SBC Delegates: Christian Parents Should Monitor Their Children's Education
by Allie Martin and Jody Brown
June 27, 2005
(AgapePress) - A former public school teacher who is now a pastor says it is the responsibility of parents -- not the government -- to ensure children are given a biblically sound education. And a Baptist home-schooler says it makes perfect sense for parents to hold local schools accountable for what they are teaching children.
Southern Baptists passed a resolution last week at their annual meeting calling on churches to investigate what impact the homosexual agenda is having on public schools. In its original form, the resolution -- authored by black evangelist Voddie Baucham and author Bruce Shortt -- also called for parents to remove their children from schools found to be using pro-homosexual curriculum or programs. But the resolution approved by Southern Baptist delegates in Nashville was amended to remove that aspect, presumably because many in the denomination view public schools as a "mission field" for their Christian children.
Clay Anthony, a former school teacher who was a delegate to the Southern Baptist Convention gathering in Tennessee, says no matter what some leaders in his denomination say, reform will not work in public education.
"It's not that teachers or principals or ministers won't do what they need to," Anthony explains. "[But] in a lot of cases they can't do what they want to."
The pastor recognizes that Christian educators often are in a situation that place restrictions on them. "You've got wonderful, godly Christian teachers and Christian administrators whose hands are simply tied," he says. "They're simply forced to teach a state test [or] forced to indoctrinate children with ideals and mannerisms that parents, if they knew exactly what was going on, would be the first in line to pull their children out [of public school]."
Another delegate confesses that there seemed to be considerable confusion about the Baucham-Shortt resolution. Amy Layfield of Georgia says she heard from many people who believed the resolution called for a mass exodus from public schools. But in fact, the resolution that was passed simply calls on churches to investigate the possible influence of the homosexual agenda on schools in the local districts.
Layfield, who home schools her children, says it makes sense for churches to know what is being taught by public schools in their area.
"I don't think there's anything wrong with us going to the school board and [asking], 'What is this school system's stance on homosexuality? What are we going to teach our children?' I think that's important," she says.
"I don't think a parent should be shocked on Friday when they find out their children has learned all week that they've been studying that Sarah has two daddies," Layfield adds. "They need to know on Monday and say 'I do not want my child in that class.'"
One pro-family leader in Pennsylvania is commending the SBC for putting the resolution to a vote -- a step that was in doubt in the weeks leading up the conference. Diane Gramley of the American Family Association of Pennsylvania calls the resolution's passage a "huge success" for children in the U.S.
"This resolution is a clear message that homosexual activism within schools is a real problem, and that we who are concerned with the safety and well-being of our children are going to take steps to protect them," she says in a press release. "Our schools must no longer be used as places of social re-engineering which allow the lie that 'gay is okay' to be perpetuated."
Gramley is one of more than 60 signatories to a joint statement that was submitted to the SBC's Resolutions Committee in support of the original resolution before the annual meeting.
