European Symposium on Freedom of Education 2011

A request for responses to eight foundational questions:

Dear Madam; Dear Sir;

On the following page you will find eight questions. We would ask that you write at least a couple of sentences in response to each question, addressing especially the foundational aspect more than details of application. If you wish to write a more in depths essay of some paragraphs on one (or more would also be most welcome) of the questions, we will include those that support the goals of freedom and the natural rights of parents in our publication. This will form a foundation on which to build fruitful and realistic solutions to current problems

We greatly appreciate your collaboration in the cause of freedom of education both in Switzerland and Europe. Please consult our website for more information on the preparation of the Symposium.

Yours faithfully,

R. S. — Switzerland

QUESTIONS ON THE FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION

1.)  What is Education, in essence and in use?

Education is a preparation to be a useful participant in building the Kingdom of Christ.

2.)  Is there a qualitative difference between raising children and educating them?

This is an excellent question. There was a time when these would have been synonymous terms.  Not so today since too many believers outsource their children's education to secular usurpers.  Rushdoony covers this is his book Intellectual Schizophrenia. 3.)  Who should be primarily and ultimately responsible for what children are taught, for how they are taught, that they are taught, how long (days in a year, total years) they are taught, and by whom they are taught?

God gave children to parents.  Thus it is the responsibility of the parents to make this determination.  That said, parents can and should seek out others to help them become as qualified as they can be.  Ultimately, though, the course of study should be derived from God's law-word, with an emphasis on understanding all subject areas from a biblical perspective.

4.)  To what extent (completely, extensively, jointly with other entities, very restrictedly, or not at all) should governments regulate the content of formal education, especially in the context of vast people migrations and diverse cultural influxes (many of which are polar opposites in aim and values)?

My reading of Scripture gives no authority to regulate education to the civil government.  According to the Word of God, civil government is established to provide defense and justice.  That's it.

5.)  After several generations of State-led education, in which parents have been taught not to teach their children or spend much formative time with them, but rather to let the State handle child care and education, how – if one wants a return to parental involvement in the upbringing of children – should that best be done, for the well-being of all parties (parents, children and society), when involved parenting is no longer a generally well-understood process?

Returning to God's order is NEVER a bad idea.  Abandoning God's order is ALWAYS fatal to a culture.  That is why reconstruction will happen from the bottom up.  As individual families respond in obedience, God will open up avenues for parenting to once again receive the important place God's Word gives it.  The family is the basis of the society and it's never too soon to get that established once again.

6.)  What are the fears of policy makers who are increasingly restricting educational freedoms (where, how, by whom, what, how long, etc.)?

I'm not sure fear is their primary concern.  I believe control is.  As more and more people wake up to the educational fraud posing as public education, they have reason to fear.  All their lies and deceptions are going up in smoke.  That's why they crack down hard on liberty-loving and God-obeying families.

7.)  Where is regimented education likely to lead?

Where it has led is to irresponsible, immature, and pleasure seeking people who have abandoned their job to glorify God and serve Him.

8.)  What would likely happen in a country if education were entirely a private matter, not regulated by Government?

That country would be on the road to God's richest blessings.