School Board Elections
Children - Family - Grandparents - Parenting

Choosing to be Informed

This past week I attended a meeting about our upcoming school board election. My husband and I were saddened to learn about the declining level of math and English competency.  That wasn’t the only concern mentioned.

Violent behavior has increased. Teachers are stressed. The school board recently voted to go forward with an expanded sex education curriculum. Students who opt out are placed in a remedial health course, covering material that they have already learned.

So much has changed since our children were in this school district. We don’t have children in school now and our grandchildren are in different school districts. Is this our concern? I choose to be informed so that I can vote wisely.

The children are our future and it matters what they are being taught. I pray for parents, for their wisdom as they interface with the school that their child attends.

I am currently reading two books that focus on education. Visual Thinking by Temple Grandin gives insight into the different ways of thinking and learning. She describes verbal thinkers, visual-spatial thinkers and visual-object thinkers. I have had some aha moments. My husband is a visual-spatial thinker.

The other book is Battle for the American Mind by Pete Hegseth. Hegseth looks at how politics has entered curriculum choice. He describes progressive education. It is helpful to learn about factors influencing education.

Do you have a school board election coming in April? Are you prepared to vote?

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Carol is a follower of Jesus and a wife, mom & grandma. She worked for many years as a childbirth nurse and prenatal educator. She recently retired from clinical work. She has written articles for nursing journals and devotionals. Her novel, Aliisa's Letter, was published in 2010 and she is currently working on another project.

9 Comments on “Choosing to be Informed

  1. It is always good to remain informed – especially about things over which you have a say, as well over things you have a natural passion for or God has laid on your heart.
    Education/ schools/children is one of my passions and I believe our children, their parents and teachers desperately need the prayers of the church. Bless you in your dedication and interest. 2 great books! #27

  2. Children are no longer seen
    as deserving of a decent school
    as they were (and should have been);
    they are merely now a tool
    for some grand experiment
    to force that our traditions shatter.
    If it’s to their detriment,
    in the end it doesn’t matter,
    for individuals are irrelevant,
    all that’s vital is the mass,
    and those with opposed intent
    need liquidation as a class,
    that they won’t hinder education
    facilitating subjugation.

  3. Wow! that is awesome Carol! Thank you for choosing to be informed even though your children are grown and your grandchildren aren’t in that school district. Thank you for caring about your community and other people’s children! What a blessing you are. This warmed my heart today.

    ~Beth
    FMF #19

  4. Our public school system is not for children or families. It has deteriorated to the point of being dangerous to the children spiritually, mentally and physically. If it is at all possible, homeschooling our children is the best plan. There are so many homeschooling options available.

    Another remarkable option is Tony Evans program, The National Church Adopt-a-School Initiative. Check out the website! Our church and now all our area churches (at the request of the schools!) are participating in a mentorship program with our city schools. This is my first year as a mentor in the poorest school district in our city. I have met 22 times with my little mentee so far. We meet once a week during lunchtime. I may not be able to say anything ‘God’ or ‘church’ outloud, but they sure can’t stop me from praying inside that school building!

    It has been a rich blessing to me, and hopefully to my mentee and other students as well. God be with you.

    1. Bless you for being a part of a mentorship program! Our church participated in Kid’s Hope, but the program was canceled during the pandemic. My daughter (who is also in Illinois but a different district) has taken her elementary age children out of the public school and has them in Classical Consortium that holds classes one day a week at a local church. The other days she homeschools them.
      My other daughter is in Kansas and is not able to home school her children. I pray for God’s mercy on the children in our country.

  5. Changes to the school system are challenging for sure! Praying with you in this. I have three school aged children.

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