Who is the primary authority when it comes to teaching our children? To be clear, I’m not asking who does the teaching, but rather who has the final say in what they are taught.
According to the Bible, parents are the primary stakeholders[1] (highest concern) for what children are taught, not the government.
NEWS
In the final debate for the Governor of Virginia (September 28, 2021), Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic candidate, made a shocking statement: “I don’t think parents should be telling schools what they should teach”[2]
What? That’s stunning to me!
The idea that state officials should have more authority than parents in the instruction of children is dangerous. Sure, the vast majority of academic content is all well and good. But what happens when schools teach something that parents deem to be contrary to their moral and religious beliefs? Do school officials supersede parents? That is creeping toward Communism, where the state is the authority, not families or individuals.
Is this just an isolated opinion? No.
About a week ago (September 30, 2021), U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona was asked by a senate committee whether parents are the primary stakeholders when it comes to their children’s education.[3] He refused to answer the question directly; instead, he simply said they were ‘important’. “I believe parents are important stakeholders, but I also believe educators have a role in determining educational programming.”[4]
That really didn't answer the question. Certainly educators have a role in determining education curriculum; but the question was who is the primary stakeholder, and therefore has ultimate say in whether certain content is inappropriate.
Let’s consider a recent example.
Three parents in California are currently suing the state’s public school system regarding a portion of its ethics studies curriculum.[5] Essentially, the curriculum includes prayer to an Aztec god, Tezkatlipoka, as well as chanting.
According to Paul Jonna, an attorney representing the parents: “Our clients are not opposed to having students learn about different cultures and religions, including the practices of the Aztecs. But the California State Board of Education’s approved Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum goes far beyond that by directing students to pray to Aztec deities.”[6]
In addition to this lawsuit, many parents across the country are voicing their displeasure at school committee meetings (some about academic content, some about COVID rules). Admittedly, some meetings have become contentious, because parents are concerned about their children. How is the government responding?
On Monday (October 4, 2021), the U.S. Attorney General Garland said that the Department of Justice is launching an effort to combat threats of violence against school officials.[7] According to Fox News “Garland directed the FBI and U.S. attorney's offices to hold meetings with federal, state and local law enforcement leaders in the next 30 days, during which they will discuss ways to combat what the DOJ called a ‘disturbing trend’ of harassment and threats against school officials.”[8]
What preceded this? The National School Board Association sent a letter to the Biden Administration on September 29th, saying that certain actions by parents are considered “heinous” and “could be the equivalent to a form of domestic terrorism and hate crimes.”[9]
While I certainly don’t condone threats of violence or actual violence, I think equating these parents with domestic terrorism is insulting and dangerously inaccurate. Moreover, I’m concerned that the DOJ’s language regarding harassment or threats could be construed as simply strong disagreement from parents. Many others share my skepticism, including Senate House Minority Leader, Kevin McCarthy who tweeted, "President Biden's latest decision is part of a disturbing trend in the Democrat Party to silence parents."[10]
Time will tell whether this effort by the DOJ is a genuine response to threats (which should be handled by local authorities anyway) or if this is a tactic to subdue parent’s God-given responsibility to influence what their children are taught.
Let me be clear – I am NOT against teachers. They have been granted a tremendous responsibility in educating children; and, as a former adjunct college professor myself, I have a passion for education. But the question comes down to the ultimate authority for teaching kids; and, in my opinion, it is the parents, not education committees or school boards.
RELIGION
Why do I believe parents are the primary stakeholders in the education of their children? As a Christian, I believe the Bible is the Word of God based on evidence and reasons; and the Bible directs parents to instruct their children about God’s teachings. Let’s consider two passages.
In the Bible verses below, Moses is passing on commands from God to the Israelites, including a directive to instruct your children.
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-7 ESV emphasis added).
This provides some perspective on who God deems responsible for training a child. How do we know that this passage is focused on parents and not simply a general directive that God’s commands are to be passed down to children? Notice that the command includes “…shall talk of them when you sit in your house…” and “…when you rise…” The context is clearly focused on parents teaching their children.
What about the New Testament?
In the book of Ephesians, the Apostle Paul gave direct instructions to the children and parents, including a directive to fathers to train their children in the Lord.
“And fathers, don't stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4 CSB emphasis added).
This passage is clear. God has directed parents, specifically fathers, to be religious leaders, to train children in God’s commands.
Now someone may counter and say, that this pertains to religion, but not topics taught in school. But ultimately parents are the primary stakeholders in raising their children, not the government. As citizens and taxpayers, parents have granted the government the task of educating their children on core academia, such as reading, writing, math, science, etc. But this does not give them the right to delve into topics that pertain morality and ideologies.
What is the specific harm in schools teaching some aspects of morality (right and wrong behavior and moral values)?
Obviously the U.S. is democratic society that allows for a diverse set of beliefs about morality and religion. So frankly, I don’t want the schools indoctrinating my children with ideologies that may deviate from what I deem to be foundational to God’s truth.
What is an example? Critical Race Theory is a polarizing and controversial topic. Parents who oppose the curriculum claim that it teaches that certain races, in general, are oppressors of other races, indicating white people are bad in this regard. This runs contrary to Christian doctrine that says all human beings are of equal value, since they are all made in the image of God. Moreover, the entire human race is fallen, so we all commit sins against God. This is why we all need a savior – the Lord Jesus.
What should we do? Christians should always pray for God’s intervention and guidance. All parents should continue to take a vested interest in their children’s education and voice their displeasure of curriculum they deem inappropriate (regardless of whether they are wrongly villainized).
Summary Point:
God has given parents the responsibility to train their children; and, although most parents (as taxpayers and citizens) have granted public and private schools with responsibility for academia, parents remain the primary stakeholders (especially regarding morality and religion), not the government or school boards.
[1]According to Google’s English Dictionary (Oxford Language), “stakeholder” definition includes “a person with an interest or concern in something” [2]https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mcauliffe-receives-criticism-believe-parents-should-tell-schools-teach [3]https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-education-secretary-dodges-when-asked-if-parents-should-be-primary-stakeholder-of-childs-education [4]https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-education-secretary-dodges-when-asked-if-parents-should-be-primary-stakeholder-of-childs-education [5]https://www.foxnews.com/us/california-students-pray-aztec-gods-school-lawsuit [6]https://www.foxnews.com/us/california-students-pray-aztec-gods-school-lawsuit [7]https://www.foxnews.com/politics/doj-launching-effort-to-combat-threats-of-violence-against-school-officials [8]https://www.foxnews.com/politics/doj-launching-effort-to-combat-threats-of-violence-against-school-officials [9]https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/10/07/school-boards-dont-call-fbi/6035611001/ [10]https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mccarthy-calls-doj-targeting-parents-attending-school-board-meetings-disturbing
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