What are we teaching our children?: The difference between truch and curriculum
September 18, 2023
“Kids live with this split between facts and values, and all religion seems to be pushed into the values domain.” - Dr. Cy Smith
In this month’s podcast episode of Clearly Christian with Dr. Cy Smith, we are joined by guest speaker Jeff Keaton. Jeff is the founder and CEO of RenewaNation whose mission is to give millions of children a more biblical worldview. Dr. Cy Smith and Jeff Keaton dive into the curriculum problem in public schools.
Dr. Smith begins this episode by delving into the issue of public school curriculum. Children are being introduced to the “false truth” of socialism, gender discrepancies, and so much more. In today’s society, children are learning that they may identify as any gender or category no matter what their born biology indicates. The thought-provoking question Dr. Smith asks parents at the start is, “For you, which is more important? A Christian teacher using non-Christian materials to instruct your child, or perhaps a non-Christian teacher who taught from Christian curriculum…or using materials filled with biblical truth?” It’s a question many families know the answer to, but feel helpless to do anything about. However, the ramifications of ignoring the situation are dire.
The point is made very clearly. “Listen, students will adopt the worldview that's presented in front of them in the classroom,” says Dr. Smith. “That's what they study. And after decades of instruction, that's devoid of any biblical truth.”
Curriculum Matters
“It's every bit as important and you can maybe even argue more important than the teacher in some cases. If a child's going to study, understand, and live out what's true, then the truth has to be found in the materials that they are being presented with”.
Curriculum is Never Neutral
“Someone's values will always drive what's on paper in front of our children. Kids will pick it up, even if it's simply that God's not relevant to this discussion or this topic of our classroom today. And that's a dangerous place to be”
All Truth is God’s Truth
“Every truth from every subject that we study in school can be traced back to the mind of God. If it's true then it started with him and there simply can be no other explanation.”
Our guest, CEO and Founder of RenewaNation Jeff Keaton picks up the conversation from there. "It’s shocking to me how many Christians think that your curriculum doesn't matter, whether it's Christian or non-Christian.” Children believe whatever is written in their textbooks. If I am learning it, it must be true. “Look at the Textbook and underline anything you can find that you feel is truth”. Jeff Keaton explains how secular textbooks are false from the start. “Does it say, in the beginning, God? Absolutely not. It starts with evolution, the Big Bang, and all this kind of stuff.” Jeff goes on to explain why these textbooks are written the way they are. “The curriculum put in textbooks is all dependent on the larger states. They get to decide what belongs in the books and what is not important enough to go in”. From public schools to public colleges there is no integration of religion anywhere in those curriculums. Dr. Smith attests, “Somebody hands them [teachers] a Houghton Mifflin, Pearson, Prentice Hall, I mean, you name it, any one of these, top five, six textbook companies, well, of course, they're just gonna present what's there…and not even realize that here I am passing on things that are very unbiblical”.
Knowing that the truth isn’t being told in the classroom, and knowing that the textbooks are full of falsehoods is one thing. Know you “know more” about why that is, and how it comes about. It is important, now more than ever, to take charge of your children’s educations and teach them the biblical worldview that they are not receiving in the public education system.
For more information about Dr. Cy Smith, about the Clearly Christian Education movement, and the podcast, click on www.clearlychristianeducation.com. 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, ext. 218
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