The public schools are a reflection of the American culture. As the culture falls, the standards in the public schools are deteriorating at an accelerating rate. The concepts taught today are far different than even a generation ago.

Although there are many dedicated and hardworking Christians and Jews teaching and working in the school systems, their views and values have been largely shut down by the cultural and now legal pressures of political correctness. Indeed, many principals and boards of education exert politically correct demands far beyond the requirements of the law.

The intimidation of believers varies from daunting to frightening and may include harsh, precedent setting legal action. Some have lost their jobs. Even threatened legal action has a profound chilling effect on expressing views counter to the dictum of politically correctness. Heavy fines and jail time cannot be far behind.

Long ago, Abraham Lincoln warned, The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next. Much more recently, Ronald Reagan proclaimed,

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.

We tend to hear bits and pieces in the news. However, the overall package of what is being taught today is beyond disturbing. As you consider this partial list, know that it does not reflect merely reflect periodic shotgun style teaching. Each item is embedded throughout the academic culture from kindergarten through the 12^th grade and repeatedly reaffirmed in the universities. Each item demands a detailed discussion. But for now, it is more important to zoom out and consider the list as a whole

Most believers will recognize these items as false. Yet, they are being taught as undeniable truth in the public schools. The effect on the American culture has been devastating and is the harbinger of even worse in the near future.

Science

• The theory of evolution is fact.
• Science is a greater arbiter of truth than the Bible.
• Extreme environmentalism is necessary to prevent human extinction nad destruction of the planet.
• Global warming is taught as incontrovertible fact along with images portending colossal disaster.
• Homosexuals, lesbians, and transexuals are born that way and cannot change (genetics).
• Due to the alleged population explosion, couples should not have babies.
• Marijuana use is good recreation and especially desirable for medical treatment of pain.

Religion

• All religions, including Judeo-Christian tradition, are manmade myths
• All religions are equal and equally fanciful.
• All public expression or symbols of religion must be barred. The concept of separation of church and state has been turned upside down.
• Judeo-Christian tradition is radical, extreme, and dangerous.
• Religion is the cause of virtually all cultural problems and cultural violence throughout history.
• Islam is a peaceful religion.

Humanity (Humanism)

• Theory of evolution supports the erroneous conclusion that there is no god.
• There is no objective truth.
• There are no overarching values applicable to all people.

Gender

• Gender is fluid, based on feelings and identity, rather than biology.
• There are no differences between men and women except the external plumbing.
• All LBGTQ lifestyles are acceptable, desirable, and merely a matter of personal choice.

Family

• The “family” is whatever any consenting group declares it to be.
• Career is more important than family.
• Cohabitation is an acceptable means to test a relationship before marriage.
• Marriage is not a necessary prerequisite for having children.
• A father is not necessary for raising a child.
• Producing children is undesirable due to the population explosion and interference with careers of parents.
• Abortions are morally acceptable (not just legal) for birth control and to terminate inconvenient pregnancies.
• “Imperfect” babies should be aborted.
• Same-sex marriage is acceptable, desirable, and morally equivalent to traditional marriage. (An abomination to the Lord has become a Constitutional “right.”). Textbooks are being hastily rewritten to accommodate last year’s shocking U.S. Supreme Court ruling.
• Nursing homes are convenient places to sidebar inconvenient relatives, especially if home care would interfere with the careers of others in the home.
• Divorce is a readily available and morally acceptable means to escape difficult marital issues.

Culture

• All cultures are equally valid and equally desirable.
• The Founders of the Unites States were white, rich, selfish, slave-owning bigots.
• America is evil, acquiring wealth on the backs of slaves, atrocities to the American Indians, and resources “stolen” from other nations.
• Patriotism must be discouraged in favor of globalism.
• The American flag is offensive as a symbol of America’s “sins.”
• Profanity is merely a colorful expression of the culture.
• Virtually unlimited immigration is good.
• National borders must be abolished.

Entertainment

• Overt sexuality in movies and television is healthy entertainment.
• There is virtually no cultural effect linked to violence in entertainment (movies, television, video games).
• There is no need to promote morality in entertainment, because there are no longer any culturally agreed upon standards of morality.
• Pornography is healthy and acceptable.

Government

• Socialism is superior to capitalism.
• Animals have rights equal to humans.
• The government must provide for children to the greatest extent possible so the parents can do useful work.
• The “experts” in the public schools raise children better than their parents (Such was also the view in Nazi Germany, Stalinist Russia, and Communist China.).

You have likely heard that, “Nature abhors a vacuum.” The concept is not limited to just the physical realm. It applies also to the emotional and spiritual realms. In the 1970s, a cultural decision was made to discontinue teaching values in the public schools, emphasizing academic knowledge instead. Since then, the values vacuum has been filled. The perfect God-created Judeo-Christian values have been replaced by seriously flawed man-invented Humanist values. The results have been tragic. “Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil.” C. S. Lewis

As believing parents and grandparents, are these lesson shocking? They should be! They would have triggered loud and angry protests from YOUR grandparents. It is astonishing that such a cultural collapse could occur in little more than a generation. Consider a few declarations from the past.

I would advise no one to send his child where the Holy Scriptures are not supreme. Every institution that does not unceasingly pursue the study of God’s Word becomes corrupt…I greatly fear that the [schools], unless they teach the Holy Scriptures diligently and impress them on the young students, are wide gates to Hell. Martin Luther

[T] Bible…should be read in our schools in preference to all other books.

Dr. Benjamin Rush, Signer of Declaration of Independence

The only foundation for useful education in a republic is to be laid in religion.

Thomas Jefferson

Religion is the only solid basis of good morals; therefore education should teach the precepts of religion, and the duties of man toward God.

Gouverneur Morris, Author/Signer U.S. Constitution

Education is useless without the Bible. Noah Webster

Religion and virtue are the only foundations, not only of all free government, but of social felicity under all governments and in all the combinations of human society. President John Adams

Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great Pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens. President George Washington

There are, of course, alternatives to government-forced indoctrination in the public schools:

• Homeschooling—The homeschooling movement has matured greatly in the last 30 years. At least ten times more families should be participating.
• Private or faith-based schools—Although private schooling is available, much of it has become priced beyond the budget of the average family. Many have also compromised their values.
• New schools developed by churches/synagogues—There are large numbers of churches/synagogues in every city. Most are occupied sporadically on evenings and weekends. Places of worship are generally vacant during primetime all day every day five days a week. The physical plant is already there. The building could and must be use for schools during the week.

Apathy is no longer an option. The entire body of believers must act now and continuously to prevent the total loss of the freedom bestowed as a gift from God, not a grant from government. Otherwise, as President Reagan said near the beginning of this piece, “one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.” If we ignore this perhaps last opportunity, we will later face God with only feeble excuses.