In the 1800’s most states enacted compulsory school attendance laws. Since that time even Christian parents have accepted the idea that education of our children is the state’s task.

A Christian is a Christ-one. He has placed Christ as his Lord and vowed obedience to Him and His Word. In Deuteronomy 6 we find the Bible is non-negotiable about educating our children. Here, the parents are told to teach their children in their home when they walk, by the way, when they lie down, and when they rise up. They must be taught to read because God’s law was written on the door posts and gates. There was no state school when this was written and it is obvious whatever the child was taught was by the parents at home, be it math, science, health, God’s Word, or reading. Since this is one of the commands of our Lord, why has the state made such strides into the Christian heart on this subject? No doubt it’s because our pulpit no longer thunders with this doctrine.

Little by little, the public school has become more and more pluralistic. It is now accepted by almost all that pluralism is the American way. Today our children are taught in public schools that all religions and all sexual preferences are good. God’s Word clearly condemns all religions except the one found in the Holy Bible. God’s Word also says marriage is to be between a man and a woman, and all else is sin. If a father and mother want their child taught God’s truth, the public school will usually fail them. Nevertheless, God makes the parent responsible for their child’s education, not the state, so He will hold them responsible.

In 1849, the organized Protestants of Massachusetts debated whether to back the public school movement which was being promoted by the Unitarians. They decided to support it, but wrote, “If after a full and faithful experiment, it should at last be seen that fidelity to the religious interests of our children forbids a further patronage of the system, we can unite with the evangelical Christians in the establishment of private schools.” None today can doubt that there has been a full and faithful experiment, and its fidelity of Christian interests are long since gone.

Now the state of California wants to take a major step to blatantly oppose the Word of God by taking away the rights (given by God) for parents to teach their own children. The Bill has been set back, but it is scheduled to return in 2000. The Bill’s number is AB 804 and would require that home school children measure up or be a dependant child of the court. It is called the “Dependant Children Education Neglect Bill.” [This bill later died.]The state is even now entertaining Bill AB 1363, which would put health clinics in our schools to administer medicine and condoms to our children without parental consent. [This bill passed.] The state, simply said it believes their authority supercedes the parents. However, that is true only if a crime is committed, not if they are not being taught what is “politically correct.” Dare we now call educational neglect a crime? Can you imagine with me how many false accusations will be made, and hurts to innocent people? All because the state got into the education business, which God gave to the home.