Education, Disney, & Parental Choice

Education is important. Education is vital. Education is paramount.

This has been the universal opinion of tyrants, religionists, economists, and zealots of all persuasions. In fact, the importance of education is one of the few things upon which virtually all philosophies can agree. The intentional and systematic training of our children is obviously a good thing. What could be more important than the formation of the minds of our young? What is more powerful than the opportunity to shape the worldview of those who will one day lead our nation? What is more lasting, more enduring, than determining the content and perspective of the education of those who will one day bury you?

You may be surprised to hear me say, then, that my favorite hashtag is #abolishgovernmentschools. You see, too many people (most of whom attended government schools) believe that opposition to government involvement in an activity is equivalent to opposition to that activity itself. Nothing could be further from the truth. Having been raised the son of an educator, there is little I value more than education, but I don't want my kids anywhere near a school run by any government currently in existence in my town, state, or country.

The recent controversy regarding Florida's parental rights bill, including Disney's involvement, illustrates the fundamental divide in our nation. As much as I appreciate what DeSantis is attempting to do, I can't help but to think that he's slapping a band-aid on a wound that obviously requires amputation, and I think many people are awaking to this reality--this nation is fundamentally divided. The issues we debate, sex education in this instance, are symptoms of much greater moral and philosophical disparities.

This fact begs some follow-up questions. Why would you want your children to be taught by (in many cases, essentially raised by) a system that is fundamentally at odds with your worldview? Why would you want the minds of your children to be shaped by those with whom you differ regarding the meaning of life? Why would you place your offspring under the influence of those whose agenda you fear?

I proffer these questions to parents of all backgrounds, conservative and liberal, Christian and atheist, Woke and old-fashioned. Does it really make sense to let our ideological opponents teach our kids how to view life? Does a unified education system seem like a viable option at this point in a country with such fundamental rifts?

Education is not neutral. Nothing is. Neutrality is the greatest myth ever told. Folks like to talk about Disney's agenda or Christians' agenda or CNN's agenda or FOX's agenda, all while denying their own agendas, but let's be clear about one thing--we all have an agenda.

Let me say that again for the folks in the back: WE ALL HAVE AN AGENDA!

Some people hide their agendas. Some people don't. Some people are not even aware that they have one, but they certainly do. Any educator, entertainer, or evangelist worth his salt has an agenda, and he ought to be aware of and honest about it.

The answer, then, can never be to eliminate agendas from education. That is neither possible nor desirable. The answer is abolition.

Abolish government schools.

This conflagration between DeSantis and Disney has revealed an insuperable ideological rift in our nation. It is painfully obvious that no single education system can adequately represent those who are so diametrically opposed. So, let's break up. You teach your kids and I'll teach mine. Let's all keep our money and use it to train our children the way that we see fit. Our system is badly ineffective and inefficient as it is (free is a misnomer, of course), and those of us who spurn our local schools are being forced to pay twice. Naturally, there are questions of providing education for the less-fortunate and single-parent households, but these are questions much better answered by the free market and private philanthropy than by Uncle Sam.

So, it's time. Let's do it. Privatize our education system. Sell the buildings to the teachers' unions and see if they can keep them afloat in the real world, one where competition exists. Let them compete against churches, private individuals, homeschool co-ops, and private enterprises and see if anybody still wants to utilize them.

#abolishgovernmentschools

4 Reasons I Affirm Paedocommunion

If you have interacted with me on social media, you know that I have always been outspoken on the issue of Paedocommunion . It is a theological position and a liturgical practice about which I am passionate. Having been raised, and having raised my children, at the Table, I cannot imagine attending a church that didn't allow PC. I hope that when I am old and gray, I will still be an advocate for bringing little children to the Sacrament. Throughout the 12 years that I have had this blog, I have written scattered thoughts on the topic, but it appears that I have never written a concise summary of my reasons for affirming PC. I was thoroughly convinced that I had, but I can't seem to locate it, so I guess I never did. So, to rectify the omission, here are four reasons I hold to PC. 1) Paedocommunion is Biblical. Any discussion of the topic should start here, and I would hope that both sides of the debate would make this assertion. However, l...

1 Corinthians, the Covenant Hermeneutic, & Paedocommunion

As an adherent to Paedocommunion (hereafter PC), I have always found it painfully ironic that Credocommunionists use 1 Corinthians 11 to withhold children (among others) from the Table. One can imagine St. Paul shaking his head as he watches theologians using his discussion of unity at the Table to divide the body at the Table. You're missing the point! he would say in exasperation. Not only does 1 Corinthians 11 not forbid PC; I would go so far as to say that there is no better defense of PC in the New Testament than the epistle of 1 Corinthians. Credocommunionist logic is pretty straightforward. 1 Corinthians 11:28 says, "Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup." If, they argue, one is unable to fulfill the exhortation to examine himself, then he may not eat of the bread and drink of the cup. This is a pretty logical deduction, right? Credobaptists would adamantly agree. Acts 2:38 says, "Repe...

The Real Presence & Paedocommunion: A Deeper Rift Between Reformed Churches

You're going back to Rome! Theological disagreements within the Reformed world, especially those of the last half century, often devolve into these sorts of accusations. As controversialists like Doug Wilson and Peter Leithart began to break away from the larger conservative Presbyterian and Reformed denominations, it became clear that the rift was deeper than semantics and systematic minutiae. Much like the Reformation four centuries before, the Table was a primary point of conflict. What does it mean? Who may partake? What do we call it? These questions, along with a few more, divided Reformed brethren as the physical elements of our religion reflected deeper conflicts. Good men began to understand that the problem wasn't just in our logos, but in our pathos and ethos, as well. Paedocommunion (hereafter PC) has been one of the hottest points of contention. PC has always been normal to me as I grew up with it. I underst...

Always Reforming

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