Serious Concern for Colorado Public Schools
As Christians, we must navigate the world with discernment, particularly when it comes to educating our children. In today's cultural climate, we must consider public schooling to be an option of last resort. This isn't to say that Christians should mandate one form of schooling—whether homeschooling, public schooling, or private schooling—for every family. Scripture does not require us to create such a law, and many parents simply do not have the luxury of choice due to various constraints.
That said, churches should do what we can to give parents more choices. For example, our church hosts a Classical Conversations co-op, we have a youth after-school program for public school students, and we're exploring ways to provide more educational opportunities in the future. My family has long-chosen to homeschool, and our experience has only reinforced our concerns about public education, especially since we moved to Colorado.
Public schools increasingly promote ideologies that are at odds with biblical teaching. From gender theory to moral relativism, our children are exposed to philosophies that contradict the values we strive to instill at home and in the church. These aren't just abstract concepts; they have real-life implications on how our children perceive themselves, others, and the world around them.
Particularly, the Colorado Department of Education has pushed new changes that should concern believers. For instance, according to one education watchdog, first grade students are required to learn the following (neither teachers nor parents are permitted to opt out of this instruction time):
- Lesson 1: Pride and Harvey Milk’s Rainbow flag
- Lesson 2: The San Francisco gay pride parade
- Lesson 3: The pride flag and importance of hanging it to show respect
- Lesson 4: Mayor Pete and Governor Jared’s sexuality
- Lesson 5 *And buckle up for this one*: the story of two male prostitutes who did drag, hard drugs, and p*mped out children.
- Lesson 6: Have the kids map out “identity charts”
- Lesson 7: the importance 1st graders’ ability to discuss lgbtq symbols and flags
This is not to say that every public school teacher or administrator is antagonistic toward the Christian faith. We've known Christians who have received their degree in education to provide a more positive environment. We have several in our congregation trying to apply their faith in an increasingly hostile environment. Please pray for them!
But the system itself is increasingly shaped by a worldview that is fundamentally incompatible with Christianity. It's systematically removing all ability for Christian teachers and parents to deviate from what can only be called the new state religion.
Parents need to know this. While public schooling may be the only option for some of our families, they must approach it with extreme caution and discernment. Parents who choose this path must be vigilant, supplementing their children's education with biblical instruction as much as possible, and maintaining open lines of communication about what is being taught in the classroom.
As the church, we must be proactive in supporting parents in their educational choices. Whether through co-ops, private schools, or other initiatives, we should strive to give families more options that align with our shared faith. We should also let the school board and department of education know that this is unacceptable. We cannot afford passivity.
Let us be faithful in guiding and equipping the next generation to navigate the world with a firm foundation in Christ.
