Bluegrass Times

At a recent conference focusing on the concerns surrounding education and the possible solutions, Pastor Cecil Blye of More Grace Christian Academy, gave a talk entitled “One Response the The Clarion Call For Authentic K-12 Education.” What a beautiful way to state the urgency of the situation, the need for community involvement in the solution, and the fact that there are indeed solutions to be found. 

By now, most Americans are aware of the fact that our education system is in dire straights. We are facing literacy and numeracy rates that should astound and anger every parent and tax payer. In addition to failing to adequately teach students the basic foundations, our public schools are focusing an extraordinary amount of time, energy, and resources on social justice issues. In addition, parents across the country have been angered as they’ve found sexually explicit and pornographic books in K-12 public school libraries. Their anger turned to great frustration as the elected school board members decided to continue allowing students access to the material. 

Books have been written about the problems with public education in its current state. They are too many to list in a short article. The question is, what is your response to this clarion call? Social media provides a platform and community to gather information and air our grievances, but what’s next? Now, more than ever, children in this country need the adults in the community to do more than just rant on Facebook and Twitter. The next generation is depending on us to come up with creative solutions, consistent curriculum, and environments that will provide them with optimal learning opportunities. 

So, what will your response to the clarion call be? Will you continue to expose indoctrination where you see it in the public schools? Will you start or support a micro-school? Will you start or support a local faith-based school in your community? Or, will you choose to homeschool your own children? Regardless of what you choose to do about this urgent situation, it is clear that doing nothing is not an option. We must answer the call if we want to ensure that this great experiment we call America continues for generations to come. 

In the words of Noah Webster, “It is an object of vast magnitude that systems of education should be adopted and pursued which may not only diffuse a knowledge of the sciences but may implant in the minds of the American youth the principles of virtue and of liberty and inspire them with just and liberal ideas of government and with an inviolable attachment to their own country.” It is time to answer the call.

Beanie Geoghegan is the director of the Kentucky Chapter for No Left Turn in Education.