18 Comments:

Hey,

firstly i would like to say i'm liking your input on nato's blog!

secondly the cost of christian education! yeah totally... it is an expence! the main reason for this is Governmetn funding. for Manukau Christian School to get full funding from government it would need to intergrate which would mean that they are not allowed to teach alot of the stuff they are currently teaching and would have to revert to state curriculum. So under the current education system it is really expensive to send you kids to a good christian school as if it is not expensive you will find that the school is intergrated and has compromised on alot of issues. And you are right... Scott's dad is not driving a rolls royce. Teaching at a non-intergrated school is not the quickest way to get a pay rise by anyones standards!

By  Jonathan, at 2:25 pm, July 13, 2005  

But having said that... i would do everything i could to prioritise my money so my kids could go to a good christian school. I would personally prefer homeschooling as my next option before state education.

By  Jonathan, at 2:28 pm, July 13, 2005  

Could not agree more. It is so sad that Christian schools who refuse to bow to the state curriculum are penalised.

Believe it or not, one of my next posts was going to be on this issue. So watch out for this post!!

Also - You did misquote me. Here is what I said:-

A generation holding to a weak brand of 'fluffy-brained' Christianity will be the result of this systematic brain-washing we are forcing upon our children.

I never called them idiots. I never even said they acted like idiots!

By  Scotty, at 2:36 pm, July 13, 2005  

Yeah - My dad is not driving a Rolls Royce! Haha - I remember vividly when Dad gave up his DP job at Rosehill Intermediate to teach at St Andrews.

1/3 drop in pay, and my lunches sure reflected it! haha no more chippies muesli bars etc. ;)

By  Scotty, at 2:37 pm, July 13, 2005  

Thanks Jono- I just finished the course at Grace called Women in the Church (which I reckon even women in the church should attend-). We have studied all the arguements and what the bible actually says! I could let loose some more but being at work I better do some.

I didn't really misquote you Scott - I said 'or however Scott put it'. I implied that you said it that way I guess. Cause that is how I read it.

What would change Christain education would be if you could take the portion of your tax that you paid which goes to education and put it as a credit against your christian school fees. By sending your kids to a christian school you are not taking the benefit of the tax you are paying that does to education

By  Anita, at 3:04 pm, July 13, 2005  

What I am saying it that I am not convinced that the consequences of sending your child to a state school is as dire as you say. But I am open minded to be proved otherwise.....

By  Anita, at 3:08 pm, July 13, 2005  

ewwww must we see that chessy photo every time you comment???

By  Anita, at 3:10 pm, July 13, 2005  

What I said did not in the least imply someone was an idiot.

But I don't know if you were implying that because we pay tax on education we should be using what the government provides. If that is what you were saying, then I would say this:-

Some tax from our rates used to go to the Hero parade, but I wasn't about to go out there and enjoy it to get my fair share of the fun, since I was already paying for it.

You are correct to point out the unfairness of paying twice for a child's education. This is wrong - but we need to address the root problem - a government which thinks it has the right to decide what kind of education it will promote and finance with our money.

By  Scotty, at 3:27 pm, July 13, 2005  

BTW I suggest that even if the consequences aren't as dire as I think, that's not really the point. The point is what would God have us to do.

In this post I have shown how state schooling is not neutral, but in fact is secular humanism.

In this post, I have shown that the purpose of all life (and therefore education and training) is to equip us to glorify and enjoy God. State schooling does not recognise this fact, because the learning there ignores God's role in everything.

In this post, I have shown how it is really the parents job to educate their children - because God holds them responsible for it.

This post is an example of how state education is anti-Christian.

I believe put together, thi is a fairly good case for what God would have us do.

By  Scotty, at 3:37 pm, July 13, 2005  

Alan Cairns had a sermon (sermonaudio.com) on 1May I think it was, about Romans. The bit where Paul speaks about us respecting the powers that be (he had a shocker in his day), and about paying the tax we were told to pay - both the goods tax and the other tax.

Just thought it would be relevant to throw that in. Made me think twice about disrespecting our powers that be.

By  Anonymous, at 4:09 pm, July 13, 2005  

Hey Anita I can see where you are coing from there. I would just like to remind you again (as Jono mentioned) that home schooling can be a very good option to give your children a christian education. Me and my four brothers were taught by my mother and we haven't all turned out really weird or anything. All I would say though, is that is does take a lot of work, and that you need to be committed to really making a go of it.

By  Anonymous, at 8:01 pm, July 14, 2005  

Turned out weird?? That is what you think!! Nah just kidding Sam.
The homeschooling isn't an option for me I don't think- not my cup of tea! But you make a good point though for those who are called and gifted.

I am looking forward to Mr K's talks but I really don't think state schools are that bad. Megan and Hamish didn't turn out that weird! There are lots of Christians that teach in state schools and I am sure they wouldn't call it systemtic brainwashing. You can't say that 100% God commands every Christian parent to send their kids to a christian school.

By  Anita, at 8:33 pm, July 14, 2005  

Good results cannot always lead us to conclude good method.

By  Scotty, at 8:24 am, July 15, 2005  

random thought...

if home scholing isn't your cuppa tea... would an option be to hire another church mother to home school them for you? That way you know the teacher and the stuff being taught, while not being state schooled.

unknown cost obviously.

By  Anonymous, at 9:34 am, July 15, 2005  

What I mean by isn't my cuppa tea it that 1, I don't think I would be able to do it and 2 I feel that a child's social development and exposure to other people and ideas is important.

By  Anita, at 11:50 am, July 15, 2005  

Hey Anita!

I been doing a bit of research sparked by your post on cost of Christian education....hopefully have some results for you sometime in the near future.

Also I totally agree with what you said about a child's social development. However - do you think a structure where you learn with people all the same age is going to achieve that?

I personally think the best social development is in the context of the family and the church.

When Mum homeschooled us we were connected to a homeschooling group, and did stuff with them. I think other aspects of homeschooling were awesome - eg practical budgeting with supermarket shopping and stuff like that.

And to be honest I think my relational abilities with elderly people right through to little kids are sweet as and were not affected by my homeschooling - I would argue they were perhaps enhanced. Many kids cannot relate to older people because they have always only related to the peer. On the other hand, some homeschoolers are terrible at relating to people - it all depends on how it is conducted.
Once again a few wee generalization, but something to think about.

By  Scotty, at 1:07 pm, July 15, 2005  

Thanks for your comment Scott- good to hear from an informed homeschool perpective. I thought you were going to flame me:)
The main concern for me if exposing christian kids to non-christain people and ideas. The sooner this is done the better rather than waiting until the teenage years (when life is already confused enough). I would rather my kids know how to relate to non-christains than older people. And to learn that life isn't rosey for most people

By  Anita, at 1:58 pm, July 15, 2005  

Yeah - I totally agree. Kids need to know what we believe and why we believe it, but they also need to know what we don't believe, and why we don't believe it.

This can be a weakness of homseschooling, or a Christian school.

Perhaps if homeschoolers, and Christian schools worked harder on teaching what the 'other side' believe, we would all be a bit better off.

Check my blog in a bit for a wee post on this.

By  Scotty, at 2:13 pm, July 15, 2005  

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