But what about the “good” public schools?
Posted By Luci on May 10, 2010
Not for young readers.
When discussing the many advantages of homeschooling, many parents are confronted with the question: “But what about the ‘good’ public schools? Why would you not send your children there?” Of all the challenges to homeschooling, this question is perhaps among the most pernicious: being vague, it’s difficult for a parent to answer. Without some idea of what students gain (or lose) from “good” public schools, homeschooling parents may find their choices difficult to defend.
I attended public schools for thirteen years (kindergarten through twelfth grade). Thanks to high property taxes, the schools in the county where I grew up are very well-funded and offer “extras” from special language classes to numerous extracurricular activities. My high school is consistently ranked among the top 200 high schools in the nation; it’s fair to say that it counts as a “good” public school. The schools I attended were not anomalies; rather, they were held up as models for other schools to imitate. As such, I consider them valuable lenses through which to evaluate academics and socialization our nation’s “good” in public schools.
Elementary school (K-5)
I was insulated from social pressures due to the fact that I was usually working with higher-level classes. I faced some questions from my friends when my parents kept me out of our fifth grade “health” class, wherein students learned about AIDS and homosexuality. By the end of fifth grade, three or four of my friends had begun “dating” – no one appeared to find this development strange.
Middle school (6-8)
Academics: My middle-school teachers were far less equipped to deal with gifted students, as they spent a significant amount of time enforcing classroom discipline. However, I began French in sixth grade, which provided a new challenge. In eighth grade, my English teacher allowed me to design my own curriculum around the St. John’s College Great Books program.
Social: Beginning in sixth grade, I witnessed the sexualization of youth culture. I knew several eleven year old girls who became pregnant; at least two had abortions. I’ll never forget the moment in seventh grade when I learned that two of my twelve year old classmates had engaged in oral s-x. I remember thinking, “They’re not going to get married. What’s going to happen when one of them gets married and has to tell his or her spouse about doing this at the age of 12?” This incident wasn’t uncommon; similar activities occurred at school, on the bus to and from school, and at children’s houses after school when no one was home.
A major problem was the lack of parental supervision. I was still in my “it’s cool to be a nerd” phase, so I didn’t go to parties – but they were happening! Parents would allow their children to invite 20, 30, or 40 kids over for a late Friday or Saturday night (unsupervised) party. I can only assume that the parents of the children who attended these parties were either aware that no chaperons would be present or simply didn’t care. By eighth grade, many of my good friends had gotten to “third base,” if you will, and others had been around the bases several times … with different boys.
It was well-known that sexual activity was common at my middle school. In eighth grade health class, a classmate told our teacher and class that he knew about “safe sex” from his older brother, so, the first time he had sex, he made sure to use a condom. In retrospect, I find that incident to have been terribly sad; at the time, I was simply flabbergasted. I couldn’t help but wonder how his girlfriend – who everyone knew – would feel about him sharing such details with our class. The next day, I fainted while watching a mandatory, extremely explicit video on intercourse. Thankfully, that ended my stint in “health” class!
Because of the increasing social pressures, I implored my parents to let me go to a private school, thinking that it would be better. However, we could not afford tuition and they didn’t think that the social environment would be any better. (In retrospect, they were correct.) I went to our church’s Youth Group to meet friends who weren’t as boy-crazy. At the first and only meeting I attended, we discussed contraception and a potential trip to New York. I did not return.
The experience of my childhood best friend, who grew up just a few houses down the street and attended the same schools, was all too common. She began dating when she was eleven, had slept over at an older boy’s house at twelve, and, by age thirteen, had experimented with a variety of drugs. I rarely saw her, as she was usually busy hanging out with “cooler” kids, but I missed her so much.
High school (9-12)
Academics: Despite being highly ranked and nationally renowned for its academic offerings, courses at my high school were by no means difficult. It had 2,200 students, so I was not able to receive the individual attention that I had in middle and elementary school. I completed the International Baccalaureate curriculum as well as eleven Advanced Placement tests; I did not take any of the AP classes, but earned an average score of 4.5.
My French teacher became a beloved mentor for me. Beginning in 10th grade, she let me have my own class with two native speakers of French from Cote d’Ivoire. We spent an hour a day conversing in a little back room that was separate from the main French class. My French improved tremendously, and I remain fluent in the language.
Social: The sexualized culture that began in middle school remained pervasive. I was sucked in with one “boyfriend” in ninth grade, and then another “boyfriend” in tenth grade. The latter was an extremely destructive influence in my life; he was verbally and physically abusive, and I was unable to escape until I completed my freshman year of college. From time to time, my French teacher gently expressed her concerns about this boy; she was a very positive influence when I began trying to break things off with him much later. My parents had no idea that he was anything but kind to me.
Signs of the dating culture were everywhere. The school had a daycare center for girls’ babies; it was always over-enrolled. Our weekly school newspaper always had an advertisement from a clinic that offered abortions. The school nurse passed out condoms – no questions asked. One yearbook section was devoted to “couples.” Of course, by the time the yearbook came out each year, many children featured had moved on to the next partner, or the next, or the one after that.
With high school came trouble with binge drinking. I never understood the excitement of underage drinking parties, although I knew that many parents would host them for their kids. Students would often discuss these events with their teachers to show how “sophisticated” they were. To my knowledge, no teacher ever contacted school officials or parents to express concern. Parents justified these parties by saying that the kids were “going to drink anyway,” so they might as well “provide a safe environment.” The parties were generally followed by co-ed sleepovers, which many of my peers attended without their parents’ knowledge or consent. Make no mistake – at least several of my Christian friends arrived at church on Sunday mornings having come straight from a co-ed sleepover… and their parents never had a clue.
Sex was seen as “recreation” separate from any emotions. “Hooking up” was rampant, even at school; moreover, kids didn’t seem to exhibit any shame when they were caught by teachers. My mother, who worked part-time at my high school, once attempted to break up two children who were locked in a passionate embrace – and who were quite late for their next classes. “It’s our (expletive) nine-day anniversary,” the girl huffed. “Leave us the (expletive) alone!” She continues to work there; students curse at her on a regular basis for “offenses” ranging from asking them to be on time to class to telling someone to pull up his boxers so that his rear end is covered.
Drugs were a huge problem; marijuana, crack, cocaine, and other substances were bought and sold at my high school. Violence was commonplace. I don’t mean bullying, but rather full-fledged fights every single day. There were kids with whom I rode the school bus who brought handguns or knives with them. We had four security guards who did their best to enforce school rules, but they couldn’t be everywhere at once. A proposal to install security cameras at two entrances garnered serious opposition from children and parents on the grounds of privacy rights. Students were “entitled” to leave school and skip class or engage in a fight without the presence of security cameras or metal detectors!
These are not extreme examples. In twelfth grade, I was elected president of my high school and came to know many students well. As such, I had an inside view of my school’s problems. Somehow, everyday life didn’t seem to justify the school’s high ranking. I talked with many older teachers, who bemoaned the total collapse of civility. I spoke with students, who saw no need to respect adults since, to them, everything was a matter of opinion and everyone’s opinion should be treated equally. The dress “standards” were outrageously low, and girls often campaigned for the “right” to wear even more revealing clothes as a means of “self-expression.” Spaghetti straps and miniskirts passed as appropriate attire. Homosexuality was promoted as a perfectly acceptable lifestyle. Most teachers displayed signs provided by the school administration in their classrooms which told students to “Stop Hate” and “Encourage Friends to Come Out.”
Unfortunately, my best friend never escaped the twin lures of sensuality and poor education in our high school. She hopped from one sexual relationship to another, engaged in self-mutilation, shoplifting, and other destructive acts. I wish that I had tried harder to convince her to avoid the sexualized culture in our schools, but I, too, made rash decisions. Mostly, I wish that an adult in our lives had defended us and helped us conquer the troubles we faced as a result of our time in public schools.
Was it worth it?
No. Although I enjoyed learning foreign languages and creating my own curricula in several grades, my academic efforts were greatly hampered by the constant social pressures to which no teenager can be immune. I was a very self-motivated student, but still fell behind as a result of peer influences. I would never subject any of my own children to the experiences I had.
I’ve drawn several conclusions from my time in public schools:
1. Even the best-funded schools in the country are ill-equipped to deal with the problems that plague public schools today. Classes are too big for individual attention. Parents’ complaints simply don’t matter. Laws about how students learn about human sexuality are ineffective because teachers direct lessons in certain ways to make ideological points. They remain free from outside pressure, because individuals in schools’ administrations have other priorities (and usually share the same humanist worldview.) Teaching children about God “when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” (Deuteronomy 6:7) cannot occur in any efficacious manner if children attend public schools.
2. The schools of education from which public school teachers graduate do not produce good teachers. Studying on my own, I earned better AP scores than students who took the year-long AP classes. I was later told that the teachers of those classes were quite embarrassed. Younger teachers have usually graduated from programs that emphasize teaching moral relativism at the expense of real knowledge. School boards everywhere are changing curricula to fit standards of diversity, at the expense of “dead white males” like James Madison and other important historical figures. Without good teachers, students flounder and fail. Male students often have particular difficulties with the “progressive” and feminist philosophies espoused and implemented by younger teachers. Christina Hoff Sommers’ book, The War Against Boys, and C. Bradley Thompson’s lecture, “Our Killing Schools,” available here, provide excellent expositions of these problems.
3. Regardless of how well parents supervise their children outside of school, children and teenagers overwhelmingly conform to the standards of their peers while in school. No one ever wants to be the “odd one out.” But God tells us, “Do not be conformed to this world.” (Romans 12:2) Philippians 4:8 instructs, “whatever things are true, noble, just, pure, [or] lovely … if there meditate on these things.” Such thinking is impossible in today’s public schools, where students are constantly bombarded with anti-Christian messages. The culture of public schools is completely antithetical to the cultivation of Biblical virtues.
The winds of change are not blowing in a direction favorable to Christians. H. R. 4530, the “Student Non-Discrimination Act,” would enact a broad prohibition of student speech against homosexuality and “actual or perceived gender identity.” The ACLU is engaged in active campaigns to broaden students’ rights at the expense of parents’ rights. (Parentalrights.org lists numerous challenges to parents’ rights to direct the education of their children.) Furthermore, if the Obama administration has its way, the United States will sign on to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Convention would impart to children the “right to freedom of expression,” which includes the “freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any media of the child’s choice.” Signing on to the Convention would present unprecedented challenges to Christian parents who seek to direct their children’s moral, educational, and spiritual development. The current legal climate is distinctly unfavorable to Christian parents – and looks like it shall remain that way for years to come.
So, what about the “good” public schools? I would contend that these schools aren’t “good” – academically or socially. If you are investigating your child’s educational options, I ask you to look beyond the rankings and what may appear to be a pretty façade at your local schools. Investigate the schools’ moral climates. We shouldn’t sacrifice our children on the altar of progressive thinking. Would you put your child on a sinking ship to help bail out tons of water with the equivalent of a thimble? There is nothing you can get in public schools that’s worth your child’s spiritual life.
Postscript: Despite my follies and wanderings during high school and college, the Lord graciously continued to draw me to Himself. I met a wonderful Godly man at college, who stood by me and helped me heal from the damage caused by my previous abusive relationship. We married in November 2009, and I delight in being his wife. God is so good!
About The Author
Luci
Luci is a joyful wife, homemaker, Christian, and friend. She loves history, law, philosophy, prayer, peace, quilting, old books, reading, all things vintage, and her and her husband's three precious rescue cats.Comments
31 Responses to “But what about the “good” public schools?”
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This is an outstanding article, Luci! I just linked to it on my blog – I hope that you don’t mind.
I, too, am linking this on my blog and facebook.com/HomeEducation. Thank you for your testimony!
I am confused as why your parents would continue to allow you to attend such schools? I’m assuming you told them, everything that was happening?
It seems to me, from this article, that many of the problems were more centered on the lack of parental involvement in these children’s lives, rather than the school itself.
I’ve also attended schools in the top counties in the USA, and the problems you listed were not even close to what you described.
While, I agree every parent should research the academic and moral climate of their local school system, I’m not about to paint the public school system with such a broad brush.
Homeschooling is not a perfect option either. There are countless number of home school kids who are very ill-prepared for the working world, and or college should they attend. Many parents who immigrate from another country may be unable to homeschool.
It seems the constant theme, is that parents must be vigilant and active in their children’s lives, in order for them to succeed.
I am starting to become scared about public schools in the US. In Belgium I went to a public elementary school. I don’t remember learning about sex. I do remember that in the last year, when we were about twelve, one girl bragged about kissing someone or planning to kiss someone. Since it was still a very big deal, and it stands out vividly in my memory, I know it wasn’t common.
Then for highschool I went to a Catholic school, however Catholic schools do receive government money. I remember a great education, and no pressure. We did have courses on sexuality but they were always age aproporiete and just a part of our biology classes. We knew what was what.. we knew what it was used for. When we were 16 we were told about contraception, but not in a gratuitous “do this and you’ll be safe’ way. We were told what products there were, what they did (yes, even the bad stuff) and I STILL remember my biology stating simply and calmly how life begun the moment the moment male and female elements met.
Even in the inner city public school where I taught later, we were still allowed to teach religion.
Mrs. Eva, I’d encourage you to read John Taylor Gatto’s book, The Underground History of American Education. Government schooling was never designed to educate people or prepare them for independent, productive living. It does what it is supposed to do–churn out lots of consumers who will keep the consumer-driven economy moving and trust the government to take care of them. That’s the unvarnished truth, and if you read your history, it’s obvious this was done openly and without apology. Definitely check out Mr. Gatto’s site!
Hello LVH,
Thank you for your comments. Yes, I did tell my parents about what was happening – indeed, my mother witnessed the problems first-hand!
I think that much of the confusion came from simply not knowing what to do. We hadn’t heard of homeschooling. Many private schools weren’t great, either. My parents saw the public schools as our “best option.” In retrospect, I do wish that we had explored home education as a family.
I agree that many problems came from lack of parental supervision. However, the ethic of the public schools I attended – which were some of the nation’s top schools – was an even bigger problem, and affected families wherein parents did their best to supervise their children.
I recognize that every family faces unique challenges with the decision to home-school. However, at this point, the pervasive ethos in public schools just isn’t acceptable for Christian families who seek to direct their children’s education. Perhaps some individuals in public schools don’t face similar challenges; everyones’s challenges are different. That being said, the moral climate is totally antithetical to Christian values.
I welcome your question and comments!
Blessings,
Luci
Mrs. Hunter and whateverstate: you’re more than welcome to link to the piece. I hope it’s helpful!
Blessings,
Luci
I just find it interesting, how we both attended “top” schools, and faced issues differently. Our schools never had sexual issues like you described, teen pregnancy, disrespect for teachers…ect. I was able to participate in many wonderful programs that have influenced and shaped the person I am today. Many of the student were very involved in Christians organizations, and most students tried to do well and focus on their studies so that they could attend college.
And I think that is the crux of the matter, is that each parent must research into every option that they can. Not every public school is like you described, and having two active parents in your life who are involved in your sports, activities and friends can offset any problems that may arise.
While I agree there are many public schools out there like you described; for many families there are also many public schools that have given their children a wonderful, beautiful and enriching education that have shaped their children’s lives (without losing their sense of morality).
I’m proof and so are hundreds of my classmates!
Mrs. Chancey, thank you so much for the link. I will check it out and see if our library has the book. I am facing such a strange new landscape here when it comes to education.
Jennie, thank you for posting the title and author of that book! I’ve been racking my brain trying to remember it, but I could not. I have yet to read it but it comes highly recommended to me by my pastor and my children’s pediatrician who is very pro-homeschooling. He’s not a Christian, but when I told him there is no way I’m putting my children in the public school system I pay my taxes to because it is so bad (among many other reasons why I want to homeschool), he said, “AMEN!”
I love (in a sarcastic way) how people question my children’s social abilities should I homeschool them when they don’t even realize the phony, closed society their own public schooled children grow up in for 13-15 years (nursery and pre-schools are becoming normal now). My children socialize freely and beautifully with infants to 80 year olds!
One problem with public school is that despite a parent being involved in a child’s life, public school offers children the ability to hide from their parents for 7-8 hours or more a day! From the girl sneaking the boyfriend or changing her clothes upon arrival to the boy smoking in the bathroom or “hooking up,” many parents were simply clueless! Now, I’m not saying we should lock our kids in our houses, but think about it, 7-8 hours a day is an awfully long time to be apart from your 7 year old, or even your 14 year old!
Yey Luci! It is so neat to see this “finished product”–and so thought-provoking! Well done.
My two-years of experience in Christian private school confirm your statement that they’re not much better: the reason I only had two years there is because I wanted to come back home due to the anti-Christian atmosphere.
My experience as a elementary school teacher this past year also backs up your claims as well; I would *never* voluntarily send my children there, though I know that many of the teachers are Christians and truly do care about the students.
I, too, went to a “good” public school system. I graduated HS 5 years ago. It’s consistantly one of the top in the state… and we had all the issues you listed and more. It was a game every year to read the student handbook on the first day of school to see the ever-increasing list of “out of bounds” places: that was a sure indication that a young couple had been caught there the year before.
And, as a “good kid,” who came from a “good home” with involved parents: It wasn’t enough. I just learned to live a double life and how to lie very, very well. The pressure to conform to school (and, as you said, youth group at church) were far too strong for me. Props to you for staying firm to yourself!
Knowing what I know now of true education, I would not send a dying dog into the halls of a government school. “The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy [is] understanding,” (Proverbs 9:10, KJV). When I attempted to home educate my children twenty years ago, I was ignorant of what real knowledge is. Real knowledge is to know God!
I was intimidated by all the “academic requirements” and discouraged by ill health. When my babies were young, I would sometimes get emotional during bouts with PMS and beg my husband to promise me that if I died, he would never send our children to daycare. I can’t believe that we later surrendered our precious children, first to “Christian School,” then to government education. If, the proverbial “if,” I could go back in time, I would gather my “chicks” into my bed and teach them from the all time best seller, the Word of God.
Currently, I am in a place of mourning what was lost, but have hope in our mighty God to “…work all things together for good…,” (Roman 8:28). And, “And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten,” (Joel 2:25). And, “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified” (Isaiah 61:3).
I’m not insensitive to those that are in difficult circumstances and face trying choices regarding their children’s education. Nor can I stand in judgement (see above!). But, I have heard of gracious people who have home educated other people’s children along with their own, and other such acts of grace. May we pray for those in such straits.
Grace and peace,
Andrea
I have no idea how my public schools ranked. I do know in high school, there were only three in my town, and I went to the better of the two. Sadly, this article is fairly represetive of what I faced as well. I had a “boyfriend” when I was 9 and 10. I do remember having health classes in elementary school, but I dont know what they were about….they were held in the library, and the bookcase I was sitting next to was a lot more interesting than what they were talking about. I heard of several girls getting pregnant in middle school. We had a nursery on campus until my Sophomore year, when they decided that if nursery care was needed, you had to go to the secondary high school. That school had the highest enrollment in the district. My parents talked to me enough that I sorta want to save myself for marriage, the same held true for most of my friends. But that didnt stop us from seeing how close we could get to the line.
Classes were dull and boring. So, I didnt try at all, and as such had mediocre to poor grades. I was never given a reason to care. The one time I made an effort, I asked a question, and the teacher told me if I had paid attention, I would know. To which I very crudely and rudely pointed out that if she would ever spend more than 7 mins on a lecture, I might pay attention. The only class I remember ever doing the homework the night before (instead of in between walking to classes…if I did it at all) was my English class. However, I think I did that because the papers had to be typed….Even with my apathy, and not doing homework, I had a 3.0 until the last semester of my senior year, when it dropped to a 2.8.
Violence, parties and drug problems were even worse. Fights were common place, and once a friend of mine got a knife pulled on him when he stepped on another guy’s foot at lunch. I learned what snorting was…from a guy that sat next to me in Spanish.
And even with all that, I was talking to an old high school friend recently, and he assured me that it was much much more violent, more drug, and more sexualized than I knew, but he, along with my other friends figured that ignorance was bliss, and helped to shelter me, becuase they were afraid I might break. That doesnt surprise me in the least. I am naive now, but I was a lot more so then….
Excellent piece, Luci! All my education until college was in a public school and while I have some fond memories from that time period, the toxic sexual and spiritual environment made things quite confusing as I was trying to navigate living in a Christlike way and the devastation of that far outweighs any benefit I ‘gained’ by having a public education. I fully intend to home-school as many children as the Lord will give me in the future.
Long ago (think 1986), I graduated from THE best school in our state. We held our own in various competitions and test scores quite nicely (be it sports, music, or academics). It was white, middle/high class suburbia in the southwest. This could have been what went on at my school. ALL of it.
My parents were shocked to find out that not only had I been offered drugs (and no, I did not run with that crowd – I was a Christian young woman and hung around other like minded people for the most part), but I knew exactly who to go to if I were to ever desire such a thing. My parents had thought there were NO drugs at our highly ranked/desired school (if you think they are not at your child’s school, think again – schools have not improved since 1986).
The drinking parties (which most often included sex, drugs, overnights, etc.) were rampant and legendary. My best friend at the time went to one, had something slipped in her drink and was raped by several young men.
I skimmed by doing the least amount of work possible to get by and still get good grades. My parents were involved in all of our schools (at one point, they had 1 in elem, 1 in middle & 1 in high school). They did their best to stay informed, but trust me, the schools do not want the parents to know what really goes on there. My sister (8 yrs younger than I) had a teacher tell my mother that she did not have time to give my sister the individual attention she needed one year – basically, too bad, so sad. My father had been critically ill and in the local hospital for 6 weeks and my mother was at her witt’s end trying to help with him, keep her job & try to assist my sister (my brother was stationed in Italy by that point and I was working a FT job and going to school FT at night).
The top schools, I often think, are just as bad an environment as their poorly scoring school counterparts. The same garbage is being taught to all the children (moral relativity – that did not start until my Sr. year – what a mess). If you really want to doubt this article, go ahead, but do your research. Someone already mentioned John Taylor Gatto (www.johntaylorgatto.com). I would also recommend “Already Gone” by Ken Ham, Britt Beemer & Todd Hillard along with “The Harsh Truth About Public Schools” by Bruce Shortt.
I feel so terrible for those who TRULY have no other option. If nothing else, read Already Gone so you at least have a chance with keeping your children away from the wolves (it does entail you NOT leaving their Christian education up to your local church).
Luci,
Thank you for you post. My husband is involved in the youth ministry at our church. We are very concerned about this one-extremely sweet- Christian girl who attends. She has expressed many times how her “righteous soul is vexed” being in public school. She is finding it increasingly difficult to continue attending, while standing strong at her school. We have also noticed certain changes in her. True, these changes would fall into the category of “Christian liberty.” However, aren’t my husband and I right to conclude that many times personal standards reflect what is going on in the heart, especially when we see a shift in those standards? Please pray for us. We need wisdom! Her parents do not attend our chuch (we’ve actually never met them).
I appreciate your candor and thorough, intelligent assessment. Your story is a wonderful testimony to the loving and gracious God we serve. The Psalmist spoke of Him accurately when he said, “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.”
God’s continued blessings to you!
P.S. I will also link the post
What a great article! I know that some people “turned out ok” after having been in public school all their lives. I did, but not without some consequences and exposure to things that I would never want my own children to experience. The pitfall is that when you think you “turned out ok” and you think your children will too, you are being too trusting to a society who outright mocks God. Admittedly, I live in a large city and I understand that can make a difference with how polluted the school can be, but eventually it filters through and it’s everywhere. In my “big” city, as I have been told, the challenge in schools is not how many kids of the opposite sex you can sleep with, but whether you can entice someone of the same sex who is not homosexual to sleep with you. UGH!!!!! I have withnessed it myself. My three nieces who were once the sweetest innocent little girls you’ve seen (my mother and I were a strong influence in their lives), have become quite sleezy in their morality (after their parents divorced and they went to public school). One of them has had a lesbian for a best friend for years. They are quickly, quickly going down hill. Another niece who lives in a “small” town where everybody knows everybody, has posted sexual pictures of herself with other girls on her facebook account. It’s everywhere and it’s only getting worse. If you know of a “good” public school, rest assured it will be corrupted in time. To many, it’s a challenge to “ruin” good kids.
Hi ladies,
Thank you so much for your sweet comments and encouragement!
It is such a blessing to hear from you, and I very much appreciate your suggestions and input. I’m truly overwhelmed by your kindness!
Please feel free to link to the piece from your blogs or websites; I just ask that you attribute it to me. I would also suggest reading the books Mrs. Chancey recommended by John Gatto ~ I’m reading one right now and it’s just incredible. My thoughts on education are being turned upside down!
Kara, it sounds like you and I attended similar schools. Violence is so common, even in “good” schools… it’s shocking. The environments are so toxic that learning is all but impossible!!
LadyM: I agree that so many parents just don’t know how bad public schools really are… and truly, I’m not all that surprised, because some of the problems sound unbelievable!! After my husband read my first draft of this piece, he looked stunned for a moment, turned to me, and said, “I had no idea your school was THAT bad!” We’d discussed problems in public schools before, of course, but never to this extent all at once!
JoyfulWifeandMamma, first – I love your username!
It’s delightful!
It’s doubly challenging if one’s family isn’t Christian, because there’s little or no encouragement at home to follow Christian principles. And it’s such a slippery slope: even if something falls within the bounds of Christian liberty, it may be too much temptation for someone who’s in a toxic environment. 1 Corinthians 10:23 says, “Everything is permissible — but not everything is beneficial,” and that’s so true. If you think it would help, I would be more than happy to chat or email with her about “getting through” public school & what I learned. My contact info is on my blog page.
I’m so sorry to read about the young girl you know who’s suffering the bad effects of public schools. I will definitely be praying for y’all, and for her. It must be difficult to watch the changes in her – it sounds like she’s conforming more to the standards of the school rather than to the standards of Christ.
Dianne: I completely agree that many young kids see it as a challenge to “corrupt” others. I have such vivid memories of being teased for doing such things as calling home before leaving school so my mom knew where I was, or not going to the mall to “hang out” (i. e. get in trouble) … and that was in middle school! Yikes!
I loved this post and plan on linking it to my blog where I have a link to the John Taylor Gatto book, The Underground History of American Education. The entire book is online, which is a real public service.
His book outlines the origins of group learning and how our country was founded with a wholly different educational philosophy than what is promoted today. I don’t believe for one second that any of the founding mothers of our nation would have put their children in a school where Christ wasn’t Lord, much less these “sin schools” that Mrs. MacLeod describes so accurately.
With skyrocketing of “Christian” kids leaving the faith, I really tire of the argument that public schools don’t impact a child’s morality or faith. I know it did mine, but God was gracious to me to set me back on the straight and narrow.
I knew I would home school my kids when I was sitting in my public high school thinking that I would never do this to my kids.
I find it rather interesting that the reasons you list as reasons to avoid public schools are the reasons I’m in college as an early childhood educator right now. I hope to someday teach elementary school in a low income school where they are in desperate need of good teachers. I am charging the darkness with the light I have and while I may not be able to directly witness to my students I know this is where God has me. In my oh so humble but oh so strong opinion we need more Christians in public schools, not less. If we dislike the world so much lets stop hiding and fight. We are to put on the full armor of God so that we can fight in the battles God has for us not so we can stay in our comfort zones. We are warriors in a battle that’s already been won. The victory is ours, so why are we turning tail?
Wow. I never went through this in public school. Like, at all. None of my friends did this either. I’m dumbfounded?
I mean, of course there were bad apples, but overall, most of the people were just okay kids doing their things.
Luci,
This post is wonderful; thank you for writing with such clarity and truth!
CATastrophe, though it is admirable that you are going forth to be a teacher, it is not because homeschoolers are hiding that we are training and teaching our children at home.
Compulsory public school in this country was founded on the premise of driving a wedge between children and their families.
What we see happening now in public schools is only the fruit of what was planted about 100 years ago.
Also, when we read scripture, there is no example given of any child being sent out to “charge darkness with light.” Children must be taught and trained before they are sent out to the world.
What soldier is sent out to battle without first being trained? It is the blessed privilege and responsibility of parents to train the precious children we have been given.
If the Lord has called you to teach, then go forth and do it to His glory!
But please don’t think that we who are at home are not aware of the battle and are hiding from it. We are at home because we are obeying the Lord’s command to train our children in the way they should go. We are very aware and we are preparing for the battle to come.
Hi CATastrophe463 and zoestercoaster,
I just saw your comments; I apologize for not responding earlier!
To CATastrophe463,
Thank you for your efforts in public schools. I greatly admire teachers who are on the “front lines” and who have the spiritual strength to engage their classes day in and day out.
That being said, I wouldn’t want to send any future children my husband and I have to public schools because I wouldn’t want to sacrifice their spiritual and emotional health. It’s difficult. We can’t change everything, and we certainly can’t change the schools overnight. We couldn’t change the school environments to make sure they were safe places for our children to learn, and we couldn’t change the curricula to fit our standards.
It’s a personal and very difficult choice. At this point, however, with the current education system and political climate, I don’t see our family sending our children to public schools. The spiritual and emotional health of our children isn’t worth whatever they would get out of the system. It puts a huge responsibility on us to make sure they are well-educated, responsible citizens – and we take that extremely seriously.
To zoestercoaster,
Every school is certainly different. My goal in telling my story was to encourage parents to look carefully at the schools to which they were sending their children, even if – or perhaps especially if – the schools in their area are high in national rankings. It’s so important to evaluate each education setting under consideration for one’s children on the basis of its educational offerings, moral climate, and opportunities for general development. On paper, the public schools to which I went looked good. In real life, however, they were extraordinarily damaging.
Blessings,
Luci
kcar38, thank you for your kind words!
Blessings,
Luci
I think that too often the public school vs. homeschool debate comes down to Us vs. Them, when it is nowhere near that black and white. There are success cases, and failures that come out of both public and homeschools (not to mention private schools). Personally, I was homeschooled after the fourth grade and, in retrospect, see it had some serious shortcomings. On an academic level, I was behind in math and sciences (subjects my parents did not excel in) and am paying the price now while I am trying to get into Graduate School and just not measuring up on GRE scores. Socially, I didn’t have very many friends, and this loneliness I feel made me all the more likely to latch onto any boy who payed attention to me because I was attractive to them. Would public school have been any better for me, I can’t say.
As far as other homeschoolers, I have met some who are bright, well-rounded, socialally well-adjusted adults, and I have met some that are a far cry from healthy. But I’ve met the same cross-section out of public schoolers.
I don’t think we have found the sure-fire recipe for well-rounded education and socialization that works for every child (or every family) yet!
I don’t believe you. I think you are sensationalizing details to make your point. For the past 15 years I have worked and volunteered in private and public schools in CA, MN and abroad. I have two masters degrees in education. I have read many of the standard “dead white men” (this website’s quote, not mine) books on education, as well as several of John Taylor Gatto and John Holt’s works. I am confidant that I have a varied educational background and plethora of experience.
Your one experience is certainly a strong testimony against schools. You make sweeping generalizations about all schools. For example, you had a handful of poor teachers, which leads you to make assumptions about all teacher preparation programs. What about your French teacher? Where did she go to school? You could have, just as easily, assumed that there are teachers like her across America.
You are right. Sex, drugs, alcohol and violence are serious problems for our nation’s youth at just about every high school in America. (They are also problems in our adult culture.) But, let’s be honest about where the top 200 schools are. Newsweek publishes the top 100 annually. I am not sure about the next 100, but I am making a safe assumption. They are in prestigious areas, generally a suburb of a metropolis. The student body is predominately white, middle to upper-middle class. Statistically, not the areas where crack is sold. Pot and cocaine? Absolutely. I don’t think you made the whole story up. Parts just seem to be exaggeration. Crack is one example. The guns and knives are another. These youth were not expelled? Even the “bad” schools have a zero tolerance policy against weapons.
Students openly talked about drinking parties to teachers and nothing was ever done? Ever? Again, I don’t believe you. This is not what happened at my high school or any school I have ever been in.
You knew two 11 year old girls that had an abortion? That is alarming to say the least. Girls under the age of 15 only account for 0.8% of all performed abortions (www.abortionfacts.com/statistics/age.asp). Your experience seems statistically impossible.
To me, your story reads as if you complied every awful headline that you have ever heard about schools into one. You provide many examples of valid reasons for parents to be afraid of sending their children to school. I just don’t think you needed to be inflammatory. Your scare tactics do nothing to better schools, our communities or American society.
Let’s teach our children how to resist social pressure. Teach them right from wrong. Teach them how to be a positive member of society. If we do not instill these values in them at a young age, we cannot expect them to do this as an adult. These are the same problems they will encounter in the “real world.”
I respect your decision to homeschool your children. I don’t think you need to throw all schools under the bus in order to back up your choice. I am trying to better myself as an educator by learning more about other people’s values and beliefs. Maybe I am being a complete jerk by questioning your credibility. If that’s the case, I apologize. Yet it still needs to be noted that your experience, if true, is an anomaly, not the norm.
Dear mw2010,
I wanted to respond to your comment in depth and hope that the delay in doing so hasn’t been inconvenient. First, thank you for writing!
I admire your willingness to explore other people’s values and beliefs in education and for your efforts in improving schools for students. I wish my public school teachers had been as open as you are in looking at different sides of issues and encouraging critical thinking!
Every word of what I wrote was true. Quite honestly, I wish it wasn’t. For a very long time, I didn’t talk about what happened at my public schools. It wasn’t until very recently, in college, that I began to understand just how deeply the negative pressures and experiences had affected me. I started talking with friends who had similar experiences at their schools in other regions, and I began to research how far these trends went. However, what I wrote represents my own experience. Inherent in the nature of a personal narrative is that everyone who reads an account will have had a different experience. I hope that this response helps clarify the issues you raised.
Crack was a problem. Violence was a constant issue. To my knowledge, we didn’t have a zero-tolerance policy. Students caught fighting usually received suspensions ranging from 5-10 days. When the administration found knives, they confiscated them and kept them until the end of the year. Guns were less likely to be brought to school than knives, but they were. We (students) had a serious self-interest in not turning our peers in, as we feared retaliation from others (whether at school or after school hours.)
Most of my teachers were not like my French teacher. It was my experience that the younger teachers (again, I’m generalizing, but this is what I found to be the case) were far less likely to hold students accountable for their misbehavior than older teachers. They were far more likely to excuse students for wearing extraordinarily vulgar shirts or shirts with messages related to drugs or violence. The vast majority did not hold students to high standards and did not attempt to assist students from resisting social pressures. I absolutely agree that we should help students do so, but there’s only so much that a school can do. Teachers can’t be everywhere at once. Moreover, many, if not most, teachers aren’t equipped with the necessary skills to recognize or respond to student dating violence. This is a huge problem that’s only now becoming more well-known. Finally, many of my friends who experienced violence or negative social pressures were very hesitant to report such incidents to the administration. I kept silent many times when I shouldn’t have done so, and I’m still ashamed of that. No one wants to be the odd one out, though. I would argue that, if anything, national statistics on school violence etc. probably don’t give a complete picture of the problem because a) students don’t want to face negative peer pressure as a result of reporting incidents; and, b) schools have a vested interest in not expelling students, as to do so affects rankings, funding, and how they’re perceived locally.
So many college professors (see http://collegepuzzle.stanford.edu/?p=703) have pointed out that college freshmen coming from high school can barely even write — they haven’t learned the most basic skills in public high schools; at least part of the reason is due to the schizophrenic promotion of diversity standards over basic skills. We need students to be able to read, write, and think critically before we throw theories of gender and such at them; otherwise, they simply won’t get anything out of lessons. Civic education is something that’s particularly lacking in today’s public schools (this article: http://www.city-journal.org/html/12_3_the_civic.html has a good overview of the problem.)
It has been my experience that many parents in good school districts look at national rankings (or, when those aren’t available, state rankings) to evaluate their educational decisions for their children. I was badly burned by attending what many considered to be a “top” school. Broad trends, however, in school discipline, curricula issues, and sexual harasssment indicate that such problems are spreading and even “good” schools aren’t immune. I’m including references below to several articles that give more general statistics; they suggest that these problems are more widespread than many believe. Demographics, region, and other factors contribute to the challenges a school faces. Nevertheless, these problems remain important.
I’m not fully comfortable sharing specific details of where I attended school in a public forum at this point, as my mother still works at my high school. If you would like to contact me via email [my email is mcleod dot luci at gmail dot com], I would be happy to provide you specifics about the schools I attended (names, locations, etc.), information sheets released by the county about incidents of drugs and violence at the schools, other information about the curricula, references to friends who can confirm what happened and provide their own accounts, and links to newspaper articles about problems at my high school that came to the attention of the media. I would also be happy to contact my former French teacher to get her perspective. (For what it’s worth, she and I are on completely different ends of the political and religious spectrum; however, we have drawn very similar conclusions about the state of American public schools.)
Was my experience so abnormal as to be extreme? Again, it’s a problem of personal narrative. I’m sure every person out there has had experiences that others would consider extreme but, in reality, represent broad trends in certain areas of the country. My schools weren’t in Minnesota or Canada. I won’t deny that other schools don’t have the same problems and issues – they certainly encounter other challenges – but I would suggest that public schools, as a whole, face significant challenges with which they’re simply not equipped to deal. In many cases, what I experienced may be the norm; in other cases, it might be better than what people have experienced.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me personally if there is anything I can clarify, and thank you again for your comment.
Warmly,
Luci
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Valerie E. Lee, et. al. “The culture of sexual harassment in secondary schools.” 33 American Educational Research Journal 383 (1996)
Susan Fineran and Larry Bennett. “Teenage peer sexual harassment: implications for social work practice in education.” 43 Social Work (1998)
Nan Stein, “Bullying or Sexual Harassment – The Missing Discourse of Rights in an Era of Zero Tolerance,” 45 Ariz. L. Rev. 783 (2003)
Sherry A. Everett and James H. Price, “Students’ perceptions of violence in the public schools: The metLife survey,” 17 Journal of Adolescent Health 345 (1995)
Department of Education, “Violence in U. S. Public Schools: 2000 School Survey on Crime and Safety” (2004), available here: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2004/2004314.pdf
Russel J. Skiba and Reece L. Peterson, “School discipline at a crossroads: From zero tolerance to early response,” 66 Exceptional Children 335 (2000); available here: http://www.wce.wwu.edu/Depts/SPED/Forms/Kens%20Readings/Violence/Vio%20School%20discipline%20at%20a%20crossroads%20Skiba%202000.pdf
Thank you so much for the kind and thoughtful response. I owe you the same and will do so when I have more time this weekend.
Hi mw2010,
You’re welcome!
I hope it was helpful. I wanted to post here because I won’t be in town this weekend and LAF doesn’t show up well on my Blackberry. 
Thus, if you do reply, I won’t be able to respond. Please do feel free to email, though!
Warmly,
Luci
Praise the Lord for alternatives to Public Education. I am thoroughly thankful for the Christian K-12 school I attended.
I agree with you about the problems with Public Education. My sister teaches music at 3 public high schools and it’s rough–it’s her mission field for now–but I know she doesn’t want to be there for ever.