Chuch Baldwin -- This Is Education?

Preliminary scores from the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test are in, and the results are not good. According to published reports, "Statewide, in the ninth grade only 29 percent of students met or exceeded the state's minimum competency level in reading and math." Tenth grade scores were better, but not by much. When one considers the inordinate amount of tax dollars that are thrown into public education, these numbers scream of irresponsibility, waste, and utter failure!

Sadly, this report is nothing new. We have witnessed these kinds of statistics for years! Sadder still is the fact that the only answer being advanced by today's politicians (from both parties), academicians, and journalists is to throw even more dollars down this rat hole.

When are we going to admit it? Modern public education is nothing more than a monstrous waste of taxpayers' money! The failure of government schools to produce even nominal education is so glaring that to even consider sending our children to most of these institutions of sub-level learning should be regarded as cruel and unusual punishment. However, the worst part of the story does not even show up in FCAT results.

The worst part of the story is the utter vacuum of basic morality that permeates these halls of hideousness. The secularization of our state education systems (thanks to federal intrusion) has become so complete, so pervasive that it is considered unconstitutional and even un-American to recognize (much less teach) the most fundamental virtues.

There is no neutrality regarding Judeo/Christian principles in most of our public schools today; there is open hostility! Anything - and I mean anything - that smacks of these values is openly condemned. The animosity and anger against bedrock moral principles are so aggressive it can only be regarded as either pure propaganda or humanistic hysteria, or both.

Instead of throwing more money into an education system proven to fail, we should completely purge it from the things that contribute to its failure. This means dismantling the federal Department of Education, returning education to the states and local communities by accepting zero federal dollars, and reinstituting respect and appreciation for America's Judeo/Christian heritage.

Since it is extremely unlikely that any of the above will be done, the only sensible course left to us is to take the responsibility of educating our children away from the government schools. Home schooling, private schooling, and Christian schooling are very vibrant and viable options.

In the mean time, the vast majority of America's public school students will continue to languish academically but learn to excel in the fine art of social maladjustment and moral misbehavior. This is education?

Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. In 1985 the church was recognized by President Ronald Reagan for its unusual growth and influence.

Dr. Baldwin is the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show on the Genesis Communications Network called, "Chuck Baldwin Live" This is a daily, one hour long call-in show in which Dr. Baldwin addresses current event topics from a conservative Christian point of view. Pastor Baldwin writes weekly articles on the internet http://www.ChuckBaldwinLive.com and newspapers.

To learn more about his radio talk show please visit his web site at: http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com. When responding, please include your name, city and state E-mail: chuck@chuckbaldwinlive.com

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