Thriving in the Public Education Arena

In a discussion based on their book Navigating Public Schools, Stephen Williams and his wife, Sarah, offer parents practical advice for helping their children stand strong for their Christian beliefs in public school. The couple addresses topics like knowing your religious rights, speaking the truth with love, preparing kids for classes that promote a secular worldview, and more. (Part 1 of 2)

Public schools are best defined as government-funded schools, run by local school boards beholden to state board of education oversight. They are part of the government system that provides equal opportunity for education to all residents within district boundaries. As such, public schools are secular institutions and currently are limited in their ability to address the religious needs of their students.

Navigating Public Schools will empower Christian parents to navigate the increasingly secular public school system with the aim to cultivate strong relationships with their children, help their children stand firm in their Christian faith, and become salt and light for Jesus Christ.

The school years shouldn’t be looked at as a dreadful encounter with adolescent life, but an exciting time of discovering God’s plan for our children. I need to be excited for my daughter and the young woman she is becoming, not living in fear of all the what-if situations.

Many parents wonder about their kids and faith at school. Three myths are debunked and practical advice is offered on encouraging faith in our kids.

As the battle for the minds of our children continues in our postmodern, “godless” culture, our schools have become a major battleground. Some in the Christian community, understandably, are even calling for a mass exodus from our “government schools.”