Monday, October 11, 2021

Teach Your Children Well

 


Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ~Deuteronomy 11:19

The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts. ~C. S. Lewis

One of the most satisfying jobs I ever have was that of being a teacher.  Even on difficult days, when I felt tired or irritable, one cheerful greeting from a student was enough to turn my attitude 180 degrees.  How I loved those children, and what a privilege it was to watch their knowledge and confidence flourish right before my eyes!

By in large, the best students in my classroom were the ones whose parents had an active and vested interest in what and how their children were learning.  These were the kids who always had their homework, always prepared for a test, and had a positive attitude about learning in general.  On open house night, I made it my business to be respectful and up-front with these parents, assuring them that it was not my job to tell their children what to think, but how to think critically.

Never in my wildest dreams would it have occurred to me that I should usurp the parents' essential role in their child's education.  

N.E.V.E.R.!!!

Needless to say, it breaks my heart to see today's parents being silenced for wanting a say in their children's education.  First, by school boards, and now by the threat of the FBI interfering with school board meetings where, under the First Amendment, everyone has the right to express an opinion, openly and peacefully.  

But I'm so proud of these hundreds of thousands of parents who refuse to cave to the bullying by authorities who think they are the only ones who know what's best for the children.  Teaching a child is, first and foremost, a parent's responsibility, and when they see their tax dollars being spent on indoctrination instead of education, they have every right to demand such behaviors be curtailed completely.

I'm sure most of you know by now to what I'm referring:  CRT, or Critical Race Theory.  In a nutshell, this radical philosophy tells children that they will be judged by the color of their skin.  This sickening reversal of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s stance, one I grew up with and taught my own children, informs kids to not only distrust those with a different skin color than theirs, but to loathe their own, i.e., if you're white, you're an oppressor, if you're black/brown, you are a victim.

As Christians, this concept should be abhorrent to us all.  We are created in God's image, and His palate consists of every shade of skin under the sun.  No person should ever be judged by a biological factor he or she can never change.

And in America, according to our Declaration of Independence, all men are created equal and have the God given right to pursue life, liberty and happiness.  No government can either give those rights or, as they are desperately trying today, to take them away from us.

I hope and pray that if you are a parent or grandparent whose children/grandchildren are being exposed to such heinous ideology, that you will join the fray, standing shoulder to shoulder at those school board meetings across the country, demanding that teachers and administrators NOT to cut down the jungles of family values and traditions, but irrigate the desert minds of children, thirsting for unbiased knowledge and truth.

Don't teach them what to think.  Teach them how to think critically.

Amen!

37 comments:

  1. Don't teach them what to think. Teach them how to think critically.

    Here's an example from the UK. A child of seven got home and refused from that day on to eat meat. The teacher had shown a film of abattoirs and how animals are prepared for the supermarket shelf.

    God bless.

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    1. Such a sad story, Victor. Yes, indoctrination is running wild, and it simply has to stop. We are robbing our children of seeing the world through the eyes of truth. I pray that will change and fast!
      Love and blessings!

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  2. Totally agree Martha.. sadly Aust is also full of these pollutants of CRT.. Such a backward step, abd the removal of Gods standards is at the root of it all.
    If the foundation is shifted sand.. then the Lord Jesus said grear shall be the fall of it.
    May God have metcy upon us and the generations to come.
    Thanks for sharing, and may God bless and keep you and all whom you love safe and well.
    Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz. X

    {Wonderful Words of Life - Shaz in Oz}
    {Calligraphy Cards - Shaz in Oz}

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    1. Sorry for typos on mobile phone. 🙏❤🙏

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    2. Don't worry about the typos, Shaz, I can translate! :) Sorry to hear that the same is happening in Australia. God and His truths are certainly missing from our schools and so many institutions today, I fear we are all on shaky ground unless we speak up and sound the alarm of truth.
      Love and blessings!

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  3. Thirty years ago, when my oldest was in 6th grade, we discovered that some teachers were more interested in proselytizing their particular cause than in teaching. His English teacher started importing her favorite local activist to take the class on field trips, but she had trouble with basic concepts like spelling and grammar. It was constant conflict with parents, but the school did nothing. At the end of the year, we pulled the plug and enrolled our son in the local Catholic school (and we were Protestants). It was the best thing we could have done for his education. But imagine our school when we learned that our sone, who had been in one of the best public school districts in the state of Missouri, was academically almost a full year behind where his Catholic classmates were. We had to do the equivalent of homeschooling for almost six months to get him caught up. And this was 30 years ago.

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    1. Good Lord, Glynn, what a nightmare!!! We want to have trust in our public schools, since our taxes support them, but it seems it gets more impossible with every year that passes. If something like that was happening 30 years ago, no wonder it's even worse today. Maybe, after a year of Covid and children having to learn at home, parents are more aware than ever of the indoctrination going on in so many schools; the solution really is to homeschool or put kids in private/religious schools. I'm hoping I can talk daughter Sarah into homeschooling the grands.
      Love and blessings!

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  4. While I'd heard of CRT (of course), being far removed from the classroom I had NO IDEA how dangerous and far-reaching its effects. I've no littles in the education system, but can only imagine your and Danny's fears about your 3. Praying boldly!

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    1. Yes, Myra, and don't stop praying! I'm worried for my grands, too, and hope that Sarah will consider homeschooling in the near future. So far, she is keeping tabs on what is coming home with the kids and what Virginia is telling her. Parents really and truly have to get more involved in the schools, and I'm hoping this latest indoctrination scheme has done the trick.
      Love and blessings!

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  5. Sorry to be so late in responding, Martha, but AMEN!!!!! I am so impressed by your courageous testimony, and I love the quote by C.S. Lewis. I'm praying that God will multiply what you are doing by a hundred million or so. May God empower those teachers whose job is being held hostage by the leftist manipulators who want to expel any and every vestige of righteousness, personal freedom, and even common sense from the entire education system, kindergarten through graduate school. CRT is a tool crafted in hell if there ever was one. Thank you for speaking out so clearly, and from a perspective most do not have.

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    1. A tool crafted in hell . . . Amen, Ron! You have certainly called CRT what it is, no holds barred. There are good teachers out there, as you've mentioned, who are being held hostage by union/leftist expectations. I think you will eventually see many of these responsible and caring folks leave for private/religious schools or tutorial services. Then, where does that leave our children? Let's keep praying!
      Love and blessings!

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  6. Dearest Martha Jane,
    ABSOLUTELY right about this craziest of all C.R.T.
    Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is no doubt shaking his head in disbelief!
    This did not happen overnight but over many years, slowly religion and prayer was banned from public buildings. They have been indoctrinating the children and one can only applaud those parents that manage home schooling!
    We all are humans and none of us is more or less than the other! Both of us have worked in educating all over the world and never ever have we encountered any of those 'sick' feelings!
    May God protect the world and may the Good win from the Evil forces at hand.
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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    1. I'm praying right along with you, Mariette, that good will triumph over evil in the end (I know it will in the very end, but in the meantime . . .). Isn't it ironic that what the CRT is doing is teaching our kids to be racist? It is, as I said above, abhorrent, and must be stopped wherever and whenever it raises its ugly head.
      Love and blessings!

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  7. Spot on, Martha! I didn't remember you'd been a teacher. What grade(s)? My career spanned 26 years in 1st through fourth grades, but twenty were spent in 4th. Such a fun grade as we worked on the higher level thinking skills and watched them develop the abilities to analyze and evaluate. I'm heartbroken over what is happening in our schools these days--dropping test scores and indoctrination instead of education, just as you've pointed out in your well-written post. From what I've heard, MANY teachers are still dedicated to their profession and students; it's those in positions of authority over them that are pushing CRT and other falsehoods. I pray for lies to be exposed, for truth to prevail, as parents fight for the minds and souls of their children!

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    1. Nancy, I taught two years of sixth grade, and the rest was seventh. Not the easiest age groups to teach, but oh, how I loved it! These pre-teens are emerging and developing in so many varied ways, they never cease to be a challenge and a joy. I know there are many frustrated and disappointed teachers out there right now, those whose beliefs and values differ from what the higher-ups are demanding that they teach. I hope and pray they stand up, too, although I know there are so many who simply can't afford to miss that paycheck, especially if they are single parents.
      I do love those younger grades, too, and so glad to know I have a fellow teacher from the trenches as a friend here in Blogland!
      Love and blessings!

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  8. Amen Ms. Martha. Very well said indeed ma'am. A parent's sacred duty is to raise and teach their children. And if they're incapable of teaching them, then entrust them to someone like you who can teach them to think for themselves, to apply critical thinking, and develop problem solving skills. Coupled with learning godly values and developing a sense of morality at home, we'll have well-prepared adults who can function independently.

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    1. Godly values and morality should be the task of every parent to teach their children, J. D. Otherwise, how can they be productive and caring adults in this trying world? When teachers undermine the role of a parent, there is something terribly wrong. It absolutely should be condemned and resoundingly squashed. This is simply Marxism in action, and it is a frightening scenario. Let us pray that parents and grandparents continue to stand and fight!
      Love and blessings!

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  9. Yes and amen, Martha! Oh, how I'm praying for parents, teachers, school boards, and government leadership. Good grief, this is just CRAZY to me!
    Btw, you are just the type of teacher I would have loved for my kiddos.

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    1. Aw, Beckie, you are too kind with the compliments here. And yes, this is a crazy time for everyone involved in the public school system, so let's keep praying that God's truth and Biblical values will prevail.
      This administration is making me heartsick on a daily basis. If it weren't for the Lord, I know I would lose all hope.
      Love and blessings!

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  10. Amen, Martha! Thank you for this post. Amen!

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    1. I'm so glad this post spoke to your heart, Terri! We must stay strong in the Lord, and never tire of fighting evil wherever it manifests itself.
      Love and blessings!

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  11. I am right there with you, Martha. The things you mentioned are not the only garbage being fed to our children. Parents are solely responsible for the standards their children grow up with. If I had a child in public school right now, I'm afraid the school board would be sick of hearing from me. I pray God will guide the parents and teachers in the right direction to feed our children good sound basics of what learning should be. Fabulous and encouraging words from you. Love, hugs and blessings and all teachers.

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    1. Thank you so much, Nells, for your kind and wise words here. Yes, the school board would be sick of me, too, of that you can be certain. Parents are a child's first and most important teachers, and school personnel need to recognize that fact. I pray they will come to their senses!
      Love and blessings!

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  12. Amen, Martha.

    The world is in desperate need of teachers like you.

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    1. Thank you, Veronica, for your kind words here. I've been retired for quite some time now. Praying for today's teachers who want to do the right thing, but are being silenced.
      Love and blessings!

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  13. I had known about public school indoctrination for years, and about CRT recently, but I hadn't heard about the FBI getting involved in school board meetings. It's scary how any voices other than the politically correct ones are being silenced these days. Parents need to be so vigilant.

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    1. Barbara, I don't know how involved the FBI will actually get, but the AG has instructed them to do so. We must all be vigilant in making sure our freedom of speech is not eroded or taken away altogether. It is a frightening world in which we live, and I'm praying that God's will and Word will prevail.
      Love and blessings!

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  14. So well said, Martha! This is so troubling and sad. I love the C.S. Lewis quote and used it to share this article. And, yes, I pray that "teachers and administrators NOT to cut down the jungles of family values and traditions, but irrigate the desert minds of children, thirsting for unbiased knowledge and truth."

    My twin sister is a teacher in VA.

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    1. I had no idea that your sister is a teacher, Karen, and in VA no less. My heart goes out to her.
      Thanks for sharing this post and including the Lewis quote. When I read it is when this particular blog began to form in my mind. I always find his writing inspiring and thought-provoking.
      Love and blessings!

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  15. Very well said. Many parents go along with it and the brave ones fight the system. So much racial divide they use today. My father was stern when it came to treatment of others. You need to learn to be kind to everyone and if you do not get along do not ever be mean to them. I heard this my whole life when I was a child and teenager. Once they can destroy the family values, we are lost in a sea of despair. If everyone loved God it would be a difficult but doable road to travel. Many prayers for children today. So much going on to affect their lives. So much to learn and presenting it to young minds is so very important.

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    1. What your father taught you growing up is spot on, Anne. My parents did the same for me, and I've held onto those truths all of my life. That's one reason I find what's going on now so disturbing and, in some instances, terrifying. When the family goes, so goes the country. We can't afford to lose either!
      Love and blessings!

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    1. Thank you so much, Regine! Know I really love your poetry, my friend.
      Love and blessings!

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  17. Martha, once again your words are so correct. It saddens me to see how much our educational system has fallen apart. Education is not what it once was.

    I could say more...but I'll stop here...

    Love and blessings!

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    1. I could write volumes, too, Kim, but it's better sometimes to simply hold up and let the revelation of the moment sink into people's hearts and minds. We are, I fear, on the brink of socialism, but I'm given hope in the brave opposition of these parents who every right to know how their children are being taught.
      Love and blessings!

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. . . Good Tidings of Great Joy . . .

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