Conclusion
Although some argue that the slowly spreading movement towards so-called “charter schools” is all that is needed to stop the bleeding in America's public schools, it is obvious that the only reason such schools are even tolerated by the NEA is because of their potential to water down to pro-voucher movement. While “charter schools” are probably better than the current public school system, we must remember that they are still government schools and will undoubtedly continue under the thumb of the professional educationists, the teacher's unions and the pathetic pack of politicians who continue to fund the government monopoly. It is clear that our various layers of government are not likely to let the “charter schools” hurt the sister public schools. The advantages of real free market competition is only likely when we begin to support our truly private schools.
This book has argued that the freedom of Americans depends to a great extent to whether we win or lose the battle over the education of our children. If we're serious about improving the quality of education in America, we must increase parental choice. If we care about justice in educational opportunity, we must increase parental choice. Nothing has the potential to turn our present educational mess around more quickly than increasing the educational choices available to American families; and of course this choice must include private religious schools where the values of those families coupled with a superior academic education can be presented.
America's level of consciousness about the importance of private schools must be raised. Everything possible should be done to help Americans realize how increased parental choice is necessary if there is to be any real hope of improving the quality of education. Parents, churches, academics, and legislators who support private schools are the vanguard of those working for better schools in America. It is a matter of the greatest urgency that we add our voices to this debate and that our efforts on behalf of greater educational choice succeed.
As Dirk and Robert Mateer point out, “Clearly we are a nation adrift from our moorings and the only way to turn ourselves around is through the education of our youth - a process now guaranteed to further devastate our culture and our future unless we, you and I, can reinstitute our cherished Judeo-Christian heritage, the values of our Western culture, through a leveled playing field of competition among all schools, where the public monopoly and its entrenched bureaucrats once again become accountable to you and me - the parents and grandparents of today's youth!”
Want to read more?
Here are some related books by Dr. Ronald Nash
On the subject of education: The Closing of the American Heart: What's Really Wrong with America's Schools, published by Probe Books of Richardson, TX.
On the subjects of poverty, the economy and the welfare state: Poverty and Wealth: Why Socialism Doesn't Work, published by Probe Books.
On the subject of liberalism: Why the Left is Not Right: The Religious Left: Who They Are and What They Believe, published by Zondervan Publishing House of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
On the subject of philosophy : Worldviews in Conflict (Zondervan), The Gospel and the Greeks ( Probe), Faith and Reason (Zondervan), The Concept of God (Zondervan), Is Jesus the Only Savior? ( Zondervan) and others.
“Economics, Freedom and Values,” a seven-part video series that introduces high school students to economics. Available from the Champion Economics & Business Association, P.O. Box 11471, Lynchburg, VA 24506.
For more information, write:
Dr. Ronald H. Nash
Reformed Theological Seminary
P.O. Box 945120
Maitland, FL 32794-5120