There has been an international push over many decades to create a right of education for children. The United Nations (UN) through UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has been at the forefront of this push and they have established several treaties beginning in 1960 with the UN Convention Against Discrimination in Education. Interestingly, the United States (US) has declined to ratify these treaties. Homeschoolers fought hard against the ratification by the US Senate of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) since it was signed by the Clinton administration in 1995. Despite this, individual states and the federal government have been implementing various aspects of these treaties through their lawmaking process for years.
Parental Rights or Rights of the Child
In Colorado, we have seen for some time now a shift away from parental rights to the rights of a child, including when it comes to education. There have even been some attempts this year to put the right of a child to a quality education in the Colorado Constitution. Under the biblical order of the family, it is parents who steward the rights of children until they are capable of handling the responsibility of exercising their rights on their own.
Positive Rights vs. Negative Rights
Attorney Kevin Boden, from HSLDA, gave those who attended the class at CHECâs Homeschool Day at the Capitol a quick lesson on the difference between positive rights and negative rights. Negative rights are the requirements of someone else not to interfere in your ability to obtain something. He referred us to the 4th Amendment guarantee to be secure from unreasonable searches and seizures without probable cause. The government is responsible for making sure they do not infringe on our right of property. Positive rights are a requirement of someone else to provide you with something. Here, he referred to the 6th Amendment right to a speedy trial, which the government must provide through its taxpayer-funded judicial system.
The parental right to direct the upbringing, care, and education of their children is a negative right. The government must secure that fundamental right given to us by God and not infringe upon it. A right of a child to a quality education is a positive right. It would require the government to provide for the education and ensure the quality of it. Home education would be subjected to greater scrutiny because the government would have a duty to evaluate the quality and content of the education being provided by the parents. Natureâs law is based on negative rights, not positive rights, but the world system is trying to move all nation states toward the positive rights structure through the UN treaties.
Ideas have Consequences
Ideas have consequences, and we must be careful to choose wisely what ideas we support and stay true to Godâs order for the family and education. As the election season heats up, letâs make sure we ask probing questions of those who want to represent us! Do they support parental rights, and what does that mean to them? Do they know the difference between childrenâs rights and parentâs rights? How will they ensure we have the freedom to home educate our children without government intrusion?
Our parental rights are in danger, and we must stand together to preserve them.
Colorado Amendment 80 is on the ballot on November 5. Before you walk into the voting booth, educate yourself and inform others to do so as well. Amendment 80 could open the doors to unintended consequences in our fight for educational independence and protecting our homeschool freedoms. As citizens, it is our responsibility to be informed of what our government officials are doing!
Carolyn Martin serves as CHECâs Director of Government Relations, working for you and other liberty-loving families to protect homeschool freedom, parental rights, and religious liberty at the state capitol. Subscribe to the CHEC blog for Carolynâs regular updates here, learn more about legal issues in Colorado here, and donate to support Homeschool Freedom here. Contact Carolyn directly at carolyn@chec.org.
The purpose of education is to know God and to make Him known; therefore, we believe education, like religion, is a sacred pursuit outside the jurisdiction of the state.
Kentucky Constitutional Amendment 2 would allow state funding for non-public education.
The Kentucky legislature passed Amendment 2 earlier this year. It will be on your ballot this fall. Amendment 2 will change the fabric of the state government by changing the Kentucky Constitution.
In a Nutshell
Amendment 2 can potentially compromise Education Independence. The language of the amendment and the existing authority by law could give taxpayer money to independent homeschoolers, leading to possible government oversight and regulation of their homeschools or legally changing the definition of the homeschooler in the state.
Below is a summary of the amendment’s language, concerns, and possible implications for Kentuckians. At the bottom of this news bulletin, you will find background information on government-funded homeschooling and resources.
âSection 2. IT IS PROPOSED THAT A NEW SECTION BE ADDED TO THE CONSTITUTION OF KENTUCKY TO READ AS FOLLOWS: 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.”
Concerns & Possible Implications
Section 186:“All funds accruing to the school fund shall be used for the maintenance of the public schools of the Commonwealth, and for no other purpose.“
Would Section 186 Necessitate Private and Homeschools to Become Public Schools?
We have seen instances in other states where homeschoolers opt in for a program, and they are no longer legally classified (with its protections) as homeschoolers.
In Arizona, for example, the student is legally referred to as an âESA studentâ and no longer qualifies as a homeschool student by law, as stated by the Arizona Department of Education. “ESA studentsâŠare not considered âhomeschoolâ students by state law.â
Section 189: “No portion of any fund or tax now existing ⊠shall be appropriated to, or used by, or in aid of, any church, sectarian or denominational school.”
Would Amendment 2 Contradict Section 189?
Section 189âs language seems to be very clear on this matter.
The South Carolina Supreme Court recently ruled that the Education Scholarship Trust Fund (ESTF) (Act) was unconstitutional for this reason.
Watch Out for Policy Creep
Although the amendment does not pass School Choice law, we must acknowledge that it provides the opportunity for such legislation and the opportunity for policy creep in Kentucky. To aid your understanding of Education Independence and School Choice, hereis an article to help you. In Addition, investigate the resources below before you vote on Amendment 2.
Protect the Constitution & Education Independence on Election Day
Kentuckians can protect the state constitution and Kentucky from future bad policy.
Before election day, explore the resources below and share this urgent information. Protect Education Independence in your state and vote against the public capture of private education.
You Are Invited!
Classical Conversations cordially invites members of the community to an open forum to discuss Amendment 2. This important event will occur on October 9, 2024, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Warren County Public Library, 175 Iron Skillet Ct., Bowling Green, KY 42104.
Join us for an engaging discussion led by Robert Bortins, CEO of Classical Conversations. This event serves as a conservative Christian rally for education independence.
Sadie Aldaya is the Manager of Research & Policy for Classical ConversationsÂź . Sadie and her husband homeschooled for over 20 years. She served as a Classical Conversations field representative for 15 years, providing community and support for other homeschooling families. Sadieâs passions are to stop government encroachment in areas where they have no authority or jurisdiction and to see Christians return to a biblical Christ-centered worldview.
Guess what? It’s time for another trip to the grocery store! I typically have a list of items that I intend to purchase. However, recently, I have found myself walking past items like apples only to say, “4 lbs. of Honey Crisp apples are not worth $7.25; that is too expensive.” Maybe you would have done the exact opposite and purchased the apples because you heard your grandma’s voice saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away!” To buy or not to buy apples might seem unimportant at this moment, but there is a more important thought to consider. How do we assign value to that bag of apples?
Talking About Educational Freedom
In her article “Independence,” Lauren Gideon said, “The cost of independence is expensive, but what is the value of freedom?” The reality is that the answer to this question might look different for each of us. Just like my earlier example of buying apples, we each have different reasons for valuing homeschooling and the freedom that comes with it. How do we find a way to come together when our value of an issue might not look quite the same? In the Challenge II Guide, under the Debate strand descriptions and goals, it states, “This strand holds together the ideas that we must learn to reason and argue well, that we must learn lessons of the past, and that we must seek harmony with our fellow man.”
The unfolding of this goal in my own home has been extremely beautiful. Hard conversations are just that, hard. However, with these skill sets of reasoning, arguing well, learning from the past, and seeking harmony with our fellow man, we are given the tools to navigate through hard conversations. So, let’s get to talking! There is value in talking about Educational Freedom!
What We Know
The Wyoming Education Savings Act was signed into law on March 21, 2024, and is governed by W.S. SS 21-2-901 through 21-2-909. It will go into effect for the 2025-2026 school year.
Families with a household income below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines will qualify.
21-2-903 (a) The total amount to be deposited in an education savings account for an ESA student each year shall be determined by the student’s household income compared to the federal poverty levels, using the most recent federal poverty guidelines for the student’s household size and income, as follows; six thousand dollars ($6,000.00) for students whose household income is at or below one hundred fifty percent (150%) of the federal poverty level.
Parents must ensure their children receive instruction in core subjects and take annual proficiency tests.
21-2-904 (b) (ii) (B) Requires that the ESA student take the statewide assessments administered pursuant to W.S. 21-2-304(a) or a nationally normed achievement exam.
The State Superintendent will be solely responsible for the ESA program.
21-2-905 (b) The state superintendent shall establish procedures for approving applications in an expeditious manner.
21-2-907 (a) Before receiving payment from an ESA, a prospective education service provider shall: (i) Be certified by the state superintendent of public instruction pursuant to W.S. 21-2-906(a) to receive payments from ESAs.
What We Don’t Know
New legislatures and programs often leave us wondering how they will all come together in the end. Maybe you had some questions as you read through the new ESA program in Wyoming. I know that I did. Even as I began writing this article, I still had many unanswered questions. What an excellent opportunity to practice those rhetorical skills that we are instilling in our students! As I navigated this topic of government-funded homeschooling, I quickly realized that being educated on not only current ESA policy but also past ESA policy in other states was the most efficient way to have a voice.
What do you do if you don’t know how to bake an apple pie? You go to a reliable source. Maybe that is your grandmother, or maybe it is Pinterest. In either case, the education begins! Here are a few ways to educate ourselves and find the answers to the things we don’t know.
In Wyoming, we are blessed with a state homeschool organization called Homeschool Wyoming. The folks at Homeschool Wyoming work diligently to defend our homeschool rights. They have read the legislation, broken it apart, and gleaned all the information available to help educate homeschool families in Wyoming. I encourage you to reach out to them and ask your questions.
Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) is a non-profit advocacy organization that makes homeschooling possible by protecting homeschooling families and equipping them to provide the best educational experience for their children. On its webpage, HSLDA offers state-specific information on home school law in a user-friendly and approachable way. Contacting and talking to an HSLDA representative is easy; they are knowledgeable and resourceful.
Contact your local representative. They vote on our legislation; they are our voice. They have read the bills, worked with the committees, and taken phone calls from their constituents. If you are unsure of who your representatives are, you can find them by going to Wyoming Legislators.
The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) is another resource for educating yourself specifically about education-related topics. After not seeing some of the things I had questions about while researching for this article, I contacted the WDE. I received a return call quickly, and every question I had was answered to the best of their knowledge.
Classical ConversationsÂź itself also offers a variety of information on Educational Freedom. If you are new to the idea of Educational Freedom, this is the place to start!
âAn educated person is not someone who knows something, but someone who can explain what they know to others.â Leigh A. Bortins, The Core.
Let’s get educated. Let’s commit to knowing. Let’s raise awareness. Let’s explain what we know to others. If not for someone initiating this conversation with me, I would never have moved toward being better educated on educational freedom and ESAs. We have the ability to know what we didn’t know before!
Moving Forward
Let’s go back to my original question. How do we assign value to that bag of apples? It isn’t really about apples, is it?It is about the value of the educational freedoms that we currently have and the value of maintaining them. The Apostle Paul writes, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3)
As we move forward into the uncharted waters of Educational Savings Accounts and government-funded homeschool options in Wyoming, my hope is that we walk in a manner that is honoring to Christ, that our conversations are seasoned with humility, gentleness, grace, and patience, that we continue to love one another and strive to maintain the unity of the Spirit. Will we always agree? No. Will we answer all of the questions?Probably not. But I confidently believe we can remain unified through Christ and grow through hard conversations. It is my prayer for the state of Wyoming to continue to honor and value our educational freedoms as homeschoolers. Please join me in this prayer!
Laura Taylor lives in northeast Wyoming. She and her husband, Pete, have four children aged 11 to 17. Laura is a Support Representative for northeast Wyoming and serves as a Challenge Director in her CC Community. She strives to seek God daily, support Pete in his business endeavors, and educate their children all for God’s glory. She enjoys gathering with friends and family and avidly supports her kids’ shooting sports activities. It is her prayer that in their daily lives, they can point others to Christ and the richness that can be found in a relationship with him.
In December of 1860, Frederick Douglas was slated to lead a discussion on the abolition of slavery for a Boston audience of fellow abolitionists. An angry mob opposing abolition took over the stage and shouted down the discussion. Six days later, in a gathering at Bostonâs Music Hall, Douglass ended his lecture with a brief address criticizing how the earlier event was handledâby the protestors, Bostonâs mayor, and even supporters of Douglass who expressed reluctance to criticize the mobâs clear violation of free speech. Douglass described the earlier meeting as having been âcaptured by a mob of gentlemen and dispersed by the order of the mayor, who refused to protect it…â1
Douglass went on to note the irony. These men who shouted him down were not rowdy, uneducated drunkards but “men who pride themselves upon their respect for law and order.” But as gentlemen proclaimed their âlaw of slavery,â he noted, the âlaw of free speech . . . [was] trampled under foot . . .â Douglass described this incident as âinstructive.â2
How so? What can we, the citizens of the same nation, learn from this seemingly minor historical event, which happened 164 years ago? Surely, we have grown to understand and appreciate our right to freedom of speech.
Enjoy Your Free Speech
Maybe not. On April 25, 2024, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, addressed the students and faculty at Columbia University, an institution he defines as “one of America’s preeminent academic institutions.â3 The purpose of his speech was to condemn the violent pro-Palestinian protests that had exploded on campus and to call for the resignation of Columbiaâs president, Minouche Shafik, for her failure to protect freedom of speech on Columbiaâs campus and enforce school policies protecting all students.
The same students, who had sought to silence and intimidate Jewish and pro-Israel students on campus, jeered and shouted, âWe canât hear you,â attempting to end Johnsonâs speech just as the mob of gentlemen attempted to shout down Douglass. Undaunted, Johnson responded, âEnjoy your free speech,â and, in a similar spirit to that of Douglass, continued his address.4
Three Lessons From Douglas on Free Speech
These two incidents of lawless attacks on freedom of speech are startlingly similar regarding both the words and actions involved and the supposedly enlightened, privileged status of the perpetrators. It seems, after all, we should revisit the instructive lessons from our past. In Douglassâ closing comments at the Music Hall, he outlined three lessons he drew from his experience of having that freedom attacked.
Every person, regardless of race, gender, social, economic, or educational status, has the same right to speak. No one is to be excluded. The freedom of speech is the common right of all men. Douglass stated, âNo right was deemed by the fathers of the Government more sacred than the right of speech. It was in their eyes, as in the eyes of all thoughtful men, the great moral renovator of society and government.â5
It is the responsibility of governmental and institutional authorities to lawfully uphold, protect, and defend all citizens’ freedom to speak. The equal enforcement of the law is critical. After chastising Bostonâs mayor for capitulating to the angry mob, Douglass emphasized, âThere can be no right of speech where any man, however, lifted up, or however humble, however young, or however old, is overawed by force, and compelled to suppress his honest sentiments.â6
Freedom of speech provides opportunities to hear as well as to speak. Douglass wisely understood that it is as important to hear other people express their ideas freely as it is for us to freely speak our own.Our right to freedom of speech offers us a double blessing. Douglass concluded his speech with this reflection: âTo suppress free speech is a double wrong. It violates the rights of the hearer as well as those of the speaker. It is just as criminal to rob a man of his right to speak and hear as it would be to rob him of his money.â7
Each of Douglassâs assertions have not only been confirmed and defended throughout Americaâs history, but policies protecting freedom of speech have been confirmed in liberal intergovernmental organizations, such as the United Nations and non-governmental organizations, such as Amnesty International.
A Universal Right That’s Not So Universal
The United Nationsâ Universal Declaration of Human Rights was to set âa common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations . . . fundamental human rights to be universally protected…”8Article 19, in particular, addresses freedom of speech and states that the individual must have the right to freely express their opinions and ideas “without interference and to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.â9Amnesty International, an independent, international, non-governmental organization, states that its mission includes the commitment to help fight abuses of human rights worldwide and to free people jailed just for voicing their opinion.
Both international organizations support freedom of speech for all people echoing Americaâs First Amendment right which was ratified in 1791. The First Amendment was written well before both the writing of United Nationsâ Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 and the founding of Amnesty International in 1961 emphasizing America’s earlier declaration of our sacred right to freedom of speech.
The importance of Douglassâs second point that it is the responsibility of governmental and institutional authorities to lawfully defend a citizenâs freedom to speak has been exemplified by the widespread suppression of speech affirming conservative values, or in Columbiaâs case, pro-Israel values in university classrooms and on campuses across the country in recent months. The failure of university administrators to defend this freedom and the rationalizations used to justify their actions is symptomatic of our countryâs breakdown in protecting its citizens. This type of institutional cowardice and negligence has become blatantly obvious.
Douglassâ own response to this type of negligence was to strongly urge his Boston audience that â…the time to assert a right is the time when the right itself is called in question, and that the men of all others to assert it are the men to whom the right has been denied.”10
If We Are Brave, We’ll Win the Fight
Free speech requires a courageous defense not only from citizens but, most importantly, from the institutions responsible for upholding this freedom through equal application of the law, even in the face of threats and opposition. In an address to his organization, American Cornerstone Institute, Dr. Ben Carson states, “…if we are persistent…if we are courageous, if we are brave, we’ll win that fight.”11â the fight to avoid Americaâs movement toward being a totalitarian state where free speech is unsupported, or worse, opposed by law. Â
Douglassâs third point that freedom of speech provides opportunities for a citizen to hear as well as to speak, was articulated earlier in 1859 in the famous treatise, On Liberty, by the 19th-century English philosopher John Stuart Mill. He makes this point incisively.
“The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth: if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error. “12
This doctrine has come to be defined as the doctrine of counterspeechâ”…is one of the most important free-expression principles in First Amendment jurisprudence.”13It derives from the theory that audiences, or recipients of the expression, can weigh for themselves the values of competing ideas and, hopefully, follow the better approach.â14
Freedom of Speech Only Matters When You Don’t Like What Someone Has to Say
The danger of silencing speech has also been tested in our Supreme Court system. In the case of Whitney v. California (1927), Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeisâs concurring opinion advanced the protection of the freedom of speech and has become a “…critical justifications for safeguarding freedom of speech even under the most challenging conditions.â15 He wrote: âIf there be time to expose through discussion the falsehood and fallacies, to avert the evil by the processes of education, the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence.â16
The closing instructive comments by Douglass in December 1860 are as applicable today as they were 164 years ago. Our fight to protect and defend our freedom of speech for every citizen in our nation is crucial.
Douglass concluded his final remarks with the statement, âThe principle [freedom of speech] must rest upon its own proper basis. And until the right is accorded to the humblest as freely as to the most exalted citizen, the government of Boston [and the United States of America] is but an empty name, and its freedom a mockery.
A manâs right to speak does not depend upon where he was born or upon his color. The simple quality of manhood is the solid basis of the rightâand there let it rest forever.”17
Enjoy your free speech.
Amy Jones is an Instructional Designer for  Classical ConversationsÂź. She and her husband of 36 years raised four children in the beautiful foothills of the Tennessee Appalachian Mountains. Amy and Whit thoroughly enjoyed homeschooling their children through high school. During this journey, the Jones’ were blessed to participate in a  Classical ConversationsÂź community, even tutoring and directing several programs. Now blessed with nine grandchildren, Amy enjoys writing  Classical ConversationsÂź materials for young learners in the Scribblers tier.
Homeschool Days at the Capitol, Legislative Days, Capitol Days, Pie Day, and other similar events foster communication between parents and their elected representatives. Seize this excellent opportunity to teach your children the importance of the legislative process. Help them mature into civic leaders who will help protect American freedoms.
The chart below lists October Homeschool Days at the Capitol. Check your stateâs dates here if itâs not listed below.
Reflecting on the French Revolution, Karl Marx wrote, “The tradition of all dead generations weighs like a nightmare on the brains of the living.”
Today, we seem to be living in this sick fantasy of Karl Marx, as communists, utopians, and progressives fight for mankind to be woken up from the “nightmare of tradition.”
In France, the Olympics displayed a ghastly mockery of our Lord’s Last Supper; in America, our schools are omitting history and replacing it with progressive theory; and Vice President Kamala Harris proudly imagines, “What can be, unburdened by what has been.”
What do all of these disturbing occurrences have in common? What is the “end goal” of those who promote them? How can we, as classists and Christians, defend truth, beauty, and goodness in the face of such blatant paganism?
Listen as Robert Bortins and Christ Blackburn discuss all this and more in episode 109 of Refining Rhetoric.
Classical Conversations CEO Robert Bortins and Chris Blackburn discuss current events on this episode of the Refining Rhetoric podcast.
Also, learn more about the dangerous implications of our Vice President’s words in Robert Bortins’ latest op-ed in The Carolina Journal, “What can be, unburdened by what has been.”
Join Robert Bortins, CEO of Classical ConversationsÂź as he interviews thought leaders about critical topics related to faith, education, business, and culture. Using the fifteen classical tools of learning to guide his conversations, Robert encourages listeners to seek truth in every arena of life.
â⊠bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.â Eph. 6:4 (ESV)
Thatâs it! Questions?
It seems so clear and simple, yet as a father of two teen boys, I can confidently sayâitâs not. Parenting is often emotionally exhausting and constant. It exposes our sin and frequently humbles us to the point of despair. But praise God; His Word is sufficient to equip us for every good work. When we look at the training and admonition of the Lord, the way He raises up men in Scripture and in our lives, we see that His approach is a perfect balance of grace and discipline. When we remain in that balance as parents, God blesses those efforts, and there is fruit.
However, when grace turns into overindulging or discipline leads to exasperation, weâre out of balance, and our parenting efforts fall short. I will detail both to help us better recognize when we inevitably slip into these extremes. The quicker we recognize it, the quicker we can return to that balanced approach.
Are You a Giving Tree?
In the childrenâs book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, we read about an apple tree that gives everything it can to support and love a boy from childhood through old age. The tree allows the boy to climb and swing on its branches, then gives its apples to sell, its branches to build a house, and its trunk to build a boat. The tree gives and gives to the point of having only a stump for the boy to sit on when he is old. Throughout his life, the boy takes and takes with the same emotionless disposition.
Some would say itâs a beautiful and loving story. Perhaps. Iâd argue that itâs a sad picture of how 20-plus-year-old boys end up living in their parentsâ basements, playing video games, and eating Cheetos. If parents give and give without training the mind, boys tend to keep coming back for more handouts, shirking their responsibilities, and living slothful and passive lives.
We see the same when Old Testament fathers like Eli, Samuel, David, and Solomon overindulge their sons. It is good to give gifts to our boys, but when those gifts become expected (often accompanied by a lack of gratitude), that is a sign that our parenting is out of balance. In these moments, I (the more natural âtraining treeâ) tend to be the one that raises the point to my wife (the more natural âgiving treeâ) that we need to move back towards a focus on discipline.
How did we get to this extreme in the first place? We just wanted to make that hormonal teen happy and content! What weâve found, however, is that no matter how much we give him, it never seems to be enough.
Iâm reminded that our own lack of joy and contentment is never fulfilled by material things. Our real need is Jesus; the same is true for our boys. They need to be lovingly and patiently pointed back to the Gospel over and over.
Are You Exasperating Your Sons?
The other extreme that indicates an unbalanced parenting approach is when our children become overwhelmed by our training.
âFathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.â Ephesians 6:4 (ESV)
The Greek word for anger here is parorgizete, which implies exasperation or frustration. It is when a child feels the training is too much to carry or there isnât a feasible way to move forward. Moreover, it is also interesting that Paul directs this point to fathers, both here and in Colossians 3:21. Why is that?
I believe that we, as fathers, often forget weâre bringing our children up in the Lordâs training, not our own. Too often, I allow âmy kingdomâ to be front and center, which leads to a myriad of problems that result in parorgizete. Here are a few:
Over-Sensitivity
Often, my sonâs sin can feel like a personal attack. This can drive me to an emotional response, which then triggers the hormonal teen to anger and deflects attention from the original sin. Thus, the training opportunity gets missed.
However, if dads keep Godâs kingdom in mind, we will instead see their sin as an affront to Him, which will yield our approach to be calmer and more patient. We will see their sin as an opportunity to help them rather than fight them because weâre in the same battle.
Keep in mind that growing boys will want to have the alpha male, toe-to-toe spar with dad because they see our weakness. It is important to redirect their sin to the true King, who brings the proudest of men to their knees.
Overprotectiveness
Of course, letâs start with this fact: Dads should be protectors.
However, when this denies our sons opportunities to earn trust, training will be stifled. With just our âkingdomâ in mind, itâs easy to remain rigid and unchanging because itâs easier to protect what we feel we can control. With Godâs kingdom in mind, we remember His protection is all-powerful and infinite. This can enable fathers to take some wise risks that allow their sons to gain more trust and learn from failures.
Overtraining
When we think our sonâs future sanctification hinges solely on our training, itâs easy to become overbearing. If we carry such a heavy burden, we will become slaves to teach and train.
Sons will feel overwhelmed.
Their ears will close.
Their desire to learn will diminish.
If boys donât hear and heed the instructions of their fathers, they may struggle to become Godly men.
Grace Puts Our Parenting Back in Balance
At the end of the day, shifting our efforts towards grace puts our parenting back in balance. For example, I have found that inviting my son out to dinner to meet one-on-one is most effective. Listening, empathizing, clarifying his perspective, and even repenting where personally needed builds trust and open communication more than provoking ever would.
Ultimately, our calling is to model our parenting after our Heavenly Fatherâs parenting. Godâs loving grace and His timely discipline provide the model of balance we need in raising our boys to be Godly men.
Lastly, the reality is that we canât do this alone. Prayerlessness is a dependency on oneself. After all, if we can tackle this on our own, then thereâs no need to ask for help and intervention.
But letâs get real. We know weâre helpless in our flesh. Prayer, at its essence, is admitting this, looking to the Father, and asking Him to do the work for us and through us. Bringing our children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord requires our energy to be spent there.
When all is said and done, may the sum of our life be one spent and bathed in prayer.
Read the first installment of the Raising Boys to Become Men series here.
Michael Kuehni currently serves as an elder at Peninsula Community Chapel, Yorktown, Virginia, and as a Colonel in the USAF. He is a Virginia native, a UVA grad, and has an M.A. in Theological Studies from Liberty University. He has been married to his bride, Jamie, for 20 years, and they have three children, 17, 15, and 7. In his spare time he loves meeting with and discipling young men.
âFor I know the plans I have for you,â declares the LordâŠâ Jeremiah 29:11(ESV)
Where were you on September 11, 2001?
We all remember where we were when we first heard the news of the planes crashing into the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001; the first pictures we saw that day of the destruction and devastation as nearly three thousand lives were lost.
These types of events (terrorist attacks, pandemics, recessions, assassination attempts on a president, etc.) change us. The world around us changes.
We see the wickedness of sin; the heinous acts against others bring sorrow to our souls. Where was I that fateful morning? What lasting impacts did that day have on my family?
Packing for a New Home
We were boxing up all our earthly belongings and moving halfway around the world to serve the Lord in Samara, Russia. The movers were at our house packing and loading the truck with our many boxes to be shipped to our new home. We were waiting for a friend to pick up our daughter that morning to watch her for the day. She called us to let us know she was running late because of the breaking news events of that day. What news? What events of the day? We rushed to unpack a small radio to listen to what had happened that morning.
The Heinous Act of Terror
Seeing pictures on the news that night of the destruction in New York City, Washington DC, and Pennsylvania was overwhelming! How could such a heinous act happen? Why?
ââIslamistsâ see Islam as a guiding ideology for politics and the organization of society. That is, they believe that strict adherence to religious law should be the sole basis for a countryâs law, as well as its cultural and social lifeâŠIslamist extremists believe violence is acceptable to achieve these ends.â1
These Islamist terrorists planned this attack for some time. Using violence to fulfill their mission, to cripple the US.
Trusting God with Our Future
What would we do now? Would we still be moving to Russia? Would we be able to leave the US? Our flight was scheduled for September 17. All the airports were shut down, and no planes were allowed to fly over US airspace. Our friends were set to see us off at the airport, but was that still an option?
As we continued to prepare to fly out the following Monday morning, we prayed and trusted God for our future. We were in a waiting pattern. We finally heard on Saturday that the airports would open on Monday, and our flight was one of the first to depart from Los Angeles. We said our goodbyes in the church parking lot and headed to the airport twelve hours before our flight was set to leave. Only ticketed passengers were allowed at the airport with all the extra security measures. So, the farewell we had hoped for at the airport did not happen. Since 9/11, only ticketed passengers can go to the gate; there are many new security measures at the airports for âour protectionâ due to 9/11.
Godâs Plan is Best
Before we left for Russia, there were many questions and uncertainties about the future. But God knew and still knows what is best for us today; He is conforming us into the image of His Son, Jesus, and sanctifying us each day through His word, other people, and circumstances in our lives (Romans 8:28). We are reminded in James 1:2 that we will have trials; it is not âifâ we will have trials, but âwhen.â
God opened the door for many years of ministry in Russia, allowing us to link arms with the Russian believers to share the gospel, train pastors, and support the churches. What Satan may have tried to thwart through sinful men, Godâs plan is never thwarted! He is always victorious!
Continue reading an uplifting spiritual blog. This one was written by Jennifer’s husband, Paul.
Jennifer Bright is the Communication Manager for Research and Quality Assurance for Classical ConversationsÂź. Jenniferâs passions are classical Christian education and discipling the next generation to live for Christ. She supports homeschool families by tutoring their students with the classical tools of learning. Jennifer and her husband began their homeschool journey almost 20 years ago in Russia while serving as missionaries, and currently, they reside in Covington, Louisiana.
“Society may be formed so as to exist without crime, without poverty, with health greatly improved, with little, if any misery, and with intelligence and happiness increased a hundredfold, and no obstacle whatsoever intervenes at this moment except ignorance to prevent such a state of society from becoming universal.”
This utopian prediction was made by the worldâs first true socialistâRobert Owen.
Born in Wales on May 14, 1771, Robert Owenâs childhood was rather uneventful according to the standard upbringing of children in the 18th century. His hard-working father worked multiple jobs to support his wife and seven children, and like his peers, Owen was sent to a school that emphasized moral instruction above the teaching of reading, writing, and arithmetic.
Owning largely to his knack for entrepreneurship, Owen became the manager of New Lanark, his father-in-law’s factory, at age 28. During his time in management, he became widely known for improving work conditions, providing opportunities for his employees, and increasing the productivity of his factory. His official slogan became “8 hours labor, 8 hours recreation, 8 hours rest.” This was a stark comparison to the 10â16 hours of work that children and adults alike were accustomed to.
With this reputation and list of accomplishments, Robert Owenâs future looked bright and promising. Such a background does not commonly lead a person to become a utopian, spiritualist, communistâbut as the Scriptures say, “Do not be misled:Â “Bad company corrupts good character.” 1 Corinthians 15:33
The Idea
In 1793, a bright-eyed and progressive Robert Owen joined the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society. Known today as Manchester Lit & Phil, this group of thinkers and theorists gathered together with the goal of attaining the end of progressivism, which is a globalized utopia. Far from being a casual attendee of these meetings, Robert was one of its leaders. Today, he is still recognized on the Manchester Lit & Phil website as “The father of the co-operative movement.”[1]
Briefly put, the Co-operative Movement was birthed out of the progressive movement and was the first infant school that emphasized character over moral instruction. This is the complete inverse of the schooling Owen had experienced as a child. His school even went as far as dismissing all moral teaching in favor of the instruction of dance and music. It was during this time that Owen adopted the views that he would hold for the majority of his life.
Robert Owen believed that all religion, specifically Christianity, was the stumbling block of social utopia and therefore, must be destroyed. He rejected individualism and worked to uphold social collectivism. He renounced the right to private property and was the first to call for free, public education as a means to establish a global utopia. Simply put, Owen was a good communist and a loyal atheist.
Interestingly, he would not have called himself a “communist” simply because the renowned Communist Manifesto had not yet been published. But regardless of the title, Owen had adopted the very ideas that would kill almost 100 million people in the 20th century alone.
He had one other idea that must be understood in order to grasp the “why” and “how” of his later actions.
Even more importantly than understanding his communist views or anti-religious beliefs, we must recognize that Robert Owen was a utopian. Utopians have one simple premise that undergirds all of their reasoning: human beings are shaped purely by their environments, not by nature. Or, as Owen put it, “Man is a creature of circumstances.”
This premise leads to the following argument:
All humans are products of their environment.
Utopias are concerned with perfecting humanity.
Therefore, Utopians are responsible for perfecting the environment of humans.
To Christians who acknowledge the reality of sin nature, there is a clear problem with this thinking. The utopian argument puts the responsibility of perfecting humanity into the hands of imperfect men. Regardless, Owen, who rejected the Christian worldview, applied himself to perfecting the human race by attempting to perfect their environment.
New Harmony
By 1825, Robert Owen had left Europe and arrived in the United States of America with the aim of creating the perfect communist society. He purchased a piece of land in Indiana and named it New Harmony.
Though this image of New Harmony looks beautiful, I cannot help drawing a comparison between its great red walls and the cold, deadly red walls of the Kremlin in Communist Russia.
It was here that Robert applied his theories to the lives of other people. Consequently, the socialist motto “You will own nothing and be happy” was universally applied at New Harmony. There was no organized religion (though the citizens were able to personally practice whatever religion they chose), and there was no centralized authority in the government; rather, decisions were made in committee. Throughout its brief existence, 500â1,200 people lived in this radically progressive society.
Owen also established many social “firsts” in his communist commune, including the first public library, the first public civil drama club, and the first public school system.
In this supposed utopia, children were kept with their families until age three, when they would be handed over to the populous to be raised, educated, cared for, and trained to be productive members of society.
Tasks and jobs were divided up by age, not skill set or ambition. Children, along with adults, worked the whole day long and only saw their families at mealtimes.
Is this a Utopia?
Owen had successfully disjointed the traditional structure of civilization. No family, no private education, no private property, no organized religion, no accountable government structureâin other words, utopia, right?
Wrongâvery wrong. The problem with Owenâs theory is that it can only work in the mind of a madman.
Within two years, New Harmony collapsed. The capitalists say it was because people are not happy when they own nothing; the liberals say it was because New Harmony just needed more money so the committee could care for the populace; the conservatives say it was because the family unit was dissolved; the Christians say it was because of a lack of religious fervor.
Each of these factors may have played a part in the downfall of utopia, but Robert Owen rationalized his failures in a different way.
Because he was a loyal communist, New Harmony did not cause his convictions to sway. Rather than admitting that New Harmony was a destructive idea from the start, he reasoned that it must have failed because the members of his communist society had not been properly conditioned and educated to live in a utopia. He truly took his own advice when he said, “Never argue. Repeat your assertion.” That is exactly what he did.
“The thinking was that the commune failed not because of anything wrong with communism or collectivism, but because the people living there had not been properly socialized and ‘educated’ to be collectivists from childhood.”
From then on, Robert Owen applied himself to convincing his fellow theorists that if utopia is to be established, the population must be educated to accept communism. Therefore, all efforts should be made to design, establish, and control a public school system.
“To train and educate the rising generation will at all times be the first object of society, to which every other will be subordinate.”âRobert Owen.
Suddenly, the public schools were born.
The Prussian Public Schools
“According to Owenâs account, the Prussian ruler had “so much approved” of these ideas that he ordered his own government to create a national education system based upon them. And thus, the Prussian system of educationâschooling of the state, by the state, and for the stateâwas officially born.”
In 1843, a man named Horace Mann traveled to Prussia and observed the public school systemâwhich had been directly inspired by Owen. He instantly recognized the potential of the government overseeing the instruction of all future generations, so he instantly began working in the United States to see this very system implemented in the West.
Ultimately, thanks to the work of men like Horace Mann, John Dewey, and Herbert Marcuse, the schemes of Robert Owen were quickly and eagerly implemented in the freest country on earth.
The Legacies
After his failed American experiment, Robert Owen returned to England as a disgraced and broke man. Having sunk 80% of his wealth in New Harmony, he relied on his children for support until he died in 1858.
Before then, however, Owen also founded the National Equitable Labor Exchange in 1832. This was a union that sought not only to reform the working system but to upend and remake it all together through social transition. Does this sound at all familiar?
Also, before his death, Owen, who had been a staunch atheist all his life, converted to spiritualism in 1854 after meeting with Maria B. Hayden, the first witch to visit England after the awakening of spiritualism in the United States. Later on, he claimed to have communicated with Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin via spiritual mediums. He believed they urged him “to prepare the world for universal peace and to infuse into all the spirit of charity, forbearance, and love.”
Interestingly, 13 years after his death in 1871, Robert’s son, Robert Dale Owen, claimed to have been visited by his father, who said he would share a set of “spiritual commandments” through a woman named Emma Hardings Britten, who was a supposed “spiritual medium.” These “spiritual commandments” were written down and are to this day are taught as the Seven Principles of Spiritualism.
His legacy also continued in the life of his son, Robert Dale Owen, who stayed in New Harmony after his father left. He later became a US Representative and helped found the Smithsonian Institute.
When reflecting on his life, Robert Owen said this: “My life was not useless; I gave important truths to the world, and it was only for want of understanding that they were disregarded. I have been ahead of my time.”
Happily for Owen and regretfully for mankind, time would catch up rapidly. Today, Americans are blissfully ignorant of the deceptive and unsuccessful roots of the public school system and send children off to the yellow school bus, completely unaware that the bus is there to advance the ends of a loyal communist and committed spiritualist.
As Alex Newman said, “History would gradually be forgotten as the rotten fruit of this system began to undermine traditional American values and ideas.”
The question that demands to be asked is, have we seen the utopian world promised to us by Robert Owen? The honest answer is absolutely not. So, rather than trying to revive New Harmony, I suggest that we check our premises before our society too collapses.
Elise DeYoung is a Public Relations and Communications Associate and a Classical ConversationsÂź 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] Manchester Lit and Phil (n.d.). Our History. Manchester Lit & Phil. Retrieved August 2, 2024, from https://www.manlitphil.ac.uk/about-us/our-history/
How did we arrive at the place where freedom of speech is cherished in American culture until someone says something the other doesnât agree with? How is it that for over 200 years, patriots have fought and died for the right for us to continue to exercise our 1st Amendment rightâeven if we reveal our ignorance on an issue, say something unpopular, embarrassingly ridiculous, or counter-cultural?
Just as important…can this road be traversed in reverse?
Walk with me, and letâs ponderâFreedom of speech: A unifying right until our perspectives clash.
How Indeed?
How indeed, has the âYouâre entitled to your opinionâ slogan superseded the right for someone to voice oneâare we even entitled to our opinion anymore? Can we turn back the crashing societal waves of mind control and behavioral modification? Can we control our minds and modify our own behavior? So many questions!
Letâs start withâŠ
Evidence of Societal Mind Control and Behavioral Modification
Weâve all been there. Itâs on the tip of your tongue, but you donât dare say it. Perhaps youâve felt ashamed for even thinking about it! Why? Was it sinful? No. Was it unkind? Not really. Was it true? Yes. Then why wasnât it said?
Could it be that we didnât want to encounter the discomfort of being scoffed at, shunned, or silenced?
Exhibit A â Conditioning of the populace through political correctness.
How did we get to the place where we must all be in lockstep when it comes to our opinions, ideas, values, and morals or face the retribution of those around us? Why is tolerance spouted from every organization and every talking head on television, but tolerance isnât really valued, only strict adherence to the prevailing dogma?
Exhibit B â Conditioning of the population through the philosophy of intersectionality, where one’s opinions are weighted and valued based not on how they stack up against objective truth but on where their labels fall within certain categories.
How, in a free society, can the leader of the free world paint a segment of people with a broad brush, clumping their ideologies together based on their skin color, and call them the âmost dangerous terrorist threatâ[1] to the nationâand not be reprimanded for it?
Exhibit C â Conditioning of the populace through propaganda of fear and hate.
The phenomenon of âCancel Cultureâ cannot escape anybodyâs attention. Since when do we allow abuse of power to âshut the people up?â The number of individuals who have been deplatformed and debanked is astounding!
When it first started, I think we were all stunned and paralyzed, wrestling with our cognitive dissonance, much like an onlooker who sees an impending disaster but canât force themselves to act.
These peopleâs freedom of speech has been revoked. Whether we like what they say or how they say it doesnât matter. They have a right to say it, and we have the right to hear it, support it, or denounce it.
Here is a recent list.
Alex Jones
Milo Yiannopoulos
President Donald Trump
Andrew Tate
Laura Loomer
Gavin McInnes
Gab and Parler
Enrique Tarrio
J.K. Rowling
Shane Dawson
Kevin Hart
Gina Carano
Chris Pratt
…many others
Exhibit D â Cancel Culture, âde-bankingâ and âde-platforming.â
These individuals have faced various forms of de-platforming, de-banking, or cancellation due to their actions or statements that sparked public outrage and led to significant consequences in their professional lives.
They played the long game over many decades, and not enough people realized they had an opponent slipping their freedom away as they slumberedânot unlike a cautious parent weaseling an object from the grip of a sleeping child. Those who did awaken and speak up to warn of the sirenâs call were gagged, silenced, and choked with the pill of âpolitical correctness.â Others were simply pacified.
Now that decades have gone by and many have awakened, their ideas and vocalization of them are met with eye rolls and perhaps condescending utterances of âBoomers.â Their warnings are not heeded because they are viewed as generational gaps in knowledge and societal evolution.
Pastors didnât want to make unnecessary waves for the sake of politeness and unity, so the pulpits remained silent. They rationalized and perpetrated a false sense of âlove and tolerance,â a love that doesnât disagree, point out pitfalls, warn, or correctâa love that places acceptance above all else on the altar.
What was sacrificed in its place?
Truth and the ability to say and hear it without being hurt or triggered. Worse yet, some pastors seized this opportunity to overthrow goodness and righteousness to embrace evil. This is how absolute truth was assassinated.
All of this happened for a few reasons.
The weakest, most susceptible, and malleable among us were captured first in the indoctrination camps (i.e., government schools) for more than 100 years. These eroded the Christian worldview and pumped out little ideologues for decades (the long game…remember?).
Seminaries were infiltrated… for this is where the largest opposition should have been based with fortifications of a strong Christian worldview.
Legacy Media was appropriated, for every good war commander knows you must disrupt their supply chain and communications to take over an opponent completely.
The nuclear family has eroded to the extent that most adults of child-bearing age are forgoing marriage and having children.
Hollywood aided the narrative by pumping out propaganda in story form.
National identity has been eroded and supplanted by the desire for globalization.
We didnât get to where we are overnight, and we wonât get out overnight.
Martin Niemöller was a prominent Lutheran pastor in Germany in the 1920s and 1930s. At first, he sympathized with Nazi ideas, but after Hitler came to power in 1933, Niemöller became an outspoken critic of Hitlerâs interference in the Protestant Church. He spent the last eight years of Nazi rule (1937 to 1945) in prisons and concentration camps.
He is famously quoted for the following:
âFirst they came for the socialists, and I did not speak outâbecause I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak outâbecause I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak outâbecause I was not a Jew. Then they came for meâand there was no one left to speak for me.â[2]
Here expressed is Niemöllerâs belief that Germans had been complicit through silence amidst Nazi evils (imprisonment, persecution, and murder of millions of people). He felt this was especially true of the leaders of the Protestant churches, which were made up of Lutheran, Reformed, and United traditions.[2]
Note that he stood against what he initially supported when it conflicted with his Christian worldview. Note also his sincere ownership and regret for failing to speak sooner.
How do We Reverse the Traverse?
In sum, we ask: ‘How do we reverse the traverse?”
1. Stand for truth.
Speak the truth. Donât tolerate lies and falsehoods. Instead, immunize yourself and your loved ones against the contagion of the culture, recognizing that our
ââŠweapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.â 2 Corinthians 10:4-6
At the same time, we should work within our homes, churches, and communities to rebuild the walls of a Christ-centered worldview that has protected and blessed us for so long.
2. Recognize that we don’t…
âWrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.â Ephesians 6:12
Therefore, submerse yourself in prayer and meditation.
3. Be sober about what you spend time viewing, doing, and talking about.
What do you or I spend our time viewing, doing, and talking about? Do we seek truth, beauty, goodness, wisdom, and virtue?
ââŠWhatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthyâmeditate on these things.â  Philippians 4:8
All of this takes time and commitment, but it is the only way out. In and of ourselves, we cannot moderate our minds and behavior, nor should we legislate to do so, for it is the place of the Holy Spirit to bring about the manifestations of the fruit of the Spirit. However, it is in our purview to honor the liturgy of the ordinary in our lives, provide time and silence to be â…rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faithâŠâ so that we can…
âBeware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Hm, who is the head of all principality and power.â Colossians 2:7-9
Conclusion
How did we get here?
We arrived through the consumption of a steady diet consisting of complacency, self-elevation, pride, and vigilance. This was combined with the cowardice to accept the threats of isolation and cancelation.
Can we reverse it?
Yes. this can be accomplished by identifying issues, opposing worldviews, and speaking against what is wrong and what is right.
In his poem “The Second Coming” (written shortly after WWI), William Yeats states,
âTurning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity….â[3]
Yeatâs heart was breaking for what humanity was enduring. He knew that the new worldview would eventually fall apart. Anarchy and bloodshed ensued. The best citizens lacked conviction, and the worst people possessed an intense passion for their ideas and beliefs.
In essence, the falcon could not hear the falconer.
Sound familiar?
Itâs clear that Christians need to live a life of repentance, forgiveness, and prayer. Not only should we have a steady diet of the Word, but this must be coupled with discernment and alertness for what passes for culture.
We must recognize that all ideas and philosophies necessitate being captive by Christ.
Without Christ, man’s ideas have consequences. Moreover, these are often severe consequences.
If so, then we should take action.
Sadie Aldaya is the Research & Quality Assurance Specialist for Classical ConversationsÂź Special Projects & Policy Research Department. Sadie and her husband homeschooled for over 20 years. She served as a Classical Conversations field representative for 15 years, providing community and support for other homeschooling families. Sadie’s passions are to stop government encroachment in areas where they have no authority or jurisdiction and to see Christians return to a biblical Christ-centered worldview.
[1] Giselle Ruhiyyih Ewing, âBiden Calls White Supremacy âMost Dangerous Terrorist Threatâ in Speech at Howard,â Politico, May 13, 2023. Accessed 6/24/2024. https://www.politico.com/news/2023/05/13/biden-howard-university-white-supremacy-terrorism-00096811.
[2]United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, “Martin Niemoeller First They Came for Socialists,” Holocaust Encyclopedia, Accessed 6/24/2024. https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/martin-niemoeller-first-they-came-for-the-socialists
[3] William Butler Yeats, âThe Second Coming,â Poetry Foundation. Accessed 6/24/2024. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43290/the-second-coming
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