Education is a Parent's Responsibility
September 05, 2023
“Regardless of where your child attends school, being an involved parent is not an option” - Dr. Cy Smith
When your kids go off to school, does that mean you can wash your hands of what happens between then and the time they come home? The thought seems silly, but is there a little bit of you that questions if that is what you are doing? I understand and there is growing evidence that most parents in the U.S. have no idea what their children are learning in school. Schools have taken the lead in what they teach, how they teach it, and what defines success. Make no mistake, this approach by many schools does not let you off the hook as a parent. Your child’s education is your responsibility, and the buck stops with you.
Chalkboard Point #1: As a parent, education for your children is your responsibility.
“I'm not talking about being a helicopter parent or a snowplow parent,” Cy explains, “clearing the path or hovering over and protecting your children from all challenges. I'm talking about knowing and becoming very familiar with what your children are learning in school and just who is doing the teaching. “
Chalkboard Point #2: No matter where your child goes to school, being an involved parent is not an option.
“You want your child to succeed and you want to do right before the Lord,” Dr. Smith says. “…and when you obey him and you ensure that your kids are learning what God wants them to learn from men and women whose priority is discipleship and the fact that they're called to this position for the purpose of training the next generation, it will determine the path for your family for years to come.” On the Clearly Christian podcast with Dr. Cy Smith, we explore this topic with our special guest, Mrs. Tera Myers, Education Freedom Ambassador, 2020 Republican National Convention speaker, and “Mom on a Mission”.
Tera is the mother of Samuel, a son living with Downs Syndrome. Tera realized soon in Samuel's education that she was going to have to fight for what was best for him, against the common offerings of the government-run public schools. “I was told, we can't accommodate Samuel. We could accommodate your daughter, but we can't accommodate his needs…and it wouldn't be fair for anyone involved,” recounts Tera’s memory of what her public school said when it came to Samuel's education. “It was a heartbreak,” she continued. “It was a sad day, and I have to say, honestly, I walked away feeling like, well, I don't want to divide my family. It was a very difficult decision because I was raised in a Christian home but went to a public school and I knew the difference.” Tera became an advocate for her kids and change system-wide. How did that happen? “When my daughter was approached with some inappropriate things at the age of six in our public school, I knew this wasn't going to be just a fight for my son. It was going to be a fight for all of my children.”
“I said, you know, it's no longer just about Samuel. It's all about all the children. It's about every child in a wheelchair. It's about every child with medical fragilities. It's about children like Sam who just simply need to be loved and educated with their peers.” Tera was able to lobby for and take advantage of new programs such as the Educational Choice Program in Ohio which provide vouchers and financial assistance for families desirous of choosing a school that fits their educational needs and expectations of excellence for their children. She testified eight times at the State House in Columbus with lawmakers and committees and got things done. “I just am blown away, to be honest with you, of what God can do when we stand there with our hands open instead of clenching what we think we want.”
For more information about Tera Myers, visit her website at www.teramyers.com.
For more information about Dr.Cy Smith, the Clearly Christian Education movement, and the podcast, click on www.clearlychristianeducation.com. And if you’d like to join the movement with partnership, funding resources, or ways to impact your own region's Christian Education opportunities, contact Dr. Smith today at 419-756-5651
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