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Christian
Schools
Shelter
Children from the
Real
World!
(Or So
They Say)
How often
have you heard this statement made as a criticism of the
Christian school? In my experience it is the single most frequent
objection raised by those who do not believe in the value of
Christian schools. Here are some of the ways I respond to this
charge:
Yes!
Isn’t it wonderful? One of the primary functions of
the Christian school is to eliminate a lot of the garbage
which children are exposed to in the public schools. In
other words, humanism, evolution, immorality, and
materialism are not promoted in the Christian school as
they are in the public schools. Even ignoring all the
positive influences the Christian school provides, simply
removing many of the negative influences makes it an
attractive alternative.
I
certainly hope so! The Christian school is chosen by
parents who see that one of their primary jobs as parents
is to monitor the input that their children receive. They
shelter their children at home by monitoring the books
they read, the programs they watch, and the friends with
whom they play. The school supports and continues
the work which most parents do during all the other hours
of the week.
The
real world? Who are we kidding? The real world is the one
created by God in which all things hold together by the
power of His Word. Only an education which acknowledges
the sovereignty of God over the affairs of men can be
considered an education about the real world. Public
schools are the ones which shelter children from the real
world, not Christian schools.
Sheltered
from the impact? Yes! From a knowledge about it? No.
Christian schools routinely discuss humanism, evolution,
and other non-Christian views, but they do so from a
Christian perspective. The public school ignores the
Christian view or presents it as only one alternative
from among many.
Only
for a time. The Christian school works somewhat like a
greenhouse which is designed to provide the optimum
conditions for growth while a plant is young. Young
children are protected and carefully nurtured to help
them develop and mature properly. When the
time comes for them to be "transplanted" into a
more hostile environment, they will be able to endure the
difficulties and continue to thrive.
The
Christian school provides a wholesome environment where children
can develop to their fullest potential. It serves to support and
extend the work of the Christian home by reinforcing the same
values and beliefs. It makes the very difficult job of parenting
a little bit easier by removing a major source of negative
influences from a child’s life. Sheltered? Yes, in a
positive, constructive, life-changing way! Isn’t it
wonderful?
Brian
Hazeltine, B.Ed., M.A.
Principal, Airdrie Koinonia Christian School
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