Public Schools: Awakening America To The Danger
By: Christopher G. Adamo
Posted: May 13, 2005
Far too few among the Christian community are willing to remain steadfast in
their beliefs, in the face of the enormous pressures of liberal social
change. Fortunately, Bruce N. Shortt exemplifies the meaning of such worthy
resolve.
Last year Shortt, along with T.C. Pinckney, made waves at the 2004 Southern
Baptist Convention (SBC) by stating the obvious. America's educational
system has, over the past several decades, completely degenerated from any
pretense of promoting academics. Instead, it is primarily focused on a
program of indoctrinating students towards countercultural social
transformation.
Relentlessly working to eradicate any references to God or traditional
morality, the nation's government schools now continually supplant such
things with the twisted precepts of "political correctness." This
ideology seeks to obliterate the concept of moral absolutes.
Ironically, the only perverse exception being that even the slightest
disagreement with any view of the liberal elite violates their absolute
standards, and thus constitutes "hatred," "intolerance,"
"bigotry," or some other dastardly crime against humanity.
So Shortt and Pinckney proposed a resolution encouraging Christian parents
to remove their children from the public school system. Unfortunately,
though it should have been overwhelmingly accepted, the Southern Baptist
Convention's response was quite the opposite.
An insipid caveat was offered by Resolution Committee Chairman Calvin
Wittman of Wheat Ridge, Colorado, who claimed that the Church would be wrong
to "usurp the authority that God had placed firmly in the home."
One has to wonder how willing Wittman would be to accept Internet pornography
and underage drinking within Baptist homes on similar grounds.
Disturbing news stories regularly erupt from throughout the country
detailing public school policies that affront innocent children along with
the entire foundation of traditional morality. At best, the Church can only
offer a weekly Sunday School lesson as an antidote.
With each ensuing outrage, it must be remembered that the Southern Baptists
disgracefully collaborated by essentially granting their institutional
endorsement to the status quo.
This year however, things may be different. Mr. Shortt, with the help of Dr.
Voddie Bauchan, has submitted another resolution for consideration by the
SBC, admonishing Baptist Churches and parents merely to investigate the
particular curriculums and philosophies being impressed upon the children in
their own communities.
Of course Shortt and Bauchan know full well that morally reprehensible
teachings are widespread among America's schools. Thus an acceptance of
their resolution could be every bit as encompassing as their previous
effort.
Last year's resolution proposal was intended to focus on the institution of
public schooling itself. In contrast, this year's effort seeks to admonish
Church leaders and parents to be watchful for evidence of morally
reprehensible ideologies that are possibly present in local classrooms. Once
informed, Baptists can then either stand fast against such things, or
passively acquiesce to them.
Admittedly, even if the resolution passes, no one is obligated to abide by
it. And some will likely assuage their feelings of obligation by seeking
reassurances from the very school officials who promote such material, which
is tantamount to asking the fox to assess the chicken coop (Blessed are the
peacemakers, don't you know...).
Still, any who do objectively follow up will be unable to contain their
shock and outrage at the abysmal situation they will find. Though some may
choose to reject this harsh reality, it is difficult to ignore the abounding
evidence of moral decay in the public schools.
Had Christians refused to play along and instead removed their children en
masse, back when the Supreme Court first prohibited prayer in government
schools, the financial fallout alone would have been sufficient to cause the
high court to quickly reconsider and ultimately reverse its decision.
But like Esau in the book of Genesis, they looked instead to their immediate
comfort and convenience, and chose to play along, and have given up ground
ever since. Instead of correcting the problem as they clearly had the power
to do, they actually enabled it to continue and proliferate.
Shortt and Bauchan have wisely sought to include in their resolution a
statement supporting Christian teachers who have not been given over to the
post-modern mindset. Such people, assuming they remain steadfast, are to be
commended for their courage no less than missionaries in a hostile foreign
land.
In the end, the fate of the Shortt/Bauchan resolution will denote the
condition of the SBC as either a spiritual guidepost to the nation and the
world, or as just another follower of the latest social trends.
This article originally published on
The Christian Underground
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