by Yvonne Strachan
** School Choice! ** It tantalizes us with promises of solving all our educational dilemmas. But hold on — beneath that alluring surface lies a tangled web of implications that challenges everything we thought we knew…
Let’s dive in and explore the complexities behind the promise.
1. “School choice” has been redefined.
Colorado established its first public school in 1862; and by the mid-1980s, public schools had become the main form of education. Over the next decade, Colorado approved legislation that allowed us to choose from various forms of education, including homeschools, charter schools, and the option to enroll children in schools outside home districts. Today, Colorado offers a ton of school choices!
In more recent years, the term “school choice” has been taken hostage by legislators and activists across America. What was once about giving families choices in education has now been redefined to mean that “the (government) money should follow the child,” which can lead to putting every educational choice under the control of the government. This is also commonly referred to as “backpack funding.”
New legislation involving this redefined form of “school choice” is drastically altering the educational freedoms we cherish, turning a concept meant to promote educational options into a system heavily influenced by state intervention. This government-funded form of school choice is what I am referring to in this article.
2. What the government funds, the government controls.
We have all heard the argument that tax dollars for our children’s education are somehow “our money”; but the truth is, once taxes are collected, they are no longer ours. The money collected through taxes belongs to the state, and our elected officials get to decide how to spend it. Taxpayers expect the state to uphold its responsibility and oversee tax funds to ensure they are used wisely and effectively. Since governments must manage the funds they provide to others, we can expect government-funded school choice programs to implement regulations and guidelines.
When we participate in government-funded homeschool programs, we allow the government to exert greater control over the way we structure and manage our homeschooling activities. The regulations often start small, like simply requiring registration and data collection. As time progresses, however, regulations increase and can expand even to the point of dictating things like educational content, home visits, and medical choices for our kids. The government could also implement other regulations on homeschooling that we currently see in the public school system. Regulations stifle our ability to tailor our children’s upbringing and education.
Ultimately, we will have no school choices because all of them will be funded and regulated by the government. This situation is reminiscent of Henry Ford’s humorous reference to allowing his customers to choose the color of their vehicle — as long as it was black. In both cases, the illusion of choice is maintained while options remain severely limited.
During the 2022 Legislative Session, HB22-1295 established the Colorado Universal Preschool Program, a government-funded program that allows preschoolers to attend the preschool of their choice for free.1 In the court case DARREN PATTERSON CHRISTIAN ACADEMY v. LISA ROY DAWN ODEAN (2023), Colorado tried to exclude Darren Patterson Christian Academy from participating in its Universal Preschool Program because of the academy’s Christian-based policies. When asked his opinion regarding this case, Governor Polis stated, “I’m not commenting on specific lawsuits, but obviously, if you run a preschool that doesn’t receive state money, you can run it the way you want. But of course, when you are publicly funded, you have to agree with the basic values: we don’t discriminate, and you can’t say parents can’t come here because they are gay, or they are not married, or whatever it is.”2
3. Government-funded “school choice” restrains parental authority and values.
Over the past fifteen years, many parents have shared that they chose to homeschool because the policies of the public school are anti-God and increasingly undermine parental authority. Our public education system is shaping children’s minds to align with corrupt principles, making it confusing for our kids to determine right and wrong. As parents discover what their children are being taught in schools, they are becoming increasingly concerned and taking back their jurisdictional authority by homeschooling.
The government encourages homeschoolers to enroll their children in drop-off programs funded by school choice initiatives. However, given that these programs must follow government regulations, how can we trust that our faith and values will be honored?
The best way to effectively accomplish the discipleship we are guided to carry out in Deuteronomy 6:5-7 is through raising, educating, and discipling our children at home without the interference of our government.
Christian Home Educators of Colorado envisions families honoring Jesus Christ by embracing home discipleship that is Christ-centered, parent-directed, and free from government control.
4. Homeschool freedom is not free!
The United States did not achieve independence by staying silent, nor did we expect Britain to foot the bill for our freedom. Instead, we rallied our troops, made significant sacrifices, and bravely battled for the liberty we cherish today.
Historically, Colorado homeschooling families have had to fight for the freedom to direct and facilitate their children’s education at home. Although Colorado’s Compulsory School Attendance Law was implemented in1889,3 it was during the 1970s that a new challenge emerged. As parents began to embrace homeschooling, many became entangled in truancy charges. This started to change in 1972 with the Supreme Court’s ruling in Wisconsin v. Yoder. The following year, Colorado’s Compulsory School Attendance Law was amended to exempt homeschool families from school attendance, but required students educated at home to be “under an established system of home study approved by the state board [of education].”4 New rules and regulations required homeschool parents to purchase state-approved curricula or get their school district’s approval to use curricula of their own choice. Since there were only a few approved curricula to choose from, and school districts were unsupportive of parents choosing curricula that aligned with their values and beliefs, more than twenty parents were threatened with truancy charges (and jail) over the next seven years.5
Many brave and determined homeschool parents poured their money and time into fighting for Colorado parents’ right to educate their children at home without the State Board of Education and local school district oversight of their choice of curricula. The weight of their challenges was finally alleviated when a homeschool law was passed in 1988.
In order to preserve our ability to tailor our children’s learning experiences to fit our values and vision, while meeting our children’s unique needs and interests through home education, we must embrace the sacrifices needed to fully fund our children’s education ourselves.
In conclusion
As we navigate the landscape of government-funded home education, we must reflect on the profound implications it brings. While the allure of financial support may seem appealing and can alleviate some of our fiscal pressures, we must understand that government-funded home education will compromise our educational freedom, our God-given authority, and our ability to responsibly disciple our children.
You can pass on an unforgettable legacy by pouring your time, resources, and love into raising and discipling your children at home — a God-glorifying impact that will echo through generations to come!
Your homeschooling friend,
Yvonne Strachan
P.S. Help protect homeschool freedom, parental rights, and religious liberty by staying informed about government policies and proposed legislation that may affect these rights. Sign up today to receive legislative updates and prayer emails!
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