Sam Currin this week had a well-intended article at Carolina Journal suggesting that large numbers of churches ought to be starting schools in North Carolina.
Why does he suggest this? Because it would be very easy for churches to do this given the fact that taxpayers monies can be used to pay for tuition through the Opportunity Scholarship Program. There would be a built-in source of revenue for these church schools.
That is a great plan, at least over the short term.
However, over the long term, you can expect that the socialists will at some point regain all the levers of power in the State of North Carolina. Why is that significant?
Think about what has happened during recent years. With the LGBTQ juggernaut, Christians became overtly persecuted. With Covid-19, we were prohibited from engaging in group worship. And with the Biden Administration, Christians were silenced and arrested at school board meetings and abortion clinics.
Once the socialists regain power in North Carolina, they will tell these church-related schools receiving state funds what they can teach and what they cannot teach. There is no question in my mind that will happen given their mindset and their worldview and their proclivities. And because these schools will be utterly dependent on taxpayer money, many will feel forced to comply.
I’m not sure Currin’s plan is the best in the long run.
TC: If Currin’s plan is not the best, then what is ? All public schools ?
I don’t accept the premise that the socialists will gain the upper hand eventually.
Fred, I am not sure there IS a best plan. Not everyone can home school. Not everyone can afford Christian or private schools without assistance. Charter schools– like taxpayer funded church schools– will be subject to political control over curriculum. We just have to acknowledge that each of these solutions have significant drawbacks.
I agree, TC. As soon as you accept government money, you lose control. Whether now or later, at some point it will happen. This is why we homeschool families don’t ever want to receive any government funding for our schooling.
Home schooling has increasingly emerged as the top choice, Mike. (When Christian schools participated in the COVID lockdowns voluntarily, and when they forced masks on their kids, it was a huge problem for parents and their kids.)
Our hearts must ache for those who cannot afford homeschooling, or secondarily, Christian schooling. Many charter Schools and government funded church schools might be a good choice for them today, but the future is uncertain. The fact is that we live in an imperfect, fallen world– and many parents have very difficult choices.