Discussion Board Forum 4
When looking throughout the history of America’s approach to its education system, it is
clear that it has change very drastically in both methods and challenges. This can be further seen
with the growing number of the other forms of education such as the homeschooling, private,
Christian schools in the United States, especially on how it compares to the public-school setting.
It is no secret that over the past decades, families using alternative schooling methods, such as
homeschool, has vastly increased. According to The Heritage Foundation, “2.5 million school-
age children were educated at home during the 2007–2008 school year” (Burke 2009). This
number is a major percentage change since they also note that it is a 36% increase from 2003 and
a 74% increase since 1999 (Burke 2009). The article’s report goes on to the most frequently
referenced reasons why, which are, “The ability to provide moral or religious instruction (36
percent), concern about the environment at other schools (21 percent), and dissatisfaction with
the academic instruction provided at other schools (17 percent)” (Burke 2009). So then, why are
people pushing away and against the modern public-school system? The core answer comes from
both its effectiveness and ideological warfare, which has led to the overall abandonment of the
early American approach to education.
Up till a few decades ago, American public education was leading the world; however,
the situation has certainly changed drastically and it the problems start at the bottom. According
to The Decline of American Education, “Beginning in elementary school many students are
already behind the nationally accepted standards. For example, one study found that only 31
percent of fourth graders are proficient in reading on the NAEP (National Assessment of
Educational Progress) and by eighth grade this number is virtually the same (33 percent) (Vindis
2012). To specify, the two main reasons for this downfall is largely the destruction of
performance standards as well as the removal of the Christian presence and its replacement of
radical secularism.
What made American public-school system, as well as society in general, great was its
high standards, but with the continuation of lowering performance standards, like Common Core,
many students are negatively affected. According to National Review, “Low achievement in high
school means that many students will enter college with poor skills, but with the expectation that
they’ll receive high grades for minimal work” (Leef 2019). Onto the other core problem, the
absence of Christian teachings in public-schooling, which is a total contrast from the early school
system. According to Oregonstate.edu, “Religion played an important role in developing an
educational system in the United States” (Gelbrich 1999). This is becoming the polar opposite to
the current system.
It is not secret that the modern American public education, like much of the government,
has turned against Christianity in favor of secularism. Gingrich describes this when he discusses
the refusal to allow any religious practice and establish the religion of secularism in the public
sector (Gingrich 2011). This is the defining difference between the early American approach and
now. These actions have not only lead to the students becoming intellectually weak and
unprepared for the world, but also lack the morals and wisdom that is gained when in a
Christian-based environment. Furthermore, this results into the continued degradation of society.
In order to heal America’s societal problems, public education reform must look back at earlier
American school systems and rediscover what they had already learned.
Bibliography
Burke, Lindsey. “Homeschooling Sees Dramatic Rise in Popularity.” The Heritage Foundation,
January 28, 2009. https://learn.liberty.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-37197627-dt-content-rid-
451073030_1/courses/GOVT329_B01_202020/GOVT329_LUO_8WK_DEV_Imported
Content_20160316010122/Popularity of homeschooling(1).pdf.
Gingrich, Newt, and Vince Haley. A Nation like No Other: Why American Exceptionalism
Matters. Washington: Regnery, 2011, p. 152.
Gelbrich, Judy. “Colonial America.” AMERICAN EDUCATION, 1999.
https://oregonstate.edu/instruct/ed416/ae1.html.
Leef, George. “The Roots of Our Educational Failure.” National Review. National Review,
August 21, 2019. https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/the-roots-of-our-educational-
failure/.
Vindis, Miha. “The Decline of American Education.” LBJ School of Public Affairs. University of
Texas, July 30, 2012. https://lbj.utexas.edu/news/2012/decline-american-education.
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