Earlier this week, I was talking with a friend for whom I have great respect, and he asked me why, after 30 years in public education, I was going to work in a CCE (classical Christian education) school. He was passionate about supporting public schools and implied my choice was damaging to them. I was caught off-guard by the question and afterward felt that my immediate response to him was perfunctory, like I was trying to sell him something. Nothing I said was untrue, but neither he nor I was satisfied with my response.
My Ethos
An educated populace is necessary for a civilized society, and public schools bear the burden for educating the majority of students across America. I continue to support the mission of public schools. I also support parents who want to make a different choice for their children because I believe it is the parent’s right and responsibility to educate their children in the way they see fit.
I was a product of a private school education paid for by my parents who also are tax-paying property owners. My husband, my daughters and their spouses are graduates of public high schools. My oldest daughter is now a teacher in the public high school I am leaving. I want her to be successful in her job, and I am proud of her career choice. The teachers in my local public school system are the best you will find anywhere. They work hard. They love kids. They want all students to learn. I applaud public schools and the educators who work there.
I do not see private educational institutions as competition for public schools. For a small town, we have several choices of schools. A local homeschool collaborative has an academy, there is the private school that I attended, and there is the CCE school where I will be working. The private schools have students from surrounding counties, as does our public school system. Yes, out-of-county students are accepted in our public school system, and unlike some systems in Georgia, ours does not charge tuition to out-of-county students. Many of the parents of these students work in our county schools or in our community, and it is in the best interest of these students to attend school where their parents work.
Laudable Qualities of CCE
I am digging into this new challenge with renewed vigor toward educating young people. These are some qualities (not an all-inclusive list by any means) of the classical Christian educational movement that I admire:
The schools are unapologetically Christian and teach from a biblical worldview.
They promote a culture of virtue.
Their curriculum is rigorous and teaches students to think for themselves.
There is an expectation for excellence.
Students are taught how to think; logic and rhetoric are part of the curriculum.
Families are very involved in their students’ schools.
Class sizes are much smaller than in public schools.
There is a culture of collaboration between CCE schools all across the country.
My granddaughters who are one and two are inheriting an American culture that may not be friendly to them, and I want them to have the tools they need to survive and flourish in any environment. I do not want them to be easily lead or deceived; instead, I want them to be women of honor who can think for themselves and not be at the mercy of an ideology, dictator, or false god. A classical Christian education will provide them with those tools.
If you want to know more about this style of education, I encourage you to visit the website of the Association of Classical Christian Schools (ACCS).
