"A Wolf at the Schoolhouse Door"

A couple of months ago Jack Schneider and Jennifer Berkshire wrote a "perspective" article for the Washington Post titled, "Parents Claim They Have the Right To Shape Their Kids' School Curriculum. They Don't."

Schneider and Berkshire have co-authored a book titled, "A Wolf at the Schoolhouse Door."

The titles of the article and the book give you a pretty good idea of where they're going with both the book and the article.

In case you're still wondering what their point really is, consider this excerpt: "When do the interests of parents and children diverge? Generally, it occurs when a parent's desire to inculcate a particular worldview denies the child exposure to other ideas and values that an independent young person may wish to embrace or at least entertain."

Therein lies the Big Lie. And the reason parents are showing up at school board meetings in record numbers.

Be informed, not misled.

Behind the schoolhouse door.

Schneider and Berkshire begin where every concerned far-left progressive begins; From a political angle---not what's best for the child. That comes later. If ever.

They begin: "In their search for issues that will deliver Congress in 2022, conservatives have begun to circle around the cause of 'parents'."

They claim, "The sudden push for parental rights, then, isn't a response to substantive changes in education or the law. It's a political tactic."

The parents who are showing up at school board meetings across this country--- en mass--- are not primarily trying to figure out how to take back Congress.

They love their children, and they have recently become deeply concerned about what is actually going on in the classroom. As the light has been turned on, the more they see---the more concerned they have become. 

The co-writers list some of the political leaders who are standing with parents in a growing number of states, ending at the "door" of newly elected Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, who has made parent's rights a centerpiece in his recent election. 

And unlike too many politicians, he is actually following through and is keeping his promises. And it's rattling their proverbial "school door."

Hiding beneath the veil of so-called common law and case law, they claim public education has "long supported the idea that education should prepare young people to think for themselves, even if that runs counter to the wishes of the parents."

Most parents want their kids to think for themselves, and Christian parents want their kids to do so through the lens of a biblical worldview. 

However for these people to imply that merely introducing kids from Christian or conservative families to different points of view is driving Christian and conservative parents to school board meetings is preposterous. 

It is not an introduction. It's the relenting indoctrination that bothers Christians and conservatives.

Schneider and Berkshire make this accusation:  

"Writing in the 1960s, historian Richard Hofstadter observed that conservatives felt that the country had been “taken away from them and their kind” and that timeworn American virtues had been “eaten away by cosmopolitans and intellectuals.” In response, they took up what he called the “paranoid style” — an approach to politics characterized by “heated exaggeration, suspiciousness, and conspiratorial fantasy.” Published more than half a century ago, his essay could have been penned yesterday."

It is no conspiracy theory or suspicion that Planned Parenthood has taken over sex-ed in most government schools, the LGBTQ+ provide instruction on human sexuality, Black Lives Matter on race relations, history, and social justice, with Antifa advocating policies.

Probably drawing from their book, the two writers conclude with a warning to parents who are seeking involvement in the educating of their child. And a warning to America if we try to participate in educating our children.:

In framing our public schools as extremist organizations that undermine the prerogatives of families, conservatives are bringing napalm to the fight. That may rally the base and tilt a few elections in their favor. But as with any scorched-earth campaign, the costs of this conflict will be borne long after the fighting stops. Parents may end up with a new set of “rights” only to discover that they have lost something even more fundamental in the process. Turned against their schools and their democracy, they may wake from their conspiratorial fantasies to find a pile of rubble and a heap of ashes.

If American public education is not saved from itself, it will indeed become the pile of rubble and heap of ashes the progressives predict.

Who are the real wolves at the schoolhouse door?

Virginian Governor Glenn Youngkin has been in office for not more than a few days. On day one he began working down the list of promises he made to the voters who elected him.

Youngkin is very bright, very successful in private business, and a very committed Christian---both he and his wife.

On Wednesday, Delegate (Rep. or Senator) Don L. Scott (D) from Virginia's 80th District took to the floor and began telling his colleagues that Gov. Youngkin is not sincere in his faith and prayer life. How does Scott know? "Because of his executive orders," he says.

He recalls meeting then Governor-elect a few weeks ago, and says this:

"And the first things that I recall him saying was that he has a strong prayer life, and that he was praying for everybody. And so far from what I've seen from his day one activities is not someone who is a man of faith, not a Christian, but someone who wants to divide the commonwealth, someone who wants to cause division in this commonwealth," Scott continued, to jeers from the chamber. "I know the truth hurts," he said, presumably to the delegates who were reacting. "I don't want to make you cry like saying 'Critical Race Theory' 'cause I know it hurts your feelings." 

Scott was momentarily cut off from continuing further as the jeering continued in the chamber before the Speaker regained order.

Scott continued after there was order in the chamber--- he doubled down on claims that Youngkin's executive orders to do with empowering parents and taking divisive political rhetoric out of the classroom was "very divisive."

Wow! Delegate Scott caught attacking @GlennYoungkin’s faith. Unbelievable. pic.twitter.com/OppdJjsW8s

— Jacob Alderman (@Jacob_Alderman_) January 26, 2022

It's true, throughout the primary and general election campaign, Youngkin and his wife, Suzanne, were very open about sharing the role faith has played in their life. On the morning of his inauguration, Youngkin held an inter-faith prayer event. There was also a benediction and a convocation at his inauguration ceremony, and towards the closing of the ceremony, Youngkin himself led in prayer. 

Scott echoed the case made by Jack Schneider and Jennifer Berkshire in their book and in the Washington Post---pushing public education further toward that predicted "pile of rubble and heap of ashes."

Takeaway

It was never God's intention that we pay others to raise and educate our children. It is clearly a responsibility that is first and foremost given to parents.

Consider this:

In Deuteronomy, Chapter 6, we find God giving to Israel the greatest commandment. The first three verses give the primary responsibility of man toward his God, the duty to love the Lord with his entire being. This is followed by the commandment to teach this to the next generation. The Jews call this passage the “Shema” and have made a covenant to hear or read this passage twice a day. It is that important to devout Jews.

This passage teaches that the parents are to teach their children the doctrines of their faith and the reasons for believing them. They are to be taught diligently to the children, by the parents. “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates” (Deuteronomy 6:7-9).

Notice two things about this passage. It is not a suggestion given for man’s consideration. It is a command from the God of the universe. Second, the command is not given to a government or village of people. It is given to the parents of the children. God will hold the parents responsible for their receiving an education that leaves God out.

"These words I teach you this day...teach them diligently to your children" (Deuteronomy 6).

Be Informed. Be Diligent.  Be Discerning. Be Engaged. Be Prayerful.