What to Do When You Disagree with Your Child’s Ungodly Education
Introduction
As the primary spiritual educator of your child, you are responsible for ensuring their learning environment supports, rather than subverts, their faith.
When a child's school curriculum, classroom discussion, or institutional philosophy conflicts with core Christian truth, the issue must be addressed strategically.
The goal is to minimize confusion for your child and maximize their spiritual strength and discernment.
1. Discerning the Conflict: Worldview vs. Curriculum
Before taking action, it is essential to distinguish between neutral academic content (like math or chemistry) and content that promotes an anti-biblical worldview (like moral relativism or secular humanism).
The Worldview Conflict: Secular education often operates from a worldview that rejects objective truth, God as Creator, and the unique identity of Christ. The Bible calls this "the wisdom of this world." You must identify the specific ungodly assumption being taught (e.g., "Truth is subjective," "Humans are products of random chance," "Morality is self-defined").
Scripture Says: "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ" (Colossians 2:8).
The Principle of Discernment: The purpose is not to shield the child entirely from challenging ideas, but to equip them to process those ideas through a biblical lens. You must teach your child to be discerning, not merely defensive.
2. Strategies for Engagement: Counter-Education at Home
The primary Christian response to ungodly education is to intensify the biblical teaching at home, turning the classroom conflict into a learning opportunity.
Become the Primary Educator of Worldview: Regardless of where your child attends school, you are the chief spiritual authority. When your child encounters a conflicting idea (e.g., a relativistic moral claim), you must use that moment to teach the objective, biblical truth (as discussed in a previous lesson).
Scripture Says: "These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up" (Deuteronomy 6:6–7). This is the mandate for constant, intentional, and integrated teaching.
Teach Apologetics: Equip your child with the reasons why they believe. They need to understand the logic and evidence for the biblical worldview (apologetics) so they can answer the questions and criticisms they hear from their peers and teachers with gentleness and respect (as previously discussed in the lesson on mockery).
3. Options for a Changed Environment
If the conflict is so pervasive that it undermines the child’s faith despite your best efforts at home, you may need to prayerfully consider changing the educational environment. The ultimate priority is the spiritual well-being and eternal future of your child.
Internal Advocacy: For public or private schools, this means engaging directly with teachers, administrators, or the school board. This requires wisdom, documentation, and a calm, reasoned presentation of your rights and concerns, rather than confrontation.
Private Christian School: Switching to a Christian school can provide an environment where the curriculum is explicitly taught from a biblical worldview and where teachers and peers share foundational values.
Homeschooling: This option allows the parents to have full control over the curriculum and instruction, integrating faith seamlessly into every subject, and ensuring all material is processed through the lens of Scripture.
Trusting God’s Sovereignty: When a change is not immediately possible, you must trust that God is sovereign over the environment your child is in. Pray diligently for your child's protection, the discernment of the teachers, and that your child will stand firm.
Conclusion
If you disagree with your child's ungodly education, the first step is to double down on intentional spiritual teaching at home and equip your child with strong biblical discernment.
The education your child receives is less important than the worldview they adopt. If the system's ungodly philosophy becomes spiritually destructive, the ultimate Christian action is to prioritize the spiritual well-being of the child by seeking a different, godly learning environment.
