young females—are cultural issues at the forefront. I highly recommend the book To Be a Woman by Katie McCoy for a deeper dive into navigating these issues. In addition, there are safety and security concerns with the ever-increasing gun violence in our country. There are plenty of worries that keep parents up at night when considering sending our kids to school. This shouldn’t be taken lightly, but we can’t respond with mere fear—Christian parents can take these things to God in prayer.
A Balanced and Biblical Perspective
These issues and concerns are real, but I do want to offer a balanced perspective. There are wonderful benefits to public school. Many of our best and brightest teachers work in public schools. Our kids get to socialize with their neighbors and learn valuable communication and problem-solving skills among people they may not have met otherwise.
It’s important to remember not everyone can afford private schools, and homeschooling isn’t an option for many families. Whether you send your kids to public schools or not, being a good and loving neighbor means supporting those around you. For us, the public school in our neighborhood is the right place for our child. If that isn’t the case for you, consider ways to support those who do not have a choice in the matter.
What, then, is the believer’s relationship with secular institutions? Paul explained it this way, “First of all, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Tim. 2:1–2). Prayer is the answer. If we want holy institutions, we should pray for teachers, administrators, and lawmakers to find Jesus. Irrational outrage will not change people’s hearts, but by the power of the Spirit, prayer can.
In Matthew 22:15–21, the Pharisees tried to trick Jesus by asking him if it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. Jesus saw right through the ploy and responded by asking whose inscription is on the coin for the tax. When they answered Caesar, he said, “Therefore, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matt. 22:21). Jesus made a profound statement here. He clarified the place of institutions, but also claimed God’s sovereignty over all things.
This is a comforting reminder to me as a parent. When we send our children away in the care of others, we remember God is always in control. We believe God has placed our daughter in the care of individuals that he ordained before the foundations of the earth. When we take our children to school each morning, we are trusting in God—not in teachers, institutions, and governments. We’re also trusting in the gospel that we preach to our daughters with our everyday worship, our speech with one another, the grace and forgiveness we show each other when we fail, and how we love them unconditionally. Their primary place of safety and gospel-centered learning is our home; as they enter public school, we pray that they carry what they’ve learned and grow with discernment.
Christians have different opinions on how to educate their children in a secular world. The common prerogative for us all is to educate our children in the gospel. Paul put it beautifully when he told Timothy, “From childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ” (2 Tim. 3:15). We pray that the things our children are learning now will aid them in wisdom as they grow.
Most Christian parents are hyper-aware of what their children are exposed to, as we should be. Let’s use that awareness wisely. James said, “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17). We’re stewards of our children from God. It is good and wise to pray for humility and discernment in how we raise them—including how we choose to educate them.