My husband and I were blessed to see the new Ben Stein move, Expelled, this week.  The part of the movie that moved me the most was when a few professors described how they became evolutionists and how any belief in God was simultaneously extinguished in their lives.  As one professor detailed, it happened when his biology teacher turned him on to evolution and by the end of the course, he was both an atheist and evolutionist. 

I have heard this same story over and over again in the lives of everyday Christian parents.  For example, I used to tutor this very smart boy who took several honors classes – honors physics, honors English, etc.  But I told his Christian mother that I was worried that she was going to send him to a liberal ivy league college as he already had been exposed to so much secular humanism in this public school high school and he had little grasp of a Christian worldview.
 
She dismissed such thoughts, telling me he was the head of the children’s ministry in their church and was active in other church work.  Sure enough, after one semester of college biology in which the professor bulldozed Darwinism into the students, this ignorant and unprepared teen declared to his shocked parents that he was now an atheist. 

You need to homeschool to make sure your children understand Dawinism thoroughly before encountering it from the elites in academia.  And they need to study the vast evidence for God as the creator, the infinitely intelligent designer of the universe. Otherwise, a child weakened by a public school education will likely be seduced by the fantasy of evolution and overwhelmed by the peer pressure to adopt an atheist view of the world.

Or should I say the case separates the “girly men” from the men, since this is California we are talking about?

It is in times of crisis (or perceived crisis) in the homeschooling community that you see who was merely convinced to homeschool versus who was convicted by the Word of God to do so. 

In case you haven’t heard, a California state appeals court declared in a case involving a homeschooling family that parents do not have a constitutional right to homeschool, the only exception being if the parents hold teaching credentials. 

Homeschoolers are up in arms, and the reverberations are obviously being felt in Sacramento as Arnold has gone so far to declare the ruling “outrageous” and that if the courts don’t overturn it, then he and the other “elected officials” would intervene.  Not entirely comforting I would say, as it is the past and recent actions of these same “elected officials” that have made the public schools in California unbearable cesspools of homosexual indoctrination. 

This case reminds me of an incident few years ago when then Superintendant of Public Instruction of California, Delaine Easton, declared private homeschooling illegal.  Fear coursed through the homeschool community in California.  Those of us in homeschool outreach felt frustrated as the situation was over exaggerated, and not only by the liberals, but by some conservative columnists and organizations as well.  In the trenches, it became harder to convince parents who were on the fence about homeschooling that the option was safe. 

But, as nothing happened, people forgot.  The Democrats pushed through more awful bills that affected education and the flight from public schools resumed its former intensity. 

Let’s hope that a swift end to this awful ruling happens soon.  But let’s say the ruling were to stand. If you are a homeschooling Christian in the Golden State, what would you do?

I’ve had some interesting discussions with homeschoolers on this topic, and their answers reveal how theology affects whether someone starts or continues homeschooling when the right to home educate comes under serious assault.  Would you break “the law” to homeschool?  Some tell me, “No – I would just move to a more homeschool friendly state”. But what if you are poor, like most of us homeschoolers, and could not just up and leave?   Would you reluctantly send your child to the legal, free, but soul-destroying public school or would you defy the authorities and raise your child in the Lord at home?

Many Christians get so frightened when liberals attempt the desire of their darkened hearts – to quash homeschooling or to at least intimidate people out of considering it.  Believers who have been given a warped view of Romans 13 think they must obey any foul “law’ that the despotic think up. 

But from the mother of Moses and her heroic following of God’s Law to the apostles stating, “We must obey God rather than men!'" Scripture is clear that you do not fear the false laws man may conjure up.  Would homeschooling even be legal in the United States had not brave pioneering homeschoolers “illegally” homeschooled in the face of arrests and even jail?

The Bible never gives the civil government the responsibility for educating our children.  That is the parents’ God-given role, and you cannot abdicate that to the government because of something that a human judge, who is in violation of the Word of God, declares.

There is only one Law, God’s Law.  Any “laws” made that violate God’s Law are not laws at all, but lawlessness.  And Christians must follow the Law, no matter what. 

I am sure rumors of this ruling in California will cause the faint hearted or theologically confused to waver about homeschooling.  But the “manly men” remain unshaken.

It is disturbing enough that the majority of Christians still have their children in public schools.  But one does not have to look too far to find a lot of “former homeschoolers” in those public schools as well.  The apparently high attrition rate of homeschoolers is an issue that those of us who homeschool, or encourage others to, need to address. 

Desiring to protect our children from the corrupting public schools or wanting our offspring to get a solid education can be motivating factors for starting homeschooling, but a homeschool built on just these will begin to collapse when the going gets tough -- and it will get tough.

When the tremendous monetary sacrifice of one parent forsaking the working world kicks in, when the hefty spiritual challenge of disciplining and discipling children in the Lord become evident, when the mother feels the serious academic responsibility that largely rests on her shoulders, suddenly sending the children out of the home may appear justifiable.

“Some public schools might be teaching that stuff, but my child will have Ms. Christian as her first grade teacher, and I am going to be a classroom volunteer once a week,” says the wavering homeschooler.  Suddenly the kids “don’t learn as well from me as from a teacher” or “I’m falling behind!”  Or the father feels no compulsion to help, let alone lead the homeschool and he may desire the financial gain and lighter responsibiiites that happen when the wife and children leave for work and school.

From looking at what kept the veteran homeschoolers zealous about being home – often against all odds -- I believe homeschool longevity for the Christian largely comes down to a matter of theology. 

That is, Christians with a vision for their family, for fulfilling God’s purpose for them to be used for His glory, is what every Christian family needs to keep homeschooling. 

Now I will preface this with I know there are Christian families who cannot homeschool --- maybe the mother suffers from mental illness, alcoholism or another serious problem where they should not be with children.  There exits a huge shortage of affordable Christian schools that could be filled with the children from such families. 

But for the majority of Christian families who can create a safe, loving, healthy home where Christ is honored – they are well qualified to raise their children at home, and they need to get that exciting, big picture vision for their family to really go the distance. And this vision should be shared with the children, too.

Recently our family was standing in front of local Planned Parenthood. Not only is it part of their education to learn how to witness for Christ and save babies there, but we point out to them that this location is a “high place”in the land.  Like King Josiah, we are to take down the high places.  “But how, Mom?” they ask.  Through doing the best they can in math, science, writing, reading, etc. – maybe one day they can become a judge who helps to outlaw child killing, or a parent who passes on a life ethic to their children. 

If our only goal is to get our children to recite the Sinner’s Prayer, and just try to survive in a world that is supposed to get worse even in areas where there are many believers, I think we have too small a goal.

Years ago, when my husband and I ran a pro-family ministry on our secular college campus, we called all the Christian groups together for a prayer time.  We then asked them to work on getting Christians elected to school government and to help us get rid of the college-sponsored pornography and homosexual movie nights.  Besides the erroneous view many of them had that Christians should not get involved in politics, many acted like trying to make the campus less evil was somehow unspiritual. 

We challenged them that a place with Christians should be different than a place without them.  And that cleaning up the place, taking dominion in the name of Jesus, was a blessing to those who dwelt there.  To make a long story short, although the movies had been shown for 20 years, God used us to get them out in a matter of months.

My point is, what vision do you have for your family and how God could use all of you for His purpose — and does this motivate you to carry on during the storms?   

If they haven’t already, your kids are going to look at their math one day and ask you, “What is the point?’ You are going to wake up to a mountain of laundry and a day of children needing you and ask yourself, “What is the point?” 

What if you saw it as taking dominion over your household in the name of Jesus.  A household with Christians should look different than a household without.  Cleaning up the place, and teaching the children to do so, is a blessing to those who dwell there. Homeschooling the children in the Lord brings souls to Him and blesses others. And a husband who catches the vision rises up to take his rightful place as head of such a  home. 

Whether you are considering homeschooling, just staring homeschooling or if you have a call on your life to encourage others to homeschool, please take this to heart.  Homeschooling is the harder, but much better road if done the Lord’s way and with a solid vision for victory in Jesus.

You can read John Corcoran's story out of San Diego here.  It is an intriguing older story -- if just for the fact that he has made a cottage industry of his shame, complete with a foundation and books -- which might be the only reason this got any press after all these years.

Nevertheless, I will use this story just the same to reiterate that you can homeschool your children better than the public school system -- academically, spiritually, and socially.

I will add that I spent a short time as a literacy tutor, volunteering in Washington when I was in the Army.  You might consider it a good homeschool activity for your older teens (under proper supervision).  There are literacy organizations in nearly every community in the country.  And, given the decrepit state of education in our nation, literacy volunteers are sorely needed.

It is an opportunity to teach someone in need of a functional skill and an opportunity to be salt and light.  You could even start a program at your church. 

When Kathy and I lived in Irvine, we saw an opportunity to reach the large Persian and Asian populations for Christ by starting free ESL (English as a Second Language) classes at our church.  It was great time of fellowship, witnessing, and meeting new friends.

This week when one of our six children was sick in bed, the other kids asked if they could make him up a snack plate.  I watched as they happily cut fruit, piled on goldfish crackers and even drew some pictures for their ill sibling.  After a bit of arguing over who would get to deliver the plate to him, they not only brought him the plate and a drink, but they spoon fed him too.  (He didn't quite need that much assistance, but he did not object, either!)  Then they took turns reading stories to their brother. 

Watching our three year old "read" a picture book to her sick older brother, inventing the words as she went along, just made my husband and I feel so blessed. Of course, children are not born knowing how to minister to one another in such a way, but through parental encouragement they can learn to "...through love serve one another". - Galatians 5:13 

Now what preschool or what nanny would have the eternal motivation or the means to teach such a powerful life lesson?

I couldn't help but think of friends and relatives who send their children off to preschool or outsource their parenting to others when they don't have to.  What they are missing is not only bonding between parent and child, but sibling bonding.  When a person lovingly helps another who is in need, there is a gratefulness that cements a friendship.

I mean, will your child really be able to call up their old preschool friends when they are an adult and in trouble?  No, it is their family you hope they will be able to lean on in dark times.  So, if you are considering homeschooling, don't put your child in day care, preschool or with a nanny while you ponder whether you can handle homeschooling – if you are a loving, safe parent, then care for them yourself, and keep them with the sibling team God gave them. Sure, serving the children in this way and teaching them to serve is the more difficult path, but the more fruitful one.

Tyrico Tyler, a former middle-school history teacher and "teacher of the year" winner from San Diego, was sentenced to "two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a charge of possessing child pornography" in this AP story.

Go ahead and delude yourself that your kids' public school is a "good school" or has "good teachers".

Just in case you thought this was isolated, check out these recent headlines: 
 

• Teacher to face 'up-skirting' charge
  Australia - The Age understands the teacher has been sacked but is unlikely to face charges for broadcasting or distributing the footage. It is believed the likely...
   
• Teacher faces sex charges
  Toranto - Four sex-related criminal charges have been laid against a Brampton high-school teacher alleged to have developed an online relationship with a...
   
• Birth certificate shows boy in teacher-sex case is 13
  Cedar Rapids - That would be too old for a statutory rape charge against Peterson. Statutory rape charges have not been filed in the case yet...
   
• Nebraska teacher accused of fleeing to Mexico with teen is silent
  Three days after her capture, a Nebraska middle school teacher appeared in court for the first time to face federal charges that she fled to Mexico to have... 
     
• Document: Boy in Teacher Sex Case Is 13
  The lawyer for Kelsey Peterson, 25, suggested earlier this week that the boy might be 16 or older — too old for a statutory rape charge against Peterson...
   
• Teacher on Thai child porn charge
  UK - A teacher has been charged in Thailand with distributing hundreds of child porn photographs over the internet. Paul Cornelius Jones, 39, originally from...
   
• Former substitute teacher given 7 months on molestation charge
  Fort Pierce - A former substitute teacher at Manatee Elementary School in Port St. Lucie was sentenced this morning to 225 days...

World Net Daily has a commentary from Migdia Chinea, a former substitute teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the country's largest public school district:

In my view, the LAUSD is completely corrupt, inept and broken, with many students having serious behavioral problems and disinterested in learning, whereas the teachers remain underpaid and exhausted – some of them just marking time until their retirement and giving out charity passing grades to high school students who can barely write or do math at a third-grade level.

Perhaps the school district where you live is not as exceedingly bad as Los Angeles, but it is bad.  We lived in Irvine, California a few years ago, which is noted for its "excellent" public schools -- our homeschool is better.

A story from Washington about a public-school "homeschool" program:

The home-school program in the Edmonds School District lost almost a quarter of its students over the past year in the wake of the district's decision to relocate its alternative high school to the same campus as the home-school program.

Now I know that Washington is one of the last few bastions of communism, but why would these parents need a district run "campus" to "homeschool" their children in the first place?

May I suggest to parents considering homeschooling that you Avoid Government Homeschooling Like the Plague.

Yes, the predators are everywhere.  Your children are not safe with anyone or anywhere.  Alarmist?  No, realist. 

Take this story of Robert A. Singer, COO of the National Children's Museum, being charged for child pornography.

The images sent from Singer's museum computer depicted sexual acts between minors and adults, the complaint said.

Just imagine all the public school children who have been corralled onto busses and taken to this "safe" place, with limited supervision by strangers.  I cannot believe that parents are still placing their children in these situations, knowing what we know now about the perversion of our culture.

Homeschoolers, you are right to suspect every staff member of every museum, school, camp, league, or program -- Christian or secular.  None of these people love your children as you do.  Only your direct supervision can protect your children from these predators. 

I don't care if I am casting aspersions on some good people who might work with children.  I would not risk my child on the chance, nor should you.

Here is an interesting column from Michelle Malkin about yoga in public schools.

If you have never read her columns before, know that Malkin deals directly:

Bit by bit, the dumbed-down cult of mediocrity, secular extremism and multicultural madness has infected American public education. Instead of concentrating on the basics and then teaching children to manage and conquer their "stress" through internal discipline, we're removing every last source of possible damage to their egos.

Apparently, while Christian prayers and the Holy Bible are taboo in public schools, yoga and Hinduism are all the rage.

You can also find 92,000+ more reasons to homeschool on Malkin's blog.