In the last article we explored the many education choices parents have for their children. Private, charter or public schools vie for parental funds that could be spent at those facilities as the children are being educated. To many Christian parents, the idea of putting their children into a religious school is appealing, yet some hold back from taking this step. In this article we will take a look at the most common set of reasons given by Christian parents who do not choose religious schools for their kids.
Perhaps most common is the notion that a religious school is financially out of reach. When coming from a Christian parent, this is a bit of an odd statement, since the notion that God provides for your every need is negated by the statement that you do not have the money needed to provide for your child's religious education. It is important to realize that many Christian schools offer scholarships for truly needy children; conversely, there are the possibilities of working for the school in some capacity to get a break on the tuition. If you are spending money on your vacation home, perhaps you will need to re-evaluate if you really cannot afford the tuition or if instead you are choosing to spend the money elsewhere. For those who cannot see their way clear - right now - to find the funds needed, have you made it an object of fervent prayer and spoken to your pastor about it as well?
Following on the footsteps of "it's too expensive" is the exclamation that attending a Christian school is unspiritual. This is an interesting statement since it takes Biblical principles - such as being a light to a lost world, bringing the gospel to those in need of hearing it, and allowing your children to explore their roles as missionaries - and elevates them over other Biblical principles that are much more germane to the bringing up of children, such as the concept that bad company corrupts good character and that you should speak to your children of God in all venues.
While the former verses carry just as much weight as the latter, it is interesting to note that a missionary is sent on her or his missionary journey to teach others, not to be taught about the elemental truths of Christ her- or himself. Furthermore, a missionary takes to the missionary field out of a vocational call, not because parents told this person that they must go forth and do missionary work.
Yet perhaps the most amazing statement is the one that children can always be re-taught that which they learn in a secular school at home. While this is most certainly true, the question remains why you would send your child to a school to be taught that which you think of as inappropriate in the first place? Is this not simply a waste of time? Will you be truly diligent enough to re-teach six or eight hours of secular teaching in the evenings? Where will you find this time?
In conclusion, it is of course up to any Christian parent to choose the school that is best for their children, and if you believe that public school is best, then go for it! Just please be honest about your motivation for not putting your child in a private, Christian school.
About Sylvia Cochran
 Sylvia Cochran - Christian Parenting Corner and Common Sense Parenting and Parenting By the Book Christian Parenting Book Reviews
Sylvia is a seasoned freelance writer, born and raised in Germany. Having been exposed to a variety of religions and traditions due to travel and study, Sylvia has been a student of the Bible for more than ten years, and has for the last four years taught in small groups about Biblical principles, practical Christianity, Christian parenting, as well as the spiritual use of money. Sylvia also provides Free Online Christian Parenting Courses at Suite 101.
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