I have been part of the patriot movement well before Tea Parties came into existence – doing my best to educate the public about the unpublicized assaults against our Constitution. Unfortunately, all our noble attempts have not been able to stay the successful coup d’état that has gone nearly unnoticed by the general public.

How can government solve the problems it created?

The saddest thing about the situation is that we as a people continue to look to government to solve the problems government has created. Not only is this heartbreaking; it is completely solvable if we will start standing on our own two feet. A few weeks back I wrote a commentary in Conservative News and Views entitled Slay the Beast. In this article I identified what I consider to be the primary causes that impacted our last election. These causes have also produced an electorate that would re-elect the most egregious president this writer could ever envision. They are:

1. A complicit and ideologically driven media;
2. Judges that legislate from the bench and ignore Constitutional mandates;
3. Crippling taxation that steals the fruits of one’s labors to give to others;
4. Schools that indoctrinate students into secular hedonism instead of teaching academics;
5. Political cabals that exercise cronyism and nepotism;
6. Ineffective churches that are politically correct but biblically bankrupt.

Identifying the root causes of our problem is half the battle. The other half is finding the solutions. Since this is national school choice week, I thought it appropriate to address #4 on my list: schools that indoctrinate students into secular hedonism instead of teaching academics. One of Abraham Lincoln’s famous quotes is:

“The philosophy in the classroom of one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.”

Today we are seeing a government taken over by isms that are adverse to capitalism, and these isms have been promoted and extolled in our government-run schools for at least a generation, and arguably more. The government representatives we have today were educated in these schools. Time has proven Lincoln right.

Identifying the problem

A stack of school books with an apple on top.

On Sunday I attended a statewide school choice event hosted by inarguably the most sincere and committed people you could imagine – people who are wholeheartedly doing their best to rescue a failing school system in New Jersey. Unfortunately, these people are also relying on government to solve this problem.

Here’s why I believe they are barking up the wrong tree. The whole agenda revolved around proposed school choice legislation. You may be thinking that’s not a bad agenda. I would have to agree to some degree – a very limited degree. During the entire five-hour program – not one person mentioned anything about establishing private schools – just moving money around to schools that comply with government standards – standards that have failed our kids and misspent our money.

The main problem with the proposed legislation is that many of the religiously based private schools simply would not “participate” in the State’s program. In other words, they would not jump through the hoops the State created to make them eligible to receive tuition monies for their students. For instance, the way the legislation is written, a participating Jewish school would have to accept Muslim teachers or be charged with discrimination – or a Christian school would have to accept practicing homosexuals in order to qualify for state funds. That’s one part of the problem. Another part of the problem deals with creating more financial hoops for schools to jump through – especially those that are already 501(c)(3) companies and have to jump through enough hoops at the moment. Still another problem exists regarding the accreditation process participating schools would have to submit to – which process would be created by the State and would not defer to the many accreditation institutions that have earned their worldwide and national respect. In essence you are allowing parents to choose schools that are different but never-the-less regulated to be the same. Therefore, you can expect results that may be slightly different – but never-the-less the same.

What’s the solution?

Answer:

America, start standing on your own two feet!

How?

Create alternative choices for students that really are alternative choices. This means taking your kids out of government-run schools and establishing private schools. Before you tell me that is impractical, let me tell you that I’ve heard that argument before. And…it doesn’t hold water as far as I’m concerned. Before I explain what I mean, let me ask you a few questions:

• When did you accept the premise that the government is qualified to educate our kids?
• If you accept the above premises, how do you think that’s working out for this country?
• Do you know that IRS allows you to deduct all contributions made to schools that are organized as federal non-profits?
• Do you realize that many churches only use their buildings to their fullest on Sundays while they remain nearly dormant for the rest of the week?
• Do you know that Association of Christian Schools International (http://www.acsiglobal.org/), a globally-respected accreditation agency, will help you in establishing a Christian school in your community?
• Do you realize that homeschoolers in most states can pool their resources and create co-ops?

Hopefully these questions have spurred you on to thinking in a new way. You may have guessed that my suggestion for standing on your own two feet when it comes to education means taking kids out of government-run schools and creating alternative schools for them to attend. And just in case you think I’m talking out of a pipe filled with something other than tobacco, let me tell you that I’ve already done this successfully. Sure, I had to deal with the naysayers – the “What makes you think you can start a private school – ha ha?” crowd. Just for the record, our school is about to graduate our sixth senior class this June, and as for the naysayers – some of them have applied for jobs. One more thing you need to know – I have a high school diploma with a business school certificate – that’s it. I also had the determination, the vision and the passion to make it happen.

In conclusion I would also like to remind you that there are a multitude of churches that would be open to have someone use their facility during the week. If the school is for the children of members of their congregation, they may allow you to use it free of charge. If the school is for the community at large, they may charge a small fee – which would also help the church – a real win/win situation. The church may even consider helping with the finances of the school – especially urban churches that are very well aware of how the educational system has failed their congregants. And I can assure you that there is no shortage of donors who would gladly contribute tax-deductible funds for a venture such as this.

Another alternative may be to create a co-op of homeschoolers. Of course, you would have to check on the laws of your state before embarking on such a course. This could work in a number of ways. Parents could be responsible for some of the basics and the co-op could pick up the slack for subjects like math, science, and the arts. Many co-ops exist around the country today. If you have school age kids, you may want to find out where they are and how they are structured. If none exist in your area, you may want to consider starting one. If you don’t have school age children and are retired and have skills, perhaps you can serve your community and your country by offering to teach at a reasonable rate – you would be serving your country well in this case.

The point is – if we really want change in America, we need to start standing on our own two feet and stop begging an incompetent and misguided government for the crumbs off our own table. Where’s that good old American ingenuity we’ve grown up knowing? If it’s still out there – and I believe it is – stop complaining and start doing something. I’ll end with another quote from Lincoln:

“…that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom…”

Lincoln was right about education. I pray that he was right about our ability to stay a free and liberty-loving people. But I’m worried because I know that a free and liberty-loving people can only survive if they are willing to stand on their own two feet. May God have mercy on America!

Reprinted from The Daily Rant.

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