Stop Slandering Public School Teachers

Thanks Larry for citing these helpful thoughts.

Let’s be honest: there’s very good incentive for many Christians to slander public schools and their teachers. Many Christian parents sacrifice a great deal to send their children to Christian schools. Often poorly-trained CS teachers work for low pay, and church funds are frequently used to bail out the whole mess (yes, I’ve both attended and taught in Christian schools, so I’m not being unfair here). The role of slandering public school systems therefore helps stakeholders feel vindicated in their various sacrificial decisions.
I’m not making a judgment here; some public schools, such as the one in the town where I lived, have a horrible reputation, and deservedly so. Nonetheless, that seemed to me to be the role of such discourse.

…let’s make sure that in the name of not slandering government school teachers, we don’t slander Christian school parents, OK? Your comment seems to be coming close to the latter. There is a fine line between Christian parents being of good faith but wrong and willfully slandering others to justify their decisions.

[Bert Perry]

…let’s make sure that in the name of not slandering government school teachers, we don’t slander Christian school parents, OK? Your comment seems to be coming close to the latter. There is a fine line between Christian parents being of good faith but wrong and willfully slandering others to justify their decisions.

You misunderstand me, Bert (but not intentionally, I am sure ;) ). I use the word “slander” not in any sense to imply that the passing along of rumors and information is always intentionally dishonest. Quite the contrary, I’m sure it usually is not. “Slander,” properly defined, does not always imply “willful” and deliberate lying, but simply “damaging untruths.” You’re reading your own definition into the word. What I am offering is simply the psychological insight that we often choose to believe what fits our own preconceptions—what we want to believe that justifies our choices—and often in such cases don’t check twice. I am not a stranger to these matters, and could furnish many examples.
Furthermore, what I said applies no less to CS teachers (of which I am one) and administrators than it does to parents. Perhaps even more so.

Oh, just to clarify:
In Ed-talk, “stakeholders” (which I used previously) doesn’t refer merely to parents but to all parties invested in the education of a child. Thus “stakeholders” here includes CS teachers, administrators, parents, the child himself… even the local church as a whole, to the degree that it sees itself interested in the success and continuation of the Christian school.

A Google search shows there are numerous websites that provide resources and information for Christians who teach in public schools. Here’s just one example:

http://christianteacher.org/index.htm