In recent years, America has seen a major shift away from public education. In addition to private schools, charter schools are proliferating across the country, and homeschooling options are becoming more diverse. As a public school teacher and a Christian, I can empathize with friends praying and wrestling with the difficult, complex question of how to raise their children.
I believe we can honor God in every school choice. Do you love Christ? Do you care for your neighbor as yourself? Are you raising disciples of your children? Parents who follow these biblical guardrails have a lot of freedom to discern God’s specific will for their circumstances, including where to send their children to school.
But it’s important to recognize that our individual choices have community consequences. If enrollment in public school districts drops, which students will remain and what will happen to their education? How will our absence affect the most vulnerable in the neighborhood? Christians can and should support public schools even if we have children enrolled elsewhere—or no children at all.
As Christians, we are called to care for the well-being of our cities (Jeremiah 29:7), and partnering with a public school in our neighborhood is a particularly powerful way to do that. Where do masses of children in poverty gather every day? Where do orphans build healthy bonds? Where do homeless children get clean clothes? Where do students with disabilities learn basic life skills? In much of America, the answer is: At your local public school, every Monday through Friday.
The variety and number of needs in a public school classroom can be overwhelming. It’s far too much of a burden for a single teacher to carry. If you know an educator, a good place to start would be to regularly ask them, “Do your students need anything this week?”
I speak from personal experience. In fact, I sometimes wonder if I would still be in education without the consistent and generous support of the local church. I am certain that my students and I would not be as successful as we are.
For the past seven years, Christians have donated school supplies, snacks, uniforms, and meals for my students who don’t have enough to eat on the weekends, individually and through official church programs. Christians have tutored, mentored, volunteered for career day, and decorated classrooms. They have read books to us, hosted class parties, and chaperoned field trips. They have provided dental kits, brought clothing when houses burned down, donated stuffed animals to students facing homelessness, and delivered groceries when primary caregivers were incarcerated. They have even brought coffee, lunch, or some flowers to their sometimes-tired teacher friend.
When my fourth-graders met their national academic growth goals last May, I asked them to type in suggestions for what they would want as their hard-earned reward. Most students wanted something realistic: a pizza party, Takis, or fidget spinners. But one child skipped typing and immediately blurted out, “An Xbox!”
I grinned at him from across the room and joked, “What do you think, am I made of money?”
“Hey, that’s a figure of speech!” he smiled. “But you could probably ask some of your friends. You know, pool all your money together.”
The sincerity of his demeanor surprised me. Of course, I had to giggle at the audacity of a nine-year-old. But secretly I wondered if this meant that he had noticed how generously his Christian teacher’s friends had given their time and money that school year. Maybe, just maybe, this boy was beginning to see that these people shared everything with one another and that there was no need among them.—Acts 2:44-45.
I hope that one day he will come to know our God through our love. (John 13:34-35) And I hope that other children in other schools will make the same connection after experiencing the same generosity. Here are some practical ways you can support your neighborhood school:
- If you have school-age children who don’t attend public school, look online for a school supply list for their grade level, go shopping with your children, and drop off the items at the office of the nearest public school. You can also leave your contact information with the school counselor and ask them to contact you as needed throughout the year.
- If you work 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., dedicate one lunch break per week to tutoring or reading at the public school closest to your place of work. You can go to that school’s website and email the guidance counselor so they can schedule you to meet a student’s need on campus.
- Try to find out what’s really going on in your area’s public schools, especially if they’re controversial in your community. False rumors spread too easily, and misinformation can damage imperfect but ultimately useful institutions that serve the most vulnerable children in your area. While there are undoubtedly exceptions, it’s very likely that the good about your neighborhood school far outweighs the bad, so make an effort to speak about it fairly and politely.
- Finally, as your family considers choosing a school, don’t be too quick to rule out the school in your neighborhood. Ask for a tour of the campus, a meeting with an administrator, and look up data online. Ask an educator friend to help you interpret the nuances behind the information you find. Pray throughout the process. It could be that your child could flourish right around the corner from you, and choosing a public school could benefit both your community and your family.
However you choose to support public schools, I implore you to do so. May we not salve our consciences by pretending that our personal choices have no wider impact. May we reject the path of apathy toward the flourishing of our neighborhoods. May we know that these are little children whom Jesus loves deeply, and as we work to share His love with them, may they come to know Him too.
Courtney Vineyard is a teacher and neighbor in Fort Worth.
