As school ramps up again, discussions regarding how to improve our schools also get going. No matter if you love public education or not, I think everyone agrees that the system could be better. Be it entire schools that are failing, the emphasis on test scores over actual learning, or the elimination of arts – there are vital aspects of education that are leaving our nation’s children wanting.

I’ve been intrigued by the campaign at Rethink Learning Now to encourage our government to support schools where actual learning takes place and where all children have access to a good education. They have recently released a series of public service announcements to promote their cause. The videos are a bit extreme, but make some very good points. I enjoyed the one below about a “teacher’s draft.” It asks – what if all schools had fair and equal access to the best teachers?

So what’s your response? Do you agree with the goals of the Rethink Learning Now campaign? How else do you think we should rethink education?

By Bill Shiell

My greatest hopes, fears, etc. for the school year are related to the uninformed Christian parents who pull children out of public schools on faulty logic and reasoning. We are public school people, and we’re committed to the program here. We have a good school and a good school system. It’s not perfect, and no school is. Just as the private school I attended as a child seemed perfect but wasn’t worth the cost in reality. In my world today, our problem is not whether a denomination pronounces that it’s time for an “exodus” or that homeschooling is somehow morally superior. We really don’t have very many homeschoolers. We do, however, deal with laziness. We would accept the word of an email or an innuendo in the neighborhood rather than to rigorously engage faculty, discuss issues with principals, and volunteer to help out in the classroom. We would rather drive across town to a Catholic parish to avoid perceived dangers of a middle school. I know that my son will do well this year, and I’m quite confident we’ll make sure of it. And even if he struggles, that’s good for him too. But I really hope that in a few years, we’ll have some other people with us in the school system who want to roll up their sleeves and go to work too.

Bill Shiell and his wife Kelly have two sons, a 3rd grader at Rocky Hill Elementary named Parker and a 2 year old named Drake. He is the senior pastor of First Baptist Knoxville and the author of 2 books.

By Jim Vining

It is pretty easy to collect theology.
It is a bit more difficult to apply it.

Tuesday was one of those days when I had to remember what I say I believe. Tuesday was my son’s first day of school. Sure, he has been in pre-school for a dozen hours a week, but this is big time: Kindergarten for 35 hours a week! I was looking forward to this day, until I Monday when a few thoughts sobered my excitement.

“We will not be able to see him as often as we have in the past.” “He will be under the nurture and teaching of other people for much of his time. What if it is wrong?” “What if other kids are mean to him and I can’t protect him?”

I spent a lot of time expressing my emotions and concerns to God.

I also spent time thinking about the situation through the general Christian worldview. Here are some of my thoughts on the first day of school in light of the biblical themes of creation, fall, and redemption.

Creation: (Genesis 1 & 2) God created everything. God called it good, and excellent in every way. Education is about observing the world that God created. All truth that is expressed there is God’s truth. There is no topic that will be covered that God did not create. It is good to explore God’s world. Beyond the content, God’s presence will be there.

Fall: (Genesis 3, continuing today) Human rebellion disrupted the peace and harmony of creation. Things are not as they were intended to be. There is still goodness, but it is not excellent in every way. This brokenness will display itself at school. There will be pain, conflict, and untruth. We need to be prepared for that. However, this brokenness has had an impact on every area of life, not just his neighborhood school.

Redemption: (The rest of history. Highlights: Resurection of Jesus, Today, Rev 21&22) God continues to love creation. God is in the process of healing all things in this fallen world. He invites humanity in this journey. Education then has a goal of being equipped to join the work of healing the broken world. My son is in preparing for that in his vocational life. He also gets to do that in the present. He can be a force for good in his school.

Remembering these truths helped me to relax more, and regain some excitement and even a sense of worship about the first day of school. Of course, seeing my son beaming with excitement also helped!

Jim and Robyn and there two children live in Wauwatosa, WI. Jim is an associate pastor at Elmbrook with a focus on emerging adults.
Jim’s Blog: http://jimvining.wordpress.com
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