Dr. A. A. Hodge, of Princeton Theological Seminary, in the midst of the movement to introduce state education in 1887 said:

“A comprehensive and centralized system of national education, separated from religion, as is now commonly proposed, will prove the most appalling enginery for the propagation of anti-Christian and atheistic unbelief, and of anti-social nihilistic ethics, individual, social, and political, which this sin-rent world has ever seen….It is capable of exact demonstration that if every party in the state has the right of excluding from the public schools whatever he does not believe to be true, then he that believes most must give way to him that believes least, and then he that believes least must give way to him that believes absolutely nothing, no matter in how small a minority the atheists or the agnostics may be. It is self-evident that on this scheme, if it is consistently and persistently carried out in all parts of the country, the United States system of national popular education will be the most efficient and wide instrument for the propagation of atheism which the world has ever seen.”

Can you see any fulfillment of these prophetic words?

Parents ought to give serious attention to education trends involving their own children. A strong theological (or anti-theological!) bias is at the roots of many current innovations. This is seen in three areas.

1. Discipline – The Biblical teaching of sinfulness of the human heart and the need for law is denied by the emphasis on self-expression. A proud self-centeredness is the result when proper restraint and punishment are withheld.
2. Teaching Methods – A breakdown in the old graded system and the newer emphasis on “individualization” are bringing fresh, needed changes in some regards. However, certain disappointing, even dangerous, lines of thoughts are turning up. Some authorities are leaning too heavily on the child’s own desires. Committing children to the “open loft” and to independent research can go too far. The liberal idea that the child is basically good and thus will choose the best for himself is opposed to the wisdom of Scripture which says, “foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child,” (Proverbs 22:15). Christian parents must choose between these basic outlooks.
3. Subject-Matter – Things that are delightful to the child and most immediately usable are not necessarily the most important lessons. The child is not capable of deciding what he needs. For adults to make this choice, does not rob the child. To the contrary, it is a crime of ages for adults to shirk that serious responsibility. There are lights from heaven which men and women have learned to read and navigate by. Children are born lost. They need direction. They need to be taught a sense of values which is outside, even contrary to, their selfish interests.

It does not require very deep thought to see a relationship between today’s upheaval among the young and the innovations in our school systems. Christian parents and citizens who believe that there are standards of morality which rightly govern individual expression and who hold to objective truth should make their views known.