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REM RKS

BY

S MUEL

L.

BLUMENFELD T THE NORTH CAROLINA

HOME SCHOOL ASSOCIATION

CONFERENCE

F i v e y e a r s a g o ,

in

A p r i l 1 9 8 5 , I was i n v i t e d to s p e a k a t t h e

Mt.

O l i v e t B a p t i s t

Church i n R a l e i g h .

I a r r i v e d

in

R a l e i g h t h e

e v e n i n g

b e f o r e

and was met

a t t h e

a i r p o r t

by

two young

l a d i e s

who t o o k me to their home w h e r ~ t h e y had l a i d o u t on t h e d i n i n g

P ; ~ ~ o

room

t 2 b l e

t h e Nor th C a r o l i n a E d u c a t i o n P l a n ,

an

awesome

document

o f many p a r t s and

p a g e s ,

w hi ch

was to

be

v o t e d on

by

t h e Nor th

C a r o l i n a legislature.

They

a sk e d if I would k i n d l y r e a d t h r o u g h t h e m a t e r i a l and

e v a l u a t e it.

They had s e t up a legislative b r e a k f a s t f o r t h e

f o l l o w i n g morn ing a t t h e S t a t e C a p i t o l , a t w hi ch I was e x p e c t e d

to tell t h e

i n v i t e d

legislators

and

g u e s t s what I

t h o u g h t

o f

t h e i r

d e p a r t m e n t

o f

e d u c a t i o n s latest

e d u c a t i o n p l a n .

Now mind

y o u ,

t h i s was two y e a r s after

t h e

r e l e a s e o f

t h e

f amous Na t i o n a t Risk

r e p o r t ,

w hi ch

had

come o u t i n A p r i l 1983 .

It

was s u p p o s e d to be

Nor th

C a r o l i n a s r e s p o n s e

to

t h e e d u c a t i o n

crisis.

I

r e a d

t h r o u g h t h e p l a n

and was

a p p a l l e d by w ha t I

fo u n d .

Its b a s i c

p h i l o s o p h y

and

o r i e n t a t i o n was totally

h u m a n i s t i c . I

was particularly

i n t e r e s t e d in

t h e c u r r i c u l u m p l a n

fo r

r e a d i n g

i n s t r u c t i o n f o r r e a d i n g

i s

t h e

f o u n d a t i o n

o f

an y e d u c a t i o n prog ram

~ i t h o u t a

sound

r e a d i n g i n s t r u c t i o n

p r o g r a m ,

no e d u c a t i o n a l s y s t e m

can

s u c c e e d .

H a v i n g

~ p e n

many y e a r s

i n t h e

never ending w a r

b e tw e e n p h o n i c s



NORTH

CAROLINA

- 2

and

l o o k - s a y , h a v i n g w r i t t e n a book

on

the s u b j e c t entitled THE NEW

ILLITERATES I knew what to l o o k

f o r .

Would t he state o f N o r t h

C a r o l i n a f i n a l l y

t e a c h

c h i l d r e n t o r e a d p r o p e r l y ?

I

was

s h o c k e d

to

f i nd

t h a t t h e program was

b a s e d

on

l o o k - s a y ,

whole -word

p e d a g o g y .

And I was

an

g r y . -

an

g r y t h a t the s tat e wo u 1 d use

t he

t a x p a y e r s

money to buy

r e a d i n g

p r o g r a m s

t h a t

would

g u a r a n t e e t h e

p e r p e t u a t i o n o f

t he r e a d i n g p r o b l e m in

Nor th C a r o l i n a

and

would

c r i p p l e t h o u s a n d s o f

N o r t h

C a r o l i n a c h i l d r e n ,

p r e v e n t i n g

them

f rom e v e r d e v e l o p i n g the

a c a d e m i c

and intellectual skills

t h e y

would

n e e d to

s u c c e e d in the

w o r k i n g

w o r l d .

The n e x t

mor n i ng

I met t h e

dozen

o r so legislators who showed

up f o r the b r e a k f a s t and t o l d them w h a t I t h o u g h t

o f

t he e d u c a t i o n

p l a n b e f o r e

them:

it was a w f u l .

I s a i d :

I

u n d e r s t a n d

t h a t N o r t h C a r o l i n a

i s

n e x t to

t he

b o t t o m in

SAT

s c o r e s

in

the

n a t i o n .

Only

Sou th C a r o l i n a

has

o u t d o n e you.

T h e y ' r e a t t h e

b o t t o m .

What a r e you t r y i n g

to

do in

N o r t h

C a r o l i n a ?

Are

you

v y i n g w i t h Sou th C a r o l i n a

f o r t he

distinction o f h a v i n g

the l o w e s t s c o r e s ?

Are you

t i r e d o f

b e i n g

number two?

I f

you p a s s

t h i s e d u c a t i o n p l a n

a s is

you w i l l be a t t h e b o t t o m, you

w i l l

be

number o n e .

As you

can

i ma g i n e ,

some o f

t he

legislators were n o t t oo happy

w i t h

what I

had t o l d them.

So I s a i d ,

I f

you

r e a l l y

\ .Jant

t o i mpr ov

e d u c a t i o n

in

N o r t h

C a r o l i n a ,

t h e r e is one s i m p l y t h i n g you can do

t h a t w i l l c o s t the

t a x p a y e r n o t h i n g in a d d i t i o n a l r e v e n u e .

In f a c t ,

it

w i ll s a v e you money .

A l l vou

h a v e to do i s manda t e the

t e a c h i n g



NORTH

CAROLINA

3

o f

i n t e n s i v e p h o n i c s in

the

first

g r a d e

o f

e v e r y e l e m e n t a r y s c h o o l

in

Nor th C a r o l i n a , and yOU

w i l l

imnrove

r e a d i n g ability

d r a m a t i c a l l y . "

W e l l ,

some

of the

legislators

took

what I had

to

say

to h e a r t

and t r i e d

to do

e x a c t l y t h a t .

Ther e was even an emergency m e e t i n g

of the

e d u c a t i o n commit tee to d i s c u s s t h e m a t t e r .

But

Nor th

C a r o l i n a ' s c o m m i s s i o n e r o f

e d u c a t i o n ,

C r a i g Phillips become aware

o f my

s u g g e s t i o n

and went down

to

t h e legislature

to

make s u r e

t h a t no

such p rog ram was manda ted .

He

won and t he

c h i l d r e n o f

Nor th C a r o l i n a

lost.

And

where

do you

t h i n k Nor th C a r o l i n a ' s SAT

s t a n d i n g i s

t o d a y

e x a c t l y

wher e

I p r e d i c t e d ~ a t t h e b o t t o m .

Sou th C a r o l i n a i s

now

s e c o n d .

What does t h i s e x p e r i e n c e tell

us?

First it tells us t h a t

th

e e d u c a t i o n e s t a b l i s h m e

n t o f

Nor th C a r o l i n a i s

d e t e r mi n e d to

m a i n t a i n

the

a f f e c t i v e ,

h u m a n i s t i c

c u r r i c ulum

it

has

i mpos ed

on

t he

n u b l i c s c h o o l s o f t h i s state

and

s e c o n d ,

t h a t

t h e

l e g i s l a t u r e

i s p o w e r l e s s to c h a n ~ e it.

Why

T h a t ' s a q u e s t i o n I

can

o n l y

The o r g a n i z e d

e d u c a t i o n e s t a b l i s h m e n t

answ e r w

i t h

one word: D o l i t i c s .

And t h a t

i s

s i m p l

y

has t h e political

c l o u t

to g e t what it w a n t s .

why p a r e n t s

have

no c h o i c e bu t

to

t a k e t h e r c h i l d r e n o u t of t h e

p u b l i c s c h o o l s

if

th e

y

want

them

to

g e t a

d e c e n t

e d u c a t i o n .

Y

ou

s e e , th e p o l i t i c i a n s

a r e mor

e

b e h o l d e n

to

t h e e d u c r a t s t han to

the

p a r e n t s .

But

th

e n y o u ' r e

p r o b a b l y

a sk i ng : why

a r e t he

e d u c a t i o n a l l e a d e r s

o f North C a r o l i n a i m p o s i n g

a

c u r r i c u l u m

which

c l e a r l y

i s dumbing

First let

me say t h a t what i s

down the c h i l d r e n

o f

t h e s t a t e ?

h a p p e n i n g

in

Nor th

C a r o l i n a

i s

h a p p e n i n g

i n

e v e r y

state

of the u n i o n .



NORTH CAROLINA - 4

o f John

Dewey ' s p r o g r e s s i v e e d u c a t i o n program

w h i c h

was d e v i s e d

e a r l y i n t h i s c e n t u r y

to change Amer i ca

f rom a

capitalist,

individualistic,

and

r e l i g i o u s

n a t i o n

i n t o

a

socialist, collectivist

atheist

o r h u m a n i s t s o c i e t y .

T h a t

p l a n

i s still

ve r y

much in

p l a c e , e n h a n c e d

by t h e socialist

f e r v o r

o f t h e

h i p p i e s o f t h e

sixties who

a r e

now t h e t e n u r e d p r o f e s s o r s in o u r universities

and g r a d u a t e

s c h o o l s .

The Reagan

c o n s e r v a t i v e

r e v o l u t i o n

made

no d e n t in t h e t h i n k i n g

o f

t h e

e d u c a t i o n

e s t a b l i s h m e n t .

A l l

you

have to do to c o n f i r m

t h i s

i s r e a d t h e

j o u r n a l s

o f e d u c a t i o n p u b l i s h e d

by

t h e g r a d u a t e s c h o o l s

o f

e d u c a t i o n and

t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l

a s s o c i a t i o n s

run by

t h e s e

same

p e o p l e .

They may make d u l l r e a d i n g ,

b u t

that s t h e o n l y way you

can

f i n d o u t what

t h e

e d u c a t o r s a r e really un

t o .

And w h a t

a r e

t h e y

up

t o?

They a r e

p u s h i n g t h e

a f f e c t i v e

d o m a in w i t h e v e r y bit

o f

power

t h e y ' v e g o t .

VJhat

is

t h e

a f f e c t i v e

domai n ?

I t

i s

t

h a t

p a r t o f

t h e

p u b l i c s c h o o l c u r r i c u l u m t h a t d e a l s

\v i th t h e

c h i l d r e n ' s

v a l u e s , f e e l i n g s ,

b e h a v i o r ,

s e l f - e s t e e m , s e x u a l i t y , and attitudes

t owar d d r u g s

and d e a t h . Its

c o m p o n e n t s

i n c l u d e v a l u e s clarification

m u l t ic u l t u r a l i s m ,

g l o b a l i s m , sensitivity

t r a i n i n g , situational

ethic

t r a n s c e n d e n t a l m e d i t a t i o n , New Age r e l a x a t i o n

t e c h n i q u e s ,

E a s t e r n

m y s t i c i s m ,

s e x

e d u c a t i o n ,

d r u g

e d u c a t i o n ,

and

d e a t h

e d u c a t i o n .

The

a f f e c t

i v e

domain i s in

r e a 1 i t Y

t h e

r

eli

g i 0 u s c o n t e n t

o f t h e p u b l i c s c h o o l c u r r i c u l u m .

But , you s a y , it

i s f o r b i d d e n

to

t e a c h r e l i g i o n i n t h e

p u b l i c s c h o o l s .

And you

a r e

r i g h t if

you

a r e t a l k i n g a b o u t t h e

C h r i s t i a n

r e l i g i o n .

But

it is

n o t

so when

it

comes to

humanism

t h e r e l i g i o n whi ch is now in all o f t h e



NORTH CAROLINA - 5

p u b l i c s c h o o l s o f Amer i ca .

A l l o f t he componen t s

I have

just

rattled o f f a r e

b a s e d

on t h e d o c t r i n e s and t e n e t s

o f

humanism.

D o n ' t

t h e e d u c a t o r s know

t h a t humanism i s

a r e l i g i o n ,

you

may a s k .

They o u g h t

t o .

A f t e r all

it

was J u d g e B r e v a r d Hand

who

r u l e d

in 1987 in

t h e

la n d ma rk Alabama

Tex tbook

Case

(Smi th v .

Board o f

Sc h o o l Commiss ione r s o f M obi l e Co u n ty ,

A l a . ) ,

t h a t

s e c u l a r humanism i s a r e l i g i o n . Judge Hand

w r o t e :

"T he c o u r t i s h o l d i n e

t h a t t h e p r o m o t i o n and

advancemen t

o f

a

r e l i g i o u s s y s t e m o c c u r s

when

one f a i t h - t h e o r y

i s

t a u g h t

to

t he

e x c l u s i o n

o f o t h e r s

and

t h i s

i s

p r o h i b i t e d by t h e First ~ e n d m e n t

r e l i g i o n

c l a u s e s .

For

p u rp o s e s

o f th e First

Amendment

s e c u l a r humanism

i s

a

r e l i g i o u s belief s y s t e m

,

entitled t o t h e p r o t e c t i o n s

o f

an

s u b j e c t to t he

p r o h i b i t i o n s

o f , t h e r e l i g i o n c l a u s e s .

It i s

n o t

a mere

scientific

methodo logy t h a t may

be

promoted and a d v a n c e d

in t h e

p u h l i c

s c h o o l s . "

And

if you

d o n ' t

want

to t a k e Judge H a n d ' s

word f o r

it

I

can

cite c h a p t e r

and

v e r s e

f rom any

number o f

h u m a n i s t s who have

a s s e r t e d

t h a t humanism i s

a r e l i g i o n .

H e r e ' s

what George

E. A x t e l l e ,

new l y

e l e c t e d p r e s i d e n t o f

th e

Amer i can

Human i s t

A s s o c i a t i o n , t o l d an

a u d i e n c e

in

1959 :

It i s a r e l i g i o n , an

intellectu

" Our s is no r e v e a l e d r e l i g i o n .

rtnd

mora l o u t l o o k sh a n e d

bv t he

more s e n s i t i v e and s y m p a t h e t i c s o u l s

o f o u r t ime .

Ours i s

a t a s k ,

n o t

a

d o c t r i n e .

Our

f u n d a m e

~

0 a 1 m u s t_ b~

t o m

a k e t h ': Hum

a n i

s

t TJ

a

y

0 f L

i

f

r

e ali

~ ~ _

0 u r

c

0 nit

i e s ,

0

u r s

tat

e

and 0

u

rna

i o n . "



NORTH CAROLINA SA

And in

1 9 5 4 ,

a

w r i t e r

i n t h e

Human i s t ma g a z in e

w ro t e :

S i n c e

humanism

a p p e a r s

as

a

g e n u i n e l y

l i v i n g

o p t i o n

f o r many

p e o p l e ,

e s p e c i a l l y among s t u d e n t s ,

t e a c h e r s ,

and i n t e l l e c t u a l s

g e n e r a l l y ,

it may

be

a p p r o p r i a t e l y s tu d i e d as a r e l i g i o n .

In d e e d ,

it i s

n o t u n f a i r to call

it

t h e

f o u r t h main r e l i g i o u s

o p t i o n ,

a l o n g

w i t h J u d a i s m ,

Roman C a t h o l i c i s m , and P r o t e s t a n t i s m , f o r

t h o u g h t f u l men in t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y We ste rn w o r l d .

And if

t h a t isn t

co n v i n c i n g e n o u g h , how a b o u t t h e f o l l o w i n g ,

w r i t t e n by a f e l l o w named John Dunphy in t h e Hu ma n is t ma g a z in e

o f

J a n u a r y - F e b r u a r y

1983:

1 am

c o n v i n c e d

t h a t the battle

f o r

h u m a n k i n d ' s f u t u r e

must

be

waged and won in t h e p u b l i c s c h o o l c l a s s ro o m by

t e a c h e r s

who

c o r r e c t l y p e r c e i v e

t h e i r

r o l e as t h e p r o s e l y t i z e r s

o f

a

new

f a i t h :

a

r e l i g i o n o f h u ma n i ty

t h a t

r e c o g n i z e s

and r e s p e c t s

t he

s p a rk

o f

what t h e o l o g i a n s c a l l d i v i n i t y in e v e r y

human

b e i n g .

Th e se t e a c h e r s

must

embody

the same

selfless d e d i c a t i o n as

t h e

most r a b i d

f u n d a m e n t a l i s t p r e a c h e r s , fo r t h e y w i l l be m i n i s t e r s

o f a n o t h e r sort, utilizing a c l a s s ro o m i n s t e a d o f a p u l p i t to

convey

h u m a n i s t

v a l u e s

in

w h a t e v e r

s u b j e c t

t h e y

t e a c h , r e g a r d l e s s

o f

t he

e d u c a t i o n a l

l e v e l --

p r e s c h o o l

day

c a r e

o r l a r g e

s t a t e u n i v e r s i t

y .

The c l a s s r o o m must and w i l l

become

an a r e n a o f c o n f l i c t b e twe e n

t he o ld

and the

new

--

t h e

r o t t i n g

c o r p s e o f

C h r i s t i a n i t y ,

t o g e t h e r

w i t h all its a d j a c e n t

e v i l s

and m i s e r y . and t he new

f a i t h

o f humanism

r e s p l e n d e n t i n its p r o m i s e o f a wor ld in which the n e v e r - r e a l i z e d

C h r i s t i a n i d e a of ' l o v e t h y n e i g h b o r ' w i ll f i n a l l y be a c h i e v e d .



n o r t h CAROLINA S

What do you

t h i n k

of t h a t ?

T h a t s

what one

y

oun

g

h u ma n i s t

l e a d e r of tomorrow

c a l l s

your

r e l i g i o n :

a

r o t t i n g c o r p s e .

T h a t s

i n l e a gue

wi th

t h e o t h e r

forms of

blasphemy in t h e a r t wor ld w e v e

he a r d so

much

a bou t .

What

it means ,

o f

c o u r s e ,

i s

t h a t our enemies

make

no bones abou t how

t he y

f e e l abou t u s . Remember

t h a t i s

t he m e n t a l i t y t h a t now

d o mi n a t e s Amer ican e d u c a t i o n .

This

i s

a

r e l i g i o u s

war , a

s p i ~ i t u l war ,

make

no

m is t a ke abou t

it.

The

f i g h t to

p r e s e rv e e d u c a t i o n a l f r eedom,

what

little i s left of it

i s

go ing

to be

a

l ong and hard one .



NORTH CAROLINA - 6

1954 , a w r i t e r in the Humanis t magaz ine

w r o t e :

I

,

1

i

,

i

)

S i n c e a p p e a r s

as

a

g en u i n e l y l i v i n g

many

g e n e r a l l y , it may be

a r e l i g i o n .

it i s

not

the

f o u r t h

Roman

C a t h o l i c i s m ,

and

men

in t h e

p eo p l e . e s p e c i a l l y

~

i n t e l l e c t u a l s

In d e e d ,

I

I

I

Now

the

r e l i g i o n o f humanism a l s o

a f f e c t s

t h e

way

a c a d e mic

skills a r e t a u g h t in

the

p u b l i c s c h o o l s .

In

t h e

o ld

days we c a l l e d

them

t h e t h r e e Rs

r e a d i n g ,

w r i t i n g ,

and

' r i t h m e t i c .

Now t h e y

a re c a l l e d the c o g n i t i v e domain

in

which t hey t each t h e c o g n i t i v e

skills. In

the

c o g n i t i v e domain , t hey no l o n g e r t e a c h r e a d i n g .

They t each

l anguage

arts, literacies, communica t ion , body l an g u ag e ,

whole

l an g u ag e , holistic

r e a d i n g ,

critical t h i n k i n g , g e n e r i c

t h i n k i n g , h i g h e r o r d e r t h i n k i n g

skills

-- e v e r y t h i n g ex cep t c l e a r

t h i n k i n g .

As

f o r

w r i t i n g ,

c h i l d r e n

a r e

now

t au g h t to p r i n t f o r

the

first

two

y ea r s

and

a r e

then

ex p ec t ed to

p i c k UP c u r s i v e somewhere a l o n g

t h e way

on

t h e i r own.

T h e r e

i s

no such t h in g

as

penmansh ip o r a

c o r r e c t

way

o f

h o l d i n g

a pen .

Hold

it anyway you w n t ~

And t h e r e

i s no emphas i s on c o r r e c t

s p e l l i n g .

It s now i n v en t ed s p e l l i n g .

S p e l l it

anyway

you w n t ~

The t h eo r y

i s

t h a t if you show a c h i l d

how to s p e l l a word c o r r e c t l y , the e x p e r i e n c e

w i l l be

so t r a u m a t i c

t h a t t he c h i l d may

n e v e r

want

to

w r i t e

an y t h i n g ag a i n and h i s o r

h e r

s e l f - e s t e e m

may be

damaged f o r life.



NORTH

CAROLINA

- 7

As

f o r

a r i th m e t i c ,

t h e

s u b j e c t no

l o n g e r exists.

It i s

now

all

c a l l e d Math,

and

i n c l u d e s

n o t o n l y

a vague

semblance o f what

us ed to

be

c a l l e d a r i th m e t i c , b u t a l s o math c o n c e p t s , s e t t h e o r y ,

n u m e r a c y ,

and how

to us e a

c a l c u l a t o r .

Now,

I

u n d e r s t a n d ,

t h e y

a r e wor k ing

on a new new

mat h .

The o l d new math d e s t r o y e d t h e

c a l c u l a t i n g skills o f m i l l i o n s o f

c h i l d r e n .

Heaven

knows what t h e

new

new math w i l l do.

Going f rom t h e

traditional

t h r e e

Rs

to

t h e

c o g n i t i v e domain

r e q u i r e d

a

r e v o l u t i o n

i n c u r r i c u lu m

d e v e l o p m e n t

by

h u m a n i s t

e d u c a t o r

and p s y c h o l o g i s t s who s p e n t m i ll io n s in f e d e r a l , state and p r i v a t e

r e s e a r c h

funds to g i v e us what we

have

t o d a

y .

The r e s u l t has been

an

e d u c a t i o n a l

disaster

o f s u c h

e n o r m i t y , t h a t o u r

S e c r e t a r y o f

E d u c a t i o n ,

Dr. Laur o Cavazos , s a i d

last

May:

· \ ~ e

must do b e t t e r

o r

p e r i s h as t h e n a t i o n '.Je kno'.J t o d a y .

But

that s e x a c t l y what t h e

h u ma n i s t s

want .

They ' .Jant t h e

o l d patriotic, C h r i s t i a n , s o v e r e i g n

Amer i ca to

w r i t e its own

50

o b i t u a r y

and e p i t a p h t h e ,.Jay

k i d s

a r e r e q u i r e d to

do in

d e a t h

e d u c a t i o n . They want

Amer i ca

to become

a

territory

w i t h i n

a

h u m a n i s t w o r l d g o v e r n m e n t . Humani s t M a n i f e s t o I I states:

We

d e p l o r e

t h e

d i v i s i o n

o f humank i nd on nationalistic

g r o u n d s .

e

have

r e a c h e d

a

t u r n i n g p o i n t in

human

h i s t o r y

where

t h e

b e s t

o p t i o n

i s

to t r a n s c e n d t h e l i m i t s

o f

n a t i o n a l

s o v e r e i g n t y

and

to

move

t oward

t h e b u i l d i n g o f a w o r l d communi ty

in

whi ch all

s e c t o r s

o f

the

human

f a mi l y can participate.

Thus

we

look

to

t h e deve lopmen

o f a

s v s t e m

of wor ld l aw and a w o r l d o r d e r b a s e d

upon

t r a n s n a t i o u a l

f e d e r a l g o v e r n m e n t .



NORTH

CAROLINA

- 8

Of

c o u r s e , g i v i n g up

Amer i can s o v e r e i g n t y

means g i v i n g up

Amer i can f r eedom.

It a l s o means g i v i n g up C h r i s t i a n f r eedom, t h e

f r eedom

to

obey

God ' s

commandments

t he f r eedom to e d u c a t e y o u r

c h i l d r e n

in

a Godly

manner as

p r e s c r i b e d

in

t he

B i b l e .

But

h u m a n i s t s a r e totalitarians a t h e a r t .

T h a t ' s

why

t h e y

f i n d

communi s t s so

e a s y t o

r e l a t e to

b u t C h r i s t i a n s no t a t

all.

Humani s t s

may

s i n g p a e a n s

i n f a v o r

o f human

d i g n i t y , r i g h t s

and

w o r t h . But t h a t o n l y

a p p l i e s

to f e l l o w p a g a n s ,

When it comes to

C h r i s t i a n s ,

t h e y

g e t a p o p l e c t i c

w i t h i n t o l e r a n c e .

The

last

t h i n g

t h e y want

in

t h e i r

w o r l d u t o p i a n state a r e

f u n d a m e n t a l i s t

C h r i s t i a n s

e x e r c i s i n g

C h r i s t i a n f r eedom, e d u c a t i n g and r e a r i n g t h e i r c h i l d r e n

in a c c o r d a n c e w i t h B i b l ic a l p r i n c i p l e s .

And t h a t

i s

why t h e y a r e

p r o s e l y t i z i n g

C h r i s t i a n c h i l d r e n

in

p u b l i c

s c h o o l s , t r a i n i n g t he g i f t e d and t a l e n t e d to be t h e h u ma n i s t

l e a d e r s o f t omor row, and dumbing

down

t he

r e s t

o f t he

p o p u l a t i o n

sufficiently

so

t h a t t h e

Amer i can

p e o p l e w i l l

be

l e d i n t o t he

new

w o r l d

o r d e r w i t h o u t

r e s i s t a n c e ,

l i k e

s h e e p .

A f t e r all,

if

you

c a n ' t r e a d , you a r e

more

l i k e l y to a c c e p t what t h e r u l i n g

h u ma n i s t

elite

w i l l

tell

you .

And

t h a t i s

why

the e d u c a t i o n a l e s t a b li s h m e n t

i s

v e r y

unhappy

w i t h

the home- schoo l

movement

whi ch

i s

so

v e r y

l a r g e l y C h r i s ti a n .

The N a t i o n a l E d u c a t i o n

A s s o c i a t i o n

has made it q u i t e c l e a r

t h a t

Its

1988 r e s o l u t i o n

(C-34)

on

t he

s u b j e c

it

opposes home s c h o o l i n g .

states:



NORTH

CAROLINA

- 9

The N a t i o n a l E d u c a t i o n A s s o c i a t i o n b e l i e v e s

t h a t

h o m e - s c h o o l

p r o g r a m s

c a n n o t p r o v i d e t h e c h i l d H i t h

a c o m o r e h e n s i v e

e d u c a t i o n

e x p e r i e n c e .

The

A s s o c i a t i o n

b e l i e v e s

t h a t , if p a r e n t a l

p r e f e r e n c e home-

s c h o o l s t u d y

o c c u r s , s t u d e n t s e n r o l l e d

must

meet all state

r e q u i r e m e n t s .

I n s t r u c t i o n

s h o u l d

be

by

p e r s o n s who

a r e l i c e n s e d

by

t h e a p p r o p r i a t e state l i c e n s u r e

a g e n c y ,

and a c u r r i c u l u m appr oved

by

the

state d e p a r t m e n t o f e d u c a t i o n s h o u l d

be

u s e d ,

The A s s o c i a t i o n f u r t h e r b e l i e v e s t h a t

such

h o m e - s c h o o l

p r og r ams

s h o u l d be l i m i t e d

to

t h e c h i l d r e n of the

immed ia te

f a m i l y ,

w i t h all

e x p e n s e s b e i n g b o r n e by

t h e

p a r e n t s . "

D o n ' t

you

just want to

hug

t h e s e

p e o p l e ?

They

r e a l l y

go

o u t

o f t h e i r Hay to e n d e a r

t h e m s e l v e s .

They

want

to

strip y ou

o f

y

our u n a l i e n a b l e r i g h t

to

e d u c a t e

y o u r c h i l d

in

t he manner

t h a t

you

c h o o s e .

T h e y ' r e

very

much in

f a vo r

o f

c h o i c e

when

it comes

to

d e c i d i n g t he life or de a th

o f an

unborn c h i l d .

But

when

it comes to you r child s e d u c a t i o n ,

t h e y

want

you to

be

l i c e n s e d

and

to t e a c h t he same c u r r i c u l u m

t h a t

is

dumbing down

t he k i d s i n

p u b l i c s c h o o l .

A s t a t e - a p p r o v e d c u r r i c u l u m

They

say

t h a t t he state

has a

c o m p e l l i n g

interest

in

e d u c a t i o n .

But if

its

interest i s so

c o m p e l l i n g , o ~ v

come it

isn t

e d u c a t i n g t h

a l r e a d y

c h i l d r e n

it/has

in

t h e s c h o o l s

it

owns and o pe

r a t e s ?

I f t h e state reall

y had a

co

m

o e l l i n g inter

e

st in e d u c a t i o n ,

it

would

be d o i n g

all

in its power to

e n c o u r a g e

home

s c h o o l i n

g ,

b e c a u s e

that s wher e t h e c h i l d r e n

a r e

b e i n g

e d u c a t e d .



NORTH CAROLINA 10

And

s t a n d a r d i z e d

test

s c o r e s

b e a r t h a t

Out .

H h e r e v e r home

s c h o o l e r s

have been t e s t e d ,

t h e y v e

done better

t han

t h e i r p u b l i c -

s c h o o l c o u n t e r p a r t s .

For example , in

T e nne s s e e ,

wher e

abou t

900

home s c h o o l e r s were r e g i s t e r e d w i t h t h e state in 1989 ~ even

though it i s e s t i m a t e d t h a t a b o u t 4 , 0 0 0

T e n n e s s e e

c h i l d r e n a r e

b e i n g t a u g h t a t home home s c h o o l e r s d i d q u i t e

w e l l .

A c c o r d i n g

to

t h e C h a t t a n o o g a

News-Free

P r e s s

o f Dec 11 , 1989 :

" S t a t e

t e s t s

show

t h a t

s e c o n d ~ g r a d e r s

a r e a b o u t e q u a l to

t h e i r

c l a s s r o o m - e d u c a t e d c o u n t e r p a r t s .

But

by

t he fi f

th g r a d e ,

home

s c h o o l e r s have p a s s e d t h e i r c l a s s r o o m

pe e r s

in r e a d i n g ,

and

by

t he s e v e n t h g r a d e

home

s c h o o l e r s e xc e l i n bo th math

and

l a n g u a g e ,

s c o r e s

s h o ~ v I

The

r e a s o n why home

s c h o o l e r s

g e n e r a l l y do so

w e l l

i s

b e c a u s e

o n e - o n - o n e

t u t o r i n g is

f a r

s u p e r i o r to t h e c l a s s ro o m

~ v h e r e

c h i l d r e n

who

need

h e l p o f t e n ge t lost in t h e crowd.

In t u t o r i n g you g e t

immed ia te

f e e dba c k ,

i m m e d i a t e

c o r r e c t i o n ,

and t h u s t h e

c h i l d

i s l e s s

l i k e l y t o d e v e l o p

bad

a c a d e m i c

ha

bits. A l s o , h o me - s c h o o l i n g p a r e n t s

a r e more a p t to t e a c h

t h e i r c h i l d r e n

to r e a d b y i n t e n s i v e p h o n i c s

than

b y

t he

d i s c r e d i t e d , inefficient l o o k - s a y method .

T h i s

makes

an

enormous

d i f f e r e n c e when t he goa l i s a rndemic e x c e l l e n c e .

Anothe r

r e a s o n

why home s c h o o l e r s e x c e l i s b e c a u s e

home e d u c a t o

a r e h i g h l y m o t i v a t e d , d e d i c a t e d p a r e n t s , commi t t ed to p r o v i d i n g

t h e i r c h i l d r e n

w i t h

t h e b e s t e d u c a t i o n

p o s s i b l e .

The y

want t h e i r

c h i l d r e n

to become

t he

b e s t

t h a t

Amer i ca

has

to

o f f e r .

Ther e i s no

q u e s t i o n

bu t

t h a t

the b e n e f i t s o f home s c h o o l i n g

ou twe igh

t he

difficulties by a

wi de

m a r g i n .

And

t h a t

is

Why

t h e



NORTH CAROLINA - 11

movement

i s a t t r a c t i n g so many

new

young

f a m i l i e s .

The first

and most

obv ious b e n e f i t

i s

t h a t

h o me - s c h o o l i n g

r e s t o r e s

the

C h r i s t i a n

f a m i l y .

It

s e t you r i g h t

w i t h

God

and

p u t s you in

obe d i e nc e

to His Word.

e

a r e t o l d i n f r ove r bs :

l ITra in up

a c h i l d in t he way

he

s hou ld go and ,

when he i s o l d )

he w i l l

no t

d e p a r t f rom

it.

What a t r emendous r o l e

model f o r

c h i l d r e n

a r e p a r e n t s

who

conduc t

t h e i r

f a m i ly

life in

a c c o r da nc e w i th

God ' s l aw.

e r e a d

in

E p h e s i a n s

(6:

4 ) :

And, ye

f a t h e r s

. p rovoke no t

y o u r

c h i l d r e n

to wr a th ,

bu t b r i n g them up in

t he

n u r t u r e

and

a d mo n i t i o n o f

t he

Lord .

'

About

a y e a r and a h a l f ago , t he t e l e v i s i o n show 20 /20 had

a

segmen t

on c h i l d r e n

and heavy me t a l mus ic

mus ic f u l l

o f

s a t a n i s m , d e v i l wor s h ip ) v i o l e n c e ,

and

se x .

A mus ic

j o u r n a l i s t

was

asked

if t h e r e was a n y t h i n g dangerous abou t such music . On

t he

c o n t r a r y , he r e p l i e d

t h e r e

w a s n ' t a n y t h i n g wrong

w i t h

heavy

m e ta l m u s i c .

In f a c t , it was good b e c a u s e it

gave

t h e

k i d s

someth ing to b e l i e v e in

Yes ,

c h i l d r e n need s o me t h i n g to b e l i e v e i n ,

bu t

if

p a r e n t s send

t h e i r

c h i l d r e n to s c h o o l s

where God i s c o n s i d e r e d i mp o t e n t and

i r r e l e v a n t ,

and t he p a r e n t s d o n ' t c a r e , t h e c h i l d r e n w i l l seek

someth ing to b e l i e v e in t h a t i s r e l e v a n t and ve r y

p o t e n t -- t h e

mus ic

of the d e v i l .

P a r e n t s who l i v e in a c c o r da nc e wi th B i b l i c a l p r in c i p l e s w i ll

s e r v e as l i f e l o n g r o l e mode ls

f o r c h i l d r e n

who

must

l i v e in a v e r y

c o r r u p t w o r l d .



NuRTH

CAROLINA 12

H o m e - s c h o o l i n g c r e a t e s a g e n e r a t i o n b r i d g e r a t h e r t h a n a

g e n e r a t i o n

gap .

The t r u e p u r p o s e o f e d u c a t i o n

i s

to p a s s on to

t he f u t u r e g e n e r a t i o n t he knowledge , wisdom and v a l u e s of the

p r e v i o u s g e n e r a t i o n

to

c r e a t e

a

b r i d g e

o f g e n e r a t i o n s ,

so t h a t

t he c h i l d r e n o f

tomor row can

b u i l d on t he f o u n d a t i o n o f t he p a s t .

But

t h e

p u b l i c

s c h o o l s d e l i b e r a t e l y c r e h t e c o n f l i c t and

r e b e l l i o n

b e c a u s e

t h e y want

t he c h i l d - r e n

to r e j e c t t h e

r e l i g i o u s v a l u e s

of

t h e i r

p a r e n t s . Home- schoo l ing

c r e a t e s f r i e n d s h i p

and

harmony

be tween

g e n e r a t i o n s t h r o u g h the l o v i n g gift o f t e a c h i n g .

Home- schoo l ing c r e a t e s

m u t u a l r e s p e c t m u t u a l l o v e .

Honor

thY

f a t h e r and thy m o t h e r t h a t

t hy

days may be l o n g upon

t he

l a n d

whi ch

t he

Lord

thy God

g i v e t h

t h e e .

(Exodus

20 :12 ) C h i l d r e n

l o v e

p a r e n t s

who n o t o n l y t e a c h them

what

i s

i m p o r t a n t ,

b u t who

c o r r e c t

them

when n e c e s s a r y .

C o r r e c t

t hy s o n ,

t h e B i b l e tells

us , and

he

s h a l l

g i v e t h e e

rest; y e a , h e s h a l l

g i v e

d e l i g h t u n t o

t hy s o u l .

1i

C h i l d r e n

want

to know

what

i s t he r i g h t

t h i n g

to

do

The

p u b l i c

s c h o o l s

a r e g i v i n g

condoms to c h i l d r e n

so

t h a t

they can

p l a y R u s s i a n

r o u l e t t e w i t h

a d e a d l y

d i s e a s e . L o v i n g p a r e n t s

w i l l

t e a c h t h e i r

c h i l d r e n t h e

maa ± g

r u l e s o f

s e x u a l b e h a v i o r as

g i v e n

in

t h e B i b l e .

Also , p a r e n t s r e s p e c t

t he

i n t e l l i g e n c e o f t h e i r c h i l d r e n .

Download - Sam Blumenfeld's Remarks at the North Carolina Home School Association Conference 1990

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