Author: Jennifer Bright

Against the Secular Humanism of Progressive Education

Posted on | by Jennifer Bright | Leave a Comment on Against the Secular Humanism of Progressive Education

By Brian Tonnell

Originally published as a Classical Conversations blog.

After speaking at a Practicum in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, I was listening to the radio on my way back to the hotel. American Family Radio was airing a program called “Crane Durham’s Nothing But Truth.” On this program, the speaker discussed the importance of philosophy, describing worldview as “the water in which we swim.”

If true, would we not expect to be engulfed in that water? To become a fish comfortable swimming in that water? Would not this philosophical ocean affect our children as well? And if those murky waters repulse us, what can we do about it?

Swimming in a Sea of Worldview

Indeed, we all swim in a philosophical ocean.

Our culture’s worldview surrounds us like water surrounds a fish. In the car, secular radio bombards us with the philosophies of Macklemore, Bruno Mars, Pink, Miley Cyrus, and Lady Gaga (look up their lyrics and you will instantly understand).

In our homes, the barrage continues on television. It is nearly impossible to watch more than five minutes without encountering a blatant disregard for Biblical principles. In the grocery store, magazine covers promote our culture’s prevailing philosophy of humanism, naturalism, existentialism, and so on. Video games, advertising, and even billboards round out the philosophical waters of our culture.

However, there is one more philosophical aquarium that so many children swim—the classroom.

The Philosophy of Public Education

As homeschoolers, we spend much effort decrying public education by pointing to statistics that indicate a broken system, but all we are really doing is pointing to the symptoms.

Perhaps a better understanding of the philosophy underlying public education will help us see the root cause of its brokenness. What kind of water fills the public education aquarium?

In order to understand the problems of our modern education system, we must look to the philosophy which undergirds it. To do so, we must go back in time to the late 1800s.

G. Stanley Hall: The Voice for Child-Centered Education

G. Stanley Hall had an overwhelming impact on our modern educational philosophy.

Hall was a psychologist, educator, and philosopher who founded and served as the first president of the American Psychological Association. He believed that educating children based on a core of required subjects was detrimental to their development.

Largely influenced by Darwin’s evolution theory and by Freud’s ideas on the human psyche, Hall theorized that emphasizing intellectual attainment was disadvantageous and that the child’s needs should be placed at the center of the educational system.

As a result, “Hall’s findings ushered in a new era of pedocentric schooling in which schools adapted to the needs of children.” In his own words, he believed that childhood “comes fresh from the hands of God” and that children were “not corrupt.”

While his intentions may have been pure, his theories had a marked influence on another pioneer of American education, John Dewey.

John Dewey: The Father of Progressive Education

During the late 1800s and early 1900s, philosopher John Dewey made his mark on history and is still considered the Father of Progressive Education. According to PBS.org, Dewey “was the most significant educational thinker of his era and, many would argue, of the 20th century.”

Dewey’s worldview was humanistic, which was clearly evident in his philosophy of education. In 1933, Dewey joined thirty-three prominent religious, educational, and philosophical leaders in signing the original Humanist Manifesto.

Now, in order to understand his philosophy, let’s take a brief look at the Humanist Manifesto.

The Humanist Manifesto

The stated purpose of the Humanist Manifesto was to establish a new religion—one that places man at the center of the universe. The document states, “While this age does owe a vast debt to the traditional religions, it is nonetheless obvious that any religion that can hope to be a synthesizing and dynamic force for today must be shaped for the needs of this age. To establish such a religion is a major necessity of the present.”

The first two core beliefs of this new religion strongly assert that evolution is fact and all things are self-existing rather than created.

The fifth core belief is that “modern science makes unacceptable any supernatural or cosmic guarantees of human values.” This same core belief insists that human needs will determine the value of reality.

In other words, the concepts of right and wrong are determined by “intelligent inquiry.”

The ninth core belief states that converts to the Humanist religion will cooperate to “promote social well-being,” which, according to the eleventh and thirteenth core beliefs, will be carried out by institutions such as education and government.

Interestingly, and perhaps not incidentally, this belief mirrors that of another religious movement of the time called the “Social Gospel.” Ask your local Challenge III student for more information about this topic.

The fourteenth core belief establishes socialism as the superior economic framework and hints at communism as the premier governmental framework.

Finally, in the last paragraph, “Though we consider the religious forms and ideas of our fathers no longer adequate, the quest for the good life is still the central task for mankind. Man is at last becoming aware that he alone is responsible for the realization of the world of his dreams, that he has within himself the power for its achievement.”

Interestingly, this last idea is stated much more succinctly in the second iteration of the Humanist Manifesto (1973): â€œNo deity will save us; we must save ourselves.”

John Dewey’s Humanist Philosophy

So, if this was the philosophical water in which John Dewey swam, what sort of educational philosophy did the Father of Progressive Education espouse?

Dewey believed that education was “a regulation of the process of coming to share in the social consciousness.” Further, he believed “the only sure method of social reconstruction” was “the adjustment of individual activity on the basis of this social consciousness.”

His goal was to reconstruct society via the education system. He believed that the teacher’s job was “to select the influences which shall affect the child and to assist him in properly responding to these influences.” He believed that the “right character” of children should be formed by “the influence of a certain form of institutional or community life upon the individual and that the social organism through the school, as its organ, may determine ethical results.”

The Humanist’s Goal: Shaping Society Through Education

In a nutshell, he believed that society must be shaped via the school system, that the character of future generations should be molded by the governmental institution, and that the idea of right and wrong should be determined by rigorous inquiry.

Based on his godless, humanist philosophy, the waters of his educational philosophy fell squarely within the ocean of his humanist religion.

The Corrosive Effects of Humanism on Students

So what? If we buy into the idea that Hall and Dewey’s philosophical waters overwhelmingly affected our modern educational system, what results might we expect? Might we expect a generation (or more) of students to grow up sharing this philosophy? That seems reasonable.

Abraham Lincoln once said that “the philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.” If his statement is accurate, might we expect to see a government that swims in the humanistic philosophical waters?

To say that our government radiates humanism is to speak an obvious truth.

To say the same about the children of our culture is, perhaps, not quite as obvious.

After all, especially in the church, we try to flood our children with a philosophy very different from that of the world, a philosophy opposed to humanism. We try to surround our kids in the philosophical water of a biblical worldview.

However, as a good friend of mine very shrewdly stated, at some point, every one of our children will ask, “Who is lying to me?”

The Nehemiah Institute Study: Worldview Erosion over Time

The Nehemiah Institute asked the same question I ask now: How are our school children affected by swimming in the waters of our culture’s philosophy? They began tracking the worldview of high school students in 1988, and have administered PEERS tests that assess students’ worldview in politics, education, economics, religion, and social issues.

The results are telling.

In 1988, public school students from Christian homes overwhelmingly fell into the “Moderate Christian” worldview—in their opinion, God was relevant to religion, but to nothing else.

By 2007, the same demographic (public school students from Christian homes) overwhelmingly fell into the “Secular Humanism” category (and on the cusp of socialism). Even private school kids from Christian homes showed a striking trend to assimilate into their surrounding waters. They overwhelmingly fell into the “Moderate Christian” worldview in 1988, but by 2007, they were comfortably swimming in the waters of secular humanism.” Only in the very small number of private, Christian schools that actively taught a biblical worldview did the students’ philosophy inch away from secular humanism and toward biblical theism.

Swimming Against the Current

The point is: yes, the philosophy of our culture is the water in which we swim, and regardless of the type of fish you are, if you swim in nothing else, you will eventually be assimilated into that water.

Does this mean that all non homeschooling teachers are humanists and socialists? Of course not.

Many of my own family members and good friends have been public or private school teachers. They love the Lord and reject the godless philosophy of our culture.

However, regardless of the type of fish they are, they are forced to swim in the educational philosophical aquarium of our culture. Are we to then jump out of the ocean and migrate to a new water source in which to thrive?

How to Survive the Putrid Waters

Alas, no. That would defeat God’s purpose for His people. In the seventeenth chapter of John, Jesus prays that God will not remove us from the ocean, but that we would be protected from it while fulfilling God’s mandate to be light and salt to the world.

Even so, we are to be foreigners in this world, resisting the temptation to drink from or thrive in its putrid waters. Colossians 2:8 warns us to avoid being captivated by the hollow and deceptive philosophies of the world. And so, we must remain, but we must provide ourselves and our children a cove of fresh, biblical water for respite, training, discipling, mentoring, reviving, strengthening, and resting. The church may seem a good place to provide this, but in reality the church is looking more and more like the world every day.

You Are the Key to Resisting the Secular Humanism of Progressive Education

This task falls squarely on you and me, the parents of our future.

We need to set up our children for success by giving them safe waters in which to swim.

For me, Classical ConversationsÂŽ is a critical, key ingredient to this task for my middle and high school children. We need to control the influences that bombard our children, whether through music, media, entertainment, or education. We need to train them how to respond to the philosophical waters in which they will eventually be forced to swim.

Sounds a lot like John Dewey’s philosophy. So, what separates this idea from his ideas?

John Dewey’s “savior” of the next generation was man himself through the influence of the school, the state, and the godless religion of humanism. But the real Savior of the next generation is unknown to either the school or the state.

It’s not the responsibility of the state to train our children in the way that they should go. Rather, this responsibility lies solely with you and me.

We must train and educate our children to know God and to make Him known; to love Him with their hearts, souls, and minds.

We must train them to be salt and light so that when they are eventually forced to swim in the rancid waters of our culture’s philosophy, they will be able to impact the culture and make a difference for eternity.

Read other articles on this subject here.

Engaging child's unbelief

Engaging Your Child’s Unbelief

Posted on | by Jennifer Bright | Leave a Comment on Engaging Your Child’s Unbelief

By Jared Christophel

Growing up on a farm, I knew that leading a horse to water wouldn’t make him drink, but being a father to teens drove the point home, especially when my oldest stopped taking communion. My children have grown spiritually in fits and starts. The times when they have been having spiritual fits were also when they were least approachable. My attempts to engage their faith struggles from an intellectual standpoint would not generally result in any fruit but would usually seem to increase their frustration.      

Wisdom for Engaging Your Child’s Unbelief

What follows is the wisdom I have learned in engaging unbelief in my children.

I recall distinct moments growing up when I acquired a sense of what it meant to believe in God. One of those times was as a child watching Indiana Jones in the Last Crusade. Harrison Ford closed his eyes, breathed deeply, and told himself he believed before stepping over the edge into the apparent void, only to step securely onto an invisible bridge. I’m not saying these were theologically correct moments, but they nonetheless informed my idea of what it meant to believe. Squeeze your eyes harder, and you can, by your own willpower, increase your faith. 

Without going down a philosophical rabbit hole of what it means to believe something, we can at least state that Christ’s claims about belief indeed require a mental assent to and trust in that which we cannot see, much like Harrison Ford’s bridge.

[21] And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. [22] And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

Matthew 21:21–22 (ESV)

Entering college, I understood belief as something I needed for salvation, but that is where it stopped. It was an intellectual decision, and as such, it was just like any philosophical debate I could ruminate on as long as I came down on the side of “yes, I believe.”

And wrestle with belief I did. One Sunday, my pastor in college said during a sermon, “If you want to believe, obey.” I don’t remember the specific theological reasoning, but I remember thinking how irrational that sounded. It seemed the philosophical equivalent of the tail wagging the dog. However, it stuck with me, and over time, with Christ’s sanctifying work in me, I have found it to be true. I think it goes something like this:

Word of God
Photo by Sixteen Miles Out.

“Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). If you want an increase in your faith, increase your hearing of the word of Christ. Set Him always before you, meditating and memorizing His word. You are what you behold. Your faith will increase not by your own eye-squeezing willpower but because of the grace flowing from our Lord through His word and through His spirit. Here enters the idea of the spiritual disciplines.

Out of the Overflow of the Heart, the Mouth Speaks

Many Christian leaders have championed disciplines over the centuries, but one of my favorites is Dallas Willard. One of his illustrations was of boys playing backyard baseball and emulating their favorite MLB player. As much as they wanted to hit the ball like Jose Canseco (ok, I’m old), it wouldn’t happen by closing their eyes tighter and wishing. It took 10,000 hours of practice. We might wear the bracelets that say WWJD, but our faith remains nascent (nonetheless sufficient) unless we are active disciples of Christ.

I’m trying to illustrate that how we perceive what it means to believe matters deeply when we try to address the “little faith” of our children. In my attempts to engage what I perceived to be intellectual struggles, I was generally met with intellectual repudiation, no matter how logical my words were. Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. What I failed to realize, of course, is that my child’s struggle was a heart issue.

Engaging a teenager’s heart can be messy, but realizing the core problem at least helps to narrow the father’s focus. You are what you behold. It isn’t as simple as instructing them to spend two hours a day in the Word and to put down the FIST (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok) that keeps punching them in the face. Because without faith, all obedience is worthless (Romans 14:23, Hebrews 11:6).

Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.
…my child’s struggle was a heart issue.

The Little Faith Must Want It

The “little faith” must want it. Encourage their heart that as long as that ember of belief engendered by the Spirit has sparked the fire, they can and will grow. Encourage them that the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step and that they don’t need to have all the answers (you never will).

In the case of my 18-year-old teenager, I encouraged her to engage her struggles but to follow the path of discipleship that had been set out by centuries of Christians. You are what you behold. In the end, Christ commanded us to take and eat, not take and understand.  

Our role as fathers in shepherding our children through unbelief will differ depending on the age and stage of each child. We must be aware of the power of dopaminergic screens and set appropriate boundaries. Our children are in a “battle of beholding.” Until a certain age, we must keep watch at the gate.

I would be remiss if I left out one crucial part of engaging our children’s unbelief. The Catholic social scientist Arthur Brooks has noted that the number one factor relating to a child maintaining the faith of their family is the adherence of the father to the faith. As you know by now, our children see right through us.

Do you want that faith? Do you want your children to believe? Walk the walk. Don’t just close your eyes like Harrison Ford. Spend time in His Word. Go into your room and close the door to pray. Pray without ceasing (or at least three times a day). Spend time with fellow believers. Do good works. Meditate on His word. Memorize scripture. Read a book on spiritual disciplines. And cry out to our Heavenly Father, “Increase my faith!”

Read other blogs in the “Raising Boys to Become Men” series here.

Jared Christophel graduated from the College of William and Mary with a degree in Chemistry, and the University of Virginia with a Doctor of Medicine.   He practiced Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Virginia for 10 years where he was awarded tenure.  While in Charlottesville, he served on the board of Regents School of Charlottesville for six years. In 2020, Dr. Christophel left the academic world to join a private practice in Hampton, Virginia.  Jared is married to Rebecca, a native of Yorktown, VA.   Jared and Rebecca met on a medical missions trip in Peru, and he continues to serve on medical missions trips with ten trips to Kenya in as many years.  They have four children who attend Summit Christian Academy at both the Grammar and Upper School.   Dr. Christophel attends Peninsula Community Chapel.

Indoctrination

Unlikely Allies in the Fight for School Choice

Posted on | by Jennifer Bright | Leave a Comment on Unlikely Allies in the Fight for School Choice

By Robert Bortins and Lauren Gideon

Originally published in The Christian Post.

In a recent attempt to give an unbiased overview of the current temperature in the “school choice” movement, Elizabeth Russell and Sharon Dierberger outline the main themes and key players in an article called “Unlikely Allies.” This piece is worth reading as we consider how this new trend is taking shape. Given enough time, ideas will expose themselves for what they truly are.

In this context, the idea is tax-funded education expansion. The idea goes by many names and takes on many shapes. So now that these ladies have given this idea a thorough shake-down, it’s time to consider what observations float to the top. Here are those three inconvenient truths for “school choice” advocates.

One: Exposed Inconsistencies

One major problem with the modern school choice agenda is that it is inconsistent with nearly every other pillar of the conservative paradigm. In the second half of the “Unlikely Allies” article, Robert Bortins, CEO of Classical Conversations, draws this point out. The irony of the situation is that conservatives are against almost everything else that goes by the name of “Universal.” And it’s not because these things aren’t important. We all need some form of health care, income, housing, and nutrition, but historically, conservatives have always held the principle that re-distributing society’s wealth to subsidize these commodities hurts all parties: the provider, the recipient, and the commodity itself. Even if we all know everyone needs to eat, conservatives have had a consensus that theft is morally wrong, creating dependency harms the recipient, and subsidization of a commodity drives costs up and quality down—literally, no one wins! But often, we are blinded by our good intentions when the object in question is vital to human flourishing, like food, health care, and education.

One major problem with the modern school choice agenda is that it is inconsistent with nearly every other pillar of the conservative paradigm.

It’s easy to understand why compassion can blind policymakers. It’s the classic tale of “the ends don’t justify the means.” But why has the political right flip-flopped on its position on education? Even more ironic is the reality that most conservatives adamantly opposed student-loan payoff for all the expected reasons but fiercely champion the expansion of taxpayer-funded K-12 education via “school choice.” It’s enough to make you double-blink and cock your head, but who has the courage to call out this egregious inconsistency when the “school choice” topic has been the banner under which the leaders of the conservative right have chosen to march.

Two: Transferred Ownership

The home education movement has been living a cultural experiment for the last 40-plus years. When Jim Mason, President of the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), refers to the “habits of liberty” that grew from this counter-cultural movement, the first habit required was the reclaiming of ownership and responsibility. At that time, this was such a powerful virtue that it compelled families to make choices that put them at odds with public policy and cultural norms. Home educators realized that what you fund, you own, and they couldn’t tolerate willfully handing over ownership of their children’s education to the state. For 40 years, independent private home educators have coped with the idea that they will contribute towards government education while privately funding 100% of their children’s education—and they’ve succeeded! This reclaiming of ownership has fostered other such habits of liberty that make the home education ecosphere a petri dish for other radical ideas like entrepreneurship and self-sufficiency. It’s no wonder that globalists like UNESCO want to buy back these independent “threats” to their agenda with public dollars.

Home educators realized that what you fund, you own,
…What the state funds, the state owns.

While a good number of home educators “get” this, we are well aware that we have a unique perspective, and the paradigm dichotomy is stark. Consider how well-intended Democratic state Rep. Ajay Pittman refers to the children in her district as “her babies.” Again, this might sound endearing to those who haven’t made the “ownership leap,” but those within our ranks notice this claim on the children and the paradigm it represents. When we allow the state to fund an initiative, we are asking them to own the initiative; in this case, it is the education of our children. Disagree? Over the last few years, we have watched parents petition school libraries to remove inappropriate books. Does that sound like ownership or dependency? Homeschool parents are never forced to beg their government for education changes. Ownership matters. What the state funds, the state owns. This should serve as a caution to all private education entities lined up for their tax-funded checks.

Three: Swapped Principles

If we were to climb a mountain and look down across the landscape, we could watch the metaphorical migration described in this “Unlikely Allies” article. The authors list several democrats who are warming up to the idea of school choice and joining the movement despite scrutiny from their political allies. They also appropriately identify that the holdouts on the right are “reliably conservative voters” and “most conservative factions of their own party.” So, as we sit from our vantage point, the patterns we could observe at this stage of the conversation is that new members to the “school choice camp” are coming from the left, while those leaving or putting up a fight are the most conservative among the political right. Is there anything that we could conclude from this observation? Is this movement actually conservative in nature?

Let’s take an inventory: school choice grows the size and influence of government, it costs the taxpayer more money, and in some instances, it is funding schools that are even more radically immoral than the existing government schools. Consequently, the school choice movement rejects conservative principles on several fronts. Two case studies identified in “Unlikely Allies” demonstrate this reality. Governor Tony Evers championed the cause in Wisconsin and convinced his “liberal-leaning Supreme Court to reject a challenge to the voucher program.” Conversely, Republican Governor Greg Abbott used “money from the governor’s own war chest” to wage “political war” on 21 of the most conservative representatives in his own party who dared to disagree with this progressive policy. Let the facts speak for themselves; the political parties have switched principles on this issue, and it’s time to call it out for what it is.

Conclusion

This whole conflict is best summarized in an unlikely quote. Mr. Shannon Whitworth, a school choice advocate, is quoted saying, “There’s a significant power block invested in keeping our (young black) people addicted, uneducated, poor, and without hope, because those factors create dependency.” And “it’s that dependency upon which the left’s power is derived.” Dear Mr. Whitworth, I couldn’t have said it better myself.

The unavoidable antidote to this dependency is the sober pursuit of independence, ownership, and autonomy—all virtues inconsistent with this new tax-funded education expansion model.

Unfortunately, we now see both political sides capitalize on this dependency-fueled power grab. The unavoidable antidote to this dependency is the sober pursuit of independence, ownership, and autonomy—all virtues inconsistent with this new tax-funded education expansion model.

Please read other articles on “school choice” here.

Robert Bortins, CEO of Classical Conversations profile headshot

Robert Bortins is the CEO of Classical ConversationsÂŽ and the host of Refining Rhetoric. The company has grown from supporting homeschoolers in about 40 states to supporting homeschoolers in over 50 countries and has become the world’s largest classical homeschooling organization under his guidance.

Lauren Gideon is the Director of Government Relations for Classical Conversations.ÂŽ She has been a home educator since her first student was born 19 years ago. She came to Classical Conversations for support when the student count in their home grew beyond what she thought she could navigate on her own. In addition to homeschooling her seven children, she co-leads community classes that unpack our nation’s founding documents and civic responsibility. However, she is happiest at home, preferably outside, with her husband of 18 years, tackling their newest adventure of building a modern homestead.

National Homeschool Day of Prayer

Posted on | by Jennifer Bright

By Lauren Gideon

Pray, Pray, and Pray Some More

If you are a mom like me, homeschooling is not new to your family’s rhythm. My oldest is a senior, and I have been his primary teacher since he was born. Right now, my prayers naturally turn toward asking for wisdom for this new season and what lies ahead for him and our relationship. I also naturally pray through the changes our family has been going through this last year and the changes still to come. I pray over the new events and trials for others in my life. I pray for the “new trees.”

In the forest of my life, sometimes I lose sight of what’s going on around me because it all looks the same. Most people have heard of nose blindness to the smells we’ve become accustomed to, but could there be a blindness to the consistent rhythms of our lives? My cousin once told me of a lady she knew who would literally stand in the bread aisle and pray over which loaf of bread to buy. That has never been my style, but could there be a chance that I am missing out on paying attention to and praying for the things that aren’t new, the things I find ordinary?

Today is National Day of Prayer

When I learned of Homeschool Freedom’s National Homeschool Day of Prayer, my thoughts turned to prayer. Here is the list of ideas this organization suggests should inform your prayers.

PLEASE JOIN US AND OTHER HOMESCHOOLERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS WE:

  • Give thanks for the freedom we have to homeschool our children,
  • Pray for homeschooling families in your own nation and around the world,
  • Pray for upcoming elections and the impact they may have on homeschooling,
  • Pray for your state’s homeschool organization and its leaders,
  • Pray for your elected officials to recognize that the education of children is the responsibility of the parents, not that of the nation,
  • Pray for your own family—your homeschooling journey and the Lord’s guidance as you take that journey, your relationships with one another, your own children and their futures, as well as seeking ways your family can minister to others,
  • Rejoice in God’s mercy and His faithfulness in all things.

If you’re like me, it’s good to have these reminders to help us see what we have become accustomed to seeing. If you are reading this, I’m praying for you, too. Wherever you are in your homeschooling journey, I pray that you will see the tiny miracles of grace happening in yourself and in the lives around you, that you won’t take a single school day (which is every day) for granted, and that you will invest each moment for the sake of the kingdom and for the smile of your Father.

Read other blogs by Lauren here.

Lauren Gideon is the Director of Grassroots Advocacy for Classical ConversationsÂŽ and she teaches through an organization committed to raising citizenship IQ on U.S. founding documents. She and her husband homeschool their seven children on their small acreage, where they are enjoying their new adventures in homesteading.

a person holding up a cardboard sign that says "Act Now"

Kentucky Amendment 2—Educate Yourself!

Posted on | by Jennifer Bright | Leave a Comment on Kentucky Amendment 2—Educate Yourself!

By Elise DeYoung

The School Choice movement has taken the United States by storm as hundreds of Republican legislatures from sea to shining sea are pushing to pass school choice legislation in their states.

The aim of school choice is to support a parent’s right to choose where they send their children to school by funding that choice using taxpayer money. A popular slogan used by the movement that you may have heard is “Fund students, not systems.” Policies like voucher programs and Educational Savings Accounts (ESA) all collect taxpayer funds, redistribute them, and use those funds to pay for public and private school options.

Ballotpedia reports, “As of 2024, 14 states had enacted ESA programs. Programs in six states—Florida, Iowa, Utah, West Virginia, Arizona, and Arkansas, and North Carolina—covered all or most students.” Currently, state legislators in Kentucky are working to add their state to the list.

Amendment 2

On January 26 of this year, State Representative Suzanne Miles (R-7) introduced Amendment 2 to the legislature. On March 13, the measure rapidly passed in the House with a 65-32 vote; on March 15, it passed in the Senate with a 27-8 vote majority.

In Kentucky, after the legislature passes an amendment measure, it is put on the ballot for the people to vote on. This vote will take place on November 5, 2024. Before this day arrives, it is crucial that we educate ourselves on the amendment and its implications.

Amendment 2 states, “The General Assembly may provide financial support for the education of students outside the system of common schools. The General Assembly may exercise this authority by law, Sections 59, 60, 171, 183, 184, 186, and 189 of this Constitution notwithstanding.”

To view Kentucky’s current state constitution, visit this link.

When explaining the immediate effects of Amendment 2, Attorney and Former Kentucky Solicitor General Chad Meredith explained in a debate with KET.org,

“This amendment does not make any policy… All this [amendment] does is it puts the ball in the court of the legislature to make policy. If the legislature decides to make vouchers, then we will have a system like that. If they don’t, we won’t. This amendment has nothing to do with vouchers.

All this amendment does is it sets the stage for the legislature to be able to make education policy, unfettered of any restrictions that were put on it in the 1890’s.”

It is important to recognize the truth in Mr. Meredith’s words when he says, “This amendment does not make any policy.” In fact, it does not. However, when we hear him say, “All this amendment does is it sets the stage for the legislature to be able to make education policy, unfettered of any restrictions,” we should be very wary.

Before you vote, please consider the immediate and permanent implications that this amendment would invite and answer the following questions:

  • Is it wise to remove the guardrails on education policy?
  • Should Kentucky vote to open the floodgates to a voucher program?

A Warning to Kentucky

Though the amendment does not pass School Choice legislation, we must acknowledge that it welcomes the creation of such policy in Kentucky. If you are unfamiliar with the issue of School Choice and the effects it has had on other states, here are a few resources to look into before you vote on Amendment 2:

The truth is that using public funds for private education is not only legislative malpractice but also dangerous because with public funding comes public oversight. We have seen this movie before—consider how the government now oversees public healthcare, farming, and universities. This is because these industries accepted the government check, and now, they are under government control.

Do we want this to happen in our private schools and homeschools? I think you would resolutely agree with Classical ConversationsÂŽ when we argue no. We want to keep our education independence! So, we must reject the use of public funds for private education before it is too late.

Protect Education Independence in November!

Thankfully, if you live in Kentucky, you still have the ability to vote down this attempt to alter your state constitution to unfettered School Choice policy in your state. Educate yourself on Amendment 2 before November 5, share this urgent information with your friends and family, and go prepared on November 5 to protect education independence in your state.

For more information, visit Ballotpedia.

Elise DeYoung headshot smiling at the camera

Elise DeYoung is a Public Relations and Communications Associate and a Classical ConversationsÂŽgraduate. With CC, she strives to know God and to make Him known in all aspects of her life. She is a servant of Christ, an avid reader, and a professional nap-taker. As she continues her journey towards the Celestial City, she is determined to gain wisdom and understanding wherever it can be found. Soli Deo gloria!

Are All Men Equal? A Lesson in Logical Equivocation

Posted on | by Jennifer Bright | Leave a Comment on Are All Men Equal? A Lesson in Logical Equivocation

By Brian Tonnell

Republished from a Classical Conversations blog.

Is logic really relevant in today’s culture?

All men are equal. You have heard it touted by advocates on all flanks. In our Challenge B class, we have recently looked at current cultural issues that commonly use that argument: All men are equal and so should have equal rights. Turning this into a Categorical Syllogism, we arrived at:

All equal beings are deserving of equal rights. (Major Premise)
All men are equal beings. (Minor Premise)
Therefore, all men are deserving of equal rights. (Conclusion)

The battle cry in question comes from the Minor Premise.

Logical Fallacy and the Misuse of “Equal”

While this argument is logically valid, it is neither true nor sound. How so? As in any argument, debate, or even persuasive essay we must define the terms. What does “equal” mean? The dictionary tells us it means “the same as” or “of equal value.”

In the Minor Premise, the word suggests “of equal value,” equal worth. This was the original meaning. It invokes a sense of higher power, of higher authority, even though it is most often misquoted in order to eliminate the Source of that authority. “All men are created equal,” not “All men are equal.” Interestingly, many groups using this misquote from the Declaration of Independence are the same groups that vehemently pronounce the Declaration is not a “founding document” (thereby eliminating the idea that rights are endowed by the Creator rather than the State).

However, in the Major Premise, the word takes on a different undertone. Here, it abandons the original definition and mutates to the idea that all humans are “the same as” all other humans. The implication is that all humans with a pulse are worthy of equal rights. But is this true? Are all humans really equal in this manner? And are they all deserving of equal rights?

Standards of Behavior and the Loss of Rights

Yes, all men retain their value as creatures made in the image of God, but do all men retain their equal status, and thence, equal rights?

Do they maintain their status as “the same as” everyone else?

Prisoners do not. They are not considered “the same as” everyone else and their equal status is revoked. Once their behavior becomes illegal and they are imprisoned, they cede their right to take a walk in the park. Once a compulsive kleptomaniac’s behavior is discovered, he is no longer “the same as” the rest and loses his right to work at the bank. People who lie under oath commonly do not retain their right to maintain positions requiring great trust. Felons do not retain their right to carry a gun or to vote. People who promote marital infidelity or champion child neglect generally relinquish their right to give advice to newlyweds or new parents.

Our culture readily accepts this idea and has an established pattern of classifying some as not “the same as” the rest, based on their behavior. This societal norm denies rights to people based on illegal or immoral behavior. What does this mean? It means that while all men possess equal value, they do not necessarily possess or deserve equal rights.

So, what does “equal” mean in this, the Major Premise? In the much-used argument, it is obvious that “equal” does not mean “created equal,” it does not mean “of equal value.” Instead, it means “everyone is the same as everyone else, regardless of behavior.”

So, where does that leave us? We have a valid argument presented to us, but a term has tacitly changed its meaning midstream. In logic, this is called the Fallacy of Equivocation. An example: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4, KJV). Since you are a woman, you are not commanded to be obedient to God’s Word. Here, the term “man” changes meaning midstream, committing the Fallacy of Equivocation. And the argument logically falls apart.

The Importance of Logic in Understanding Culture

If we have an obviously fallacious argument, how is it that people are so easily convinced by it?

If we accept the idea that people lose rights when departing from established standards of behavior (and we do), then the only recourse is to deny that those established standards of behavior are legitimate. And that is where our culture has landed, in the land of denial. Deny that any standards of behavior exist and the fallacious argument now seemingly holds water. If we can be convinced that our nation was not founded on biblical standards of behavior, then we cannot appeal to those standards to prove our indictment of Equivocation. If you believe that our nation was not founded on God’s principles, you will assume you have the right to a godless school system and a godless government, and you will assume that you are “equal” to everyone else, regardless of your actions.

When the standards by which we define “equal” are rejected, the fallacy seems to disintegrate, and people become inclined to believe that any behavior is acceptable, and that their immoral, ungodly behavior has no effect on their status as “the same as” anyone else. Essentially, this is like proclaiming that your boss has no right to discriminate against you (or fire you) for stealing the company’s money, because stealing the company’s money breaks no standard of behavior.

Seems simple enough, but, unfortunately, our culture is full of gullible “bosses” who are more and more believing that stealing company money is not only acceptable, but is, indeed, noble!

Even the Challenge B students, eighth-graders with young minds, are beginning to grasp how valuable a tool logic is and how relevant it can be in our current culture. Giving them the tools and training to logically think through relevant issues is a critical advantage that Classical Conversations affords. And hopefully, by the grace of God, they will make a lasting impact on our culture, showing that while all men are created equal, any man can squander his status as “the-same-as-the-next-guy,” by departing from the standards God has laid out in life’s instruction manual.

State Capitol

Refining Rhetoric Episode 120: Should Christians Support Kentucky Amendment 2?

Posted on | by Jennifer Bright | Leave a Comment on Refining Rhetoric Episode 120: Should Christians Support Kentucky Amendment 2?

How will Kentucky Amendment 2 affect our educational independence? Will it lead to less freedom for homeschoolers?

Listen to this thought-provoking conversation on this episode of Refining Rhetoric between Robert Bortins and Dr. Albert Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. While Dr. Mohler is for the amendment, Robert is more skeptical.

Read our blog to learn more about Kentucky Amendment 2.

Vote

Colorado: Vote AGAINST Amendment 80

Posted on | by Jennifer Bright | 2 Comments on Colorado: Vote AGAINST Amendment 80

By Elise DeYoung

Who is responsible for the education of children?

Traditionally, the United States acknowledged that the responsibility of educating children fell primarily on the parents of that child. This common consensus can be seen in Supreme Court rulings like the 1925 decision Pierce vs. the Society of Sisters, and in the Merriam-Webster 1828 dictionary definition of “educate.” The definition explicitly states, “To educate children well is one of the most important duties of parents and guardians.”

However, today, many of our leaders are offering a different answer to this question. They argue that it is primarily the government’s job to ensure that children are properly educated. Consider what James Dwyer, a Professor at the William & Mary School of Law, stated in an interview: “The state needs to be the ultimate guarantor of a child’s wellbeing.” Even President Joe Biden said in a speech to public school teachers, “They aren’t someone else’s, they are all our children.” Furthermore, our current education climate is dominated by the public school system, state regulations on education, and crackdowns on independent education. It is clear that, in the eyes of our leaders and legislatures, parents are no longer primarily responsible for the education of children.

This past year, this worldview shift took root in the great state of Colorado. In fact, this November, citizens of Colorado will vote on Amendment 80, which, if passed, would enshrine this novel idea into their state constitution. What is Amendment 80? What would be its effects? Should voters in Colorado support it in November? All of these questions, and more, must be considered by the citizens of Colorado so that they can be prepared to vote either “Yes” or “No” when the ballot comes their way.

“To educate children well is one of the most important duties of parents and guardians.”

Amendment 80

Amendment 80 reads, “Section 1. In the Constitution of the State of Colorado, add section 18 to Article IX as follows: section 18. Education – school choice (1) purpose and findings. The people of the state of Colorado hereby find and declare that all children have the right to equal opportunity to access a quality education; that parents have the right to direct the education of their children; and that school choice includes neighborhood, charter, private, and home schools, open enrollment options, and future innovations in education. (2) Each k-12 child has the right to school choice.”

Briefly put, this amendment seeks to enshrine four claims in the state constitution:

  1. All children have the right to equal opportunity to access a quality education.
  2. Parents have the right to direct the education of their children.
  3. School Choice includes neighborhood, charter, private, and home schools, open enrollment options, and future innovations in education.
  4. Each K-12 child has the right to School Choice.

While these things may sound appealing, there are severe implications that must be considered before you vote on Amendment 80.

A Warning to Colorado

Parental rights vs. Child’s rights

The amendment is centered around the idea of a child’s right to quality education. The first problem, of course, is that if you give children rights, then you practically abolish parental rights. Parental rights” are a negative right, while a so-called “child’s right to education” is a positive right. Carolyn Martin, Director of Government Relations for Christian Home Educators of Colorado (CHEC), defined a negative right in her article Right to an Education? as “the requirement of someone else not to interfere in your ability to obtain something.” Conversely, Martin explains that positive rights “are a requirement of someone else to provide you with something.”

Parental rights require the government to ensure that nothing obstructs a parent’s ability to fulfill their God-given responsibility to raise and educate their children. This right is turned upside down. If we implement “a child’s right to education,” suddenly it becomes the government’s responsibility and jurisdiction to provide “quality education” for all children everywhere. The immediate effect of this is the government can no longer “stay out of the way.” It must oversee, regulate, and manage the education of all children to ensure that a child’s so-called “right to quality education” is protected. As soon as we permit the government to oversee our children, we abolish parental rights.

How is “quality education” defined in Amendment 80?

The second problem with Amendment 80 is the vague language of “quality education.” The big question this amendment fails to answer is, who gets to define “quality education”? UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization), the globalist organization that is actively working to globalize education, defines quality education as DEI education. Their website says that it is their job to “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” When you sit down to educate your children, is teaching them diversity, equity, and inclusion your top priority? Hopefully not. But that is the priority of the elites who openly work to control your child’s education.

Parental rights require the government to ensure that nothing obstructs a parent’s ability to fulfill their God-given responsibility to raise and educate their children.

While the state of Colorado may not adopt UNESCO’s radical view of “quality education,” we must recognize that its definition has the potential to be hostile to a classical, Christian education. Most likely, its definition will look more like the public school system where the Bible is banned from classrooms, sex education is taught for all ages, and patriotism is cast to the side in exchange for progressivism.

In short, this amendment would enshrine in the Colorado Constitution that “The government is responsible for the education of your children.” This is such an egregious assault on parental rights and the natural law that organizations like CHEC are speaking out against this amendment and warning parents about the severe implications.

Protect Education Independence in Colorado!

In November, it is up to the voters of Colorado to protect your state from this blatant infringement on parental rights. Educate yourself on the amendment, share this information with your friends and family, and vote “NO” this November to protect your education independence.

For more information on what is on the Colorado ballot this November, visit coloradosos.gov.

Additional Resources

Elise DeYoung headshot smiling at the camera

Elise DeYoung is a Public Relations and Communications Associate and a Classical ConversationsÂŽ graduate. With CC, she strives to know God and make Him known in all aspects of her life. She is a servant of Christ, an avid reader, and a professional nap-taker. As she continues her journey towards the Celestial City, she is determined to gain wisdom and understanding wherever it can be found. Soli Deo gloria!

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Relating Science to Faith

Posted on | by Jennifer Bright | Leave a Comment on Relating Science to Faith

By Jonathan Bartlett

Originally published in the Classical Conversations blog.

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”  Proverbs 9:10 KJV

The question of how science relates to faith is one that seems to baffle many people, but this need not be so. This is a foundational issue, because the approach that a person has to this question will also influence how they think of faith in a wide variety of situations. Most people take one of three main approaches to the relationship of science and faith.

Approach 1: Science and Faith Cover Different Topics

One approach that is popular among theologians is to separate science and faith with a great wall preventing any entanglements between the two. This view was popularized by Steven Jay Gould, who used the acronym NOMA, which stands for “non-overlapping magisteria,” to describe it.  In this view, science and faith cannot conflict, because they cover two different subjects, which do not overlap at any point. Science covers the objective, evidence-based principles and facts, and faith covers value-oriented ideas and ultimate meanings. This is also often called the fact/value split.

This view is endorsed by a wide variety of organizations, including the National Academy of Sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The stated goal of this approach is to clearly demarcate the lines between faith and science so that neither one crosses into the other. It also takes into account the differences in methodology, and assumed differences in content. For instance, science, in large part, uses the inductive method for determining truth, while faith is about trust and hope. Philosophers have long pointed out that science is unable to deal with questions of value and morality on its own, so NOMA simply implements the converse as well—if science cannot reach morality, then neither will faith be allowed to reach facts.

Of course, in reality, this split really does not work. Christianity does make claims that relate to the natural world. God has revealed Himself in history, and this has affected nature and history. Therefore, evidence, facts, science, and faith all come together. In addition, scientists are always trying to expand the scope of what science covers—and they should do this.

Therefore, at least in theory, NOMA blunts both science and faith. However, in practice, most people who claim NOMA actually mean “science deals with whatever it wants to, faith deals with whatever science hasn’t gotten to yet”. For instance, the concept of “free will” would seem to be a question of faith, and yet the National Academy of Sciences, which openly subscribes to NOMA, has published supposedly scientific papers that deal with the question of free will.

The NOMA position even finds its way into many church denominations. While most do not have official positions supporting NOMA, one usually finds very few voices within the church willing to present any explicitly Christian view of science, or any science topic, except for Christ’s resurrection. Instead, the furthest they are willing to go is to express disapproval when scientists attempt to derive ultimate meaning from their theories and observations.

Approach 2: Science and Faith in Conflict

Another approach to science and faith is the “conflict” or “warfare” idea. In this view, science and faith are essentially contradictory ways of viewing the world. A scientific view of the world necessarily puts a person in conflict with religious modes of thinking, and a person of faith necessarily takes a negative view of science and scientific methodology. In this approach, any overlap between positions of science and faith are taken to be purely coincidental.

This approach takes science and faith to be two full, mutually incompatible worldviews. That is, any given question can be answered in a scientific framework, just as it can be answered in a religious framework. Therefore, science and faith “compete” for the answers to each of life’s questions. Note how different this is than NOMA. Under NOMA, science and faith are both given limits to the scope of inquiry. In the “conflict” idea, science and faith are not limited in scope, but form two mutually incompatible ways of addressing the same question.

The interesting thing about the “conflict” idea is that it is usually only held to by atheists and agnostics—it is almost never held to by Christians. It is usually held to by people who have expanded science into a religious position itself. Christians always have room for science, but atheistic materialists (people who think that the physical world is all there is) must expand science to fill their own religious needs. Unfortunately, popular news coverage nearly always assumes the “conflict” approach, and does not realize that Christians don’t find a necessary conflict between the two.

If this approach is so one-sided and non-sensical, why does it keep coming up? The fact is, in nearly every aspect of life, there are tensions between ideas. There are tensions between ideas in various disciplines, or even within a single discipline. None of these tensions means that there is a necessary conflict between two positions—this is simply the natural result of having incomplete knowledge. As long as our knowledge is partial and imperfect, there will always be tensions among the various ideas we hold onto.

This makes it easy for detractors of Christianity to paint faith positions as being anti-science. One needs only to find an issue, no matter how marginal (or tenuous), which may be in conflict with some person’s faith position, and then proclaim, “See—faith and science are irreconcilable!” In addition, in fact, most of these are based more on interpretation of the evidence than anything else.

Approach 3: Faith Seeking Understanding

The best approach I have found for integrating science and faith is the “faith seeking understanding” approach. In this model, faith is the total worldview, and science operates as one of many approaches for finding truth within that worldview. As Christians, we find truth in many places. We turn to history to find the truths of the past. We turn to science to find the truths of nature. We turn to philosophy to find the nature of reason. First and foremost, we turn to the Bible to find the truths that govern the other truths. In such an approach, science is certainly one of the means that we use to find truth.

However, science plays a subservient role—it is a discipline whose results are to be judged and weighed by people of faith, it is not the judge over faith.

It is interesting that the coherence of science itself relies on this model. Science itself relies on, but does not provide, a way to test for truth. While science demands that theories correspond with the preponderance of physical data, there are usually many theories, which have the same or similar correspondence. This comes as a surprise to many—most people assume that there is always only one theory, which is valid for a given set of data. The fact is, in many cases, the test for scientific truth is an aesthetic one. Scientists opt for theories, which are simple, elegant, and concise—in other words, beautiful theories. The only valid justification for this is that we expect this because of the nature of God that faith reveals.

This also means that, as Christians, when we participate in science, we should bring the expectations of Christianity with us. For instance, in my own research, I use as a starting assumption the idea that the genome is a designed system. Using that understanding, I have a better appreciation for what is happening within the genome. Since I believe that it is designed, I can reasonably compare it to other designed systems and make inferences and predictions based on those comparisons.

Teaching Our Children about Science

So how does this help us teach our children about science? We must teach our children, in every subject, to think about how various ideas make sense (or do not) within the context of Christianity.  When we find ideas that do not make sense, we should ask ourselves—is this because of a lack of knowledge or a wrong interpretation of the evidence? If our goal is to bring every thought to the obedience of Christ, this must include science.

This does not mean that we should ignore subjects, which we have trouble integrating with our faith. Though future posts will cover this issue in more detail, we simply should attempt to understand such subjects thoroughly, teach ourselves to scrutinize the subjects well, and hold each idea to account under Christ.

You can see this “faith seeking understanding” approach reflected in the curriculum at Classical Conversations. Phil Johnson’s book, Defeating Darwinism by Opening Minds, used in the Challenge B curriculum, is one of the best introductory books not just on creation and evolution, but on the whole notion of academic study in any discipline from a theistic viewpoint. Likewise, the Apologia science curriculum used throughout the Challenge program also points in the same direction.

Check out Classical ConverationsÂŽ blogs and Homeschool Freedom Action Center blogs.

Horace Mann

The Hypocritical Public School Evangelist

Posted on | by Jennifer Bright | Leave a Comment on The Hypocritical Public School Evangelist

By Elise DeYoung

“Deeds survive the doers.” — Horace Mann

The origin of the public school system has all but been forgotten in the Western world. We seem to be under the impression that government schools have always been and always will be. However, a quick glance into history dismantles this ignorant idea. To understand the origin of government schools, we must examine a few basic questions:

  • Who came up with the idea of government-run education?
  • When was the first public school established?
  • What is the goal of public education?

American citizens, specifically parents, deserve to know the answer to these simple contextual questions because, as Aristotle observed, before you can know what a thing is, you must understand what it was designed to do. So, what were the public schools designed to do?

Origin of Government Schools

The idea of government schools was first proposed by a man named Robert Owen. Owen was a utopian collectivist who wanted to use universal government education to condition populations to accept the conditions of communism. Sounds promising, right? If you are not familiar with Owen and his work, I encourage you to read Global Utopia and Government Schools.

Continuing down the timeline of public education, we then become acquainted with a man named Horace Mann. It is likely that you have a vague recollection of Mann, though he is not talked about nearly enough. You may remember him as the father of public education or the great public school evangelist. However, I would propose that history remembers Horace Mann for what he truly was—a cynical theorist and a hypocritical reformist.

Born in 1796 to a poor farming family in Franklin, Massachusetts, Mann was largely self-educated because he could only attend school six weeks out of the year. During his childhood, he applied himself to studies at the Franklin public library and eventually attended Brown University in 1816, where he graduated as valedictorian. In 1822, he furthered his studies at Litchfield Law School, and the following year, he practiced law in Dedham, Massachusetts. His career in law was short-lived because, in 1827, Mann ran and won an election for the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where he would serve for six years.

When Horace Mann was elected to the Massachusetts State Senate in 1835, it became evident that he had a promising political career. With such a bright future ahead of him, Mann’s colleagues, friends, and family were shocked when he threw it all away in 1837 and turned his attention to radical education reform.

“Public Education is the cornerstone of our community and our democracy.”
— Horace Mann

The First Board of Education

Mann’s great ambition was to establish a nationwide, mandated, government-run, and controlled school system. He wrote, “Public Education is the cornerstone of our community and our democracy.” Some may counter that democracy is the cornerstone of our democracy, but regardless, Mann strongly believed that he would be the patriot to establish the American “cornerstone” of public education.

He quickly recognized, however, that before this could happen, these measures had to be executed on a local scale. In Massachusetts, there were a few publicly funded schools here and there (the first of which had been established in the 17th century by Puritans with legislation called the “Old Deluder Satan Law of 1647“), so Mann turned his attention to the creation of the first Board of Education. This he accomplished very rapidly in 1837, and that same year, Mann accepted the position of secretary to the Board.

The function of the Board of Education was to oversee all education in the state of Massachusetts. It was so well-liked by legislators and politicians that only thirty years later, President Andrew Johnson promoted it to the federal level and was given the official title “The Department of Education.” However, according to the Department’s history, only one short year later, it was demoted to an Office of Education “due to concern that the Department would exercise too much control over local schools.”

Happily for Horace, unhappily for the American people, it was reinstated by Congress in 1979. In 2024 alone, the Department’s budget was 90 billion dollars. With so many billions of dollars at its disposal, Americans should begin asking the question first posed by politicians in the 19th century: “Does the Department exercise too much control over local schools?”

This pressing question was clearly not a concern of Horace Mann because after establishing the Board of Education, his interest was piqued by the Prussian government, which had been actively imposing a universal government-run and controlled public school system for decades. What did this system look like? And could it be duplicated in the land of the free? In 1843, Mann traveled to Prussia to answer these questions.

The Prussian Model

In 1806, Frederick William III, King of Prussia, was defeated by Napoleon at the battle of Jena-Auestedt. In reaction to this embarrassing defeat, the Prussian elite blamed the independent and freethinking Prussian population for Napoleon’s victory rather than their own military miscalculations. They decided they no longer wanted soldiers and citizens who could think for themselves; instead, they wanted submissive people who they could move around like pieces in a game of political chess.

“The goal was to make the bulk of the population compliant servants rather than free individuals who could think for themselves and create and enrich the Prussian culture.”[1]

It was then that the Prussian leaders learned of Robert Owen’s idea to implement a government-run and controlled school system to shape and condition the population. According to Owen’s account, they agreed with the utopists that complete collectivism could only be accomplished through state indoctrination. By 1819, this system of schooling was firmly established throughout Prussia.

The Prussian model of education segregated the population into three tiers, or “social rank,” based on what education they received:

  • Akademiensschulen (Academy schools) prepared students to be future policymakers and leaders. They were taught a wide range of subjects and learned to think critically, write well, read profusely, and strategize.
  • Realsschulen (secondary school) prepared the “professional proletariats” to be useful to the upper class. They became engineers, doctors, lawyers, and architects.
  • Volksschulen (elementary school), or “people’s school,” taught most of the population to be submissive, passive, and obedient. In practice, they were functionally illiterate and were only taught history that would fuel blissful patriotism.

This was the system that Horace Mann observed in his trip to Prussia. His response to such intellectual atrocities was not to condemn the government for manipulating its citizens and turning the populace into intellectual zombies. Far from it! Instead, he lauded the Prussian government and raced back to America to replicate this system of federal-centric schooling.

Eventually, in 1872, the Prussian government banned all alternative schooling methods, including private schools and homeschooling, according to the Prussian School Inspection Law of 1872. The Law stated, “By annulment of any contrary regulations in individual regions, the supervision of all public and private school and educational institutions is solely under the control of the state.” [2]

“Education of the state, by the state, for the state,” as Alex Newman wrote in his book Indoctrinating Our Children to Death, might be a utopian dream; however, the results it immediately produces are far from heavenly:

  • Reduced illiteracy and test scores
  • Compulsory tax-funding
  • Government-prescribed curriculum
  • National testing
  • Government-run teacher training and certification
  • Students are tracked by vocational and academic aptitudes.

Today, the country of Prussia no longer exists, but it is clear that government schools have long outlasted their founding nation. Indeed, “Deeds survive the doers,” as Horace Mann once wrote. Since 1872, government schools have been producing the same results—dumb populations and government control. With such disastrous results, why did Horace Mann export this failing education reform into his own country?

Horace the Hypocrite

Like Robert Owen before him, Mann was driven by utopian fantasies. He believed that he was responsible for ensuring their implementation in the land of the free by establishing a government school monopoly. For example, he wrote,

“Education…beyond all other devices of human origin, is a great equalizer of conditions of men — the balance wheel of the social machinery…It does better than to disarm the poor of their hostility toward the rich; it prevents being poor.”

This is the message that was paraded around the United States and sold to millions of parents. “Give us your children to raise and train, and we will end world hunger,” seems to be the official slogan of Horace Mann.

Why is it that utopians always steal liberty under the guise of “ending poverty?”

The obvious and immediate challenge to Horace’s statement is if he truly wished for education to be “a great equalizer of conditions of men,” why on earth would he travel to Prussia (a country that was intentionally segregating its population on the basis of education), laud its inherently unequal educational system, and then spend the majority of his professional career working to have it implemented in the United States?

Maybe he believed the public schools just hadn’t been done right yet. Perhaps he truly believed in his mission and really thought children would get the best education in the classroom. You would hope, at least, that Mann would align his own life to the philosophy and schools he mandated for others.

On the contrary! The truth is that Horace Mann refused to send his own three children to a public or “common school,” and instead, he personally homeschooled each of them! Perhaps Horace’s nickname should have been “Horace the Hypocrite.” If he did not believe his own children should go to a public school, why did Mann want them nationalized in the first place?

Horace, the Cynical Reformist

The reality is that Horace Mann feared and distrusted two groups of people: parents and Catholics.

“Horace Mann and his 19th-century education reform colleagues were deeply fearful of parental authority—particularly as the population became more diverse and, in Massachusetts as elsewhere, Irish Catholic immigrants challenged existing cultural and religious norms.” [3]

Because utopians believe it is their responsibility to perfect mankind’s environment and thereby perfect man himself, they cannot trust individual parents to raise their own children because “what if they do a poor job?“

“From a hundred platforms, Mann had lectured that the need for better schools was predicated upon the assumption that parents could no longer be entrusted to perform their traditional roles in moral training and that a more systematic approach within the public school was necessary. Now, as a father, he fell back on the educational responsibilities of the family, hoping to make the fireside achieve for his own son what he wanted the schools to accomplish for others.”[4]

Jonathan Messerli, Mann Biographer

As Mann said, “We who are engaged in the sacred cause of education are entitled to look upon all parents as having given hostages to our cause.” Those “hostages,” of course, are children. Children, who Mann viewed as test subjects in Robert Owen’s case study.

The only thing more terrifying than a parent doing a “bad job” raising their children, in the eyes of Mann and his utopian friends, was Catholic parents raising their children in their faith.

The Massachusetts state legislator commented on the influx of Irish Catholic immigrants, saying, “Those now pouring in upon us, in masses of thousands upon thousands, are wholly of another kind in morals and intellect.” [5]

This was more than a question of “How can we help these people assimilate into American culture?” This was a question of control: “How can a diverse group of people with specific cultures, faiths, and traditions be controlled under one political dogma?” How, indeed?

Robert Owen taught that in order to control a people, you must first control their minds. And so, he instructed his followers, the Prussians and now Mann, to commit themselves to this pursuit of intellectual control.

“To train and educate the rising generation will at all times be the first object of society, to which every other will be subordinate.” — Robert Owen

We must understand that Horace Mann did not have decent motives in imposing government schools on America. He did not believe in the cause. In reality, he was a cynical theorist, hypocritical reformer, and a secret homeschool dad. This is how he ought to be remembered.

The Legacy

In 1848, shortly after his visit to Prussia, Mann resigned as secretary of the Board of Education to take the seat of John Quincy Adams in the US House of Representatives. In 1853, he stepped away from politics for the last time and became the President of Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Here, he spent a lot of his time writing and training his students to further his plans for establishing Prussian education in the United States. You can find his writings here.

While at Antioch, Horace Mann inspired a class of graduates with the words, “Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity.” There is hardly any doubt that, when he died in 1859, Mann believed he had won a great victory for the utopian cause through his American education reform.

Regretfully, for future generations of American children and families, the deeds of the Prussian elites and Horace Mann have outlived them. Even 187 years later, we still live under Horace Mann’s government agency, the Department of Education, which dogmatically and obsessively dictates what millions of children are taught every single day.

Somedays, it can seem that we are inching ever closer to a time when “all public and private schools and educational institutions are solely under the control of the state,” as it was in Mann’s beloved Prussian education system.

But we must not be discouraged because, though the deeds of Horace Mann outlived him all these years, our deeds today can outlive us as well. If we continue to fight for the educational independence we desire and deserve, our children and their children will live to see a day where the government does not raise children and where utopian theories are not imposed on populations; rather, they will live in a free country where true, free-market, God-honoring education flourishes.

Elise DeYoung headshot smiling at the camera

Elise DeYoung is a Public Relations and Communications Associate and a Classical ConversationsÂŽ graduate. With CC, she strives to know God and make Him known in all aspects of her life. She is a servant of Christ, an avid reader, and a professional nap-taker. As she continues her journey towards the Celestial City, she is determined to gain wisdom and understanding wherever it can be found. Soli Deo gloria!

[1] Delphine, R. (n.d.). “The Prussian Model of Education.” STEMiteracy. Retrieved September 10, 2024, from https://www.stemiteracy.org/the-prussian-model

[2] “School Inspection Law of March 11, 1872.” GHDI, Retrieved September 10, 2024, from https://ghdi.ghi-dc.org/sub_document.cfm?document_id=670#:~:text=School%20Inspection%20Law%20of%20March,the%20control%20of%20the%20state

[3] McDonald, K. (2017, May 1). “The Devastating Rise of Mass Schooling.” FEE. Retrieved September 10, 2024, from https://fee.org/articles/the-devastating-rise-of-mass-schooling/

[4] Messerli, Jonathan. Horace Mann: A Biography. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1972, p. 429.

[5] McDonald, K. (2017, May 1). “The Devastating Rise of Mass Schooling.” FEE. Retrieved September 10, 2024, from https://fee.org/articles/the-devastating-rise-of-mass-schooling/