Why Christian Education?

Before I attempt to answer this question, let me give a little background about myself.  I grew up in a God-fearing, Christ-honoring home where family devotions were insisted upon (even though we complained about getting up early).  I went to a small Christian school and received a solid education for which I am very grateful.  I attended a small Bible college in Northern Wisconsin and received my degree in Biblical Languages.  I then moved to Salt Lake where I worked with the youth in a small church and taught in the Christian school there.  Recently, the pastor of the church asked me to fill the spot of school administrator.  I accepted this ministry and am now the principal of a small private, Christian school.  That is where I am coming from, and it may surprise some to hear me say that I am not supportive of Christian Schools educating our children.  I am not for public schools educating our children.  Neither am I for a great homeschool curriculum educating our children.  Maybe it is just semantics, I don't know.  But there has been a movement in our culture to push the responsibility of education of the next generation off onto someone else.  The government will do it (public school), the church will do it (Christian school), or the curriculum will do it (homeschool).   However, God places the responsibility of the education of our children squarely on the shoulders of the parents (both of them).  One of the reasons public schools have failed (and most have failed miserably), is that the parents let the ungodly, secular world decide what their children will be taught.  One of the reasons Christian schools are failing (and many are) is that the parents have felt that the Christian school will "fix everything."  There are many homeschool families (not all) that are an embarassment on the Christian community because the parents have relegated what and how their children will learn to the "superior" curriculum.  What needs to change?  We need Christian parents overly-involved in every aspect of their children's education.  From the moment the day begins till they lay their little heads on their pillows–educate.  If you enroll your children in a public school, be active in the political process, after all you are giving your most precious gift into the government's hands.  If you enroll your children in a Christian school, get involved in the school and church as much as you can.  If you homeschool your children, don't trust the curriculum, involve yourself in the process of imparting and receiving truth.  We don't need more schools and curriculums for this next generation, we need more God-directed, God-devoted, God-worshipping parents to be serious about the responsibility of "Christian education."