This Way or That Way?
Navigating the Educational Crossroads
By Debi Walter

“Follow the Yellow Brick Road” Dorothy was told, but no one told her forks were on that fabled pathway. Fortunately, wisdom – symbolized by the Scarecrow – was there to point the way.

Parents also have a “Yellow Brick Road” on which to lead their children to maturity: the path of Education, and it, too, immediately hits a fork in the road. What is God saying to your family at that crossroad? You’ll notice that the flagstones are worn on each branching path. We are at a place in history where Public, Private and Home School have all been fully explored by Christians in a modern context. Is one path better than another? Or is the truth that each offers something compelling for individual families? Let’s zoom in on the path of three families and see what works for them along the Academic Road.

“And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “this is the way, walk in it”… Isaiah 30:21a

HOME SCHOOL
Home schooling is attractive to Hazel Parker because, “I can impress upon them my love, acceptance and experience no matter what the subject matter.” She and her husband Russ have home schooled since 1982. They have five sons – two are now adults living on their own, and three are still at home. The Parkers see each day as an opportunity to make a lasting impression on their children.

Hazel is quick to admit that home schooling isn’t an easy road and should only be embraced by those who love it. The challenging aspect of accepting the academic responsibility home schooling entails can’t be met by the half-hearted.

Distractions can easily interfere, so strict discipline is required, yet it’s the flexibility of home schooling that allows the Parkers to pursue their family love of art and music. Most of her boys have been involved with the Orlando Deanery Boychoir and have had the opportunity to travel and sing in Canada, Europe, Austria, the Czech Republic and all over the United States including performances at Carnegie Hall. Home schooling allowed Hazel to schedule their days to achieve excellence in academics and music.

Mayor Dyer recently commissioned Levi, her fourth son and Head Chorister, to represent Orlando in Europe on the choir's Prayer for Peace International Tour. Their two grown sons are proof that home schooling works; one owns his own business and the other is on the Leadership Development Team with Lockheed Martin.

PRIVATE SCHOOL
Tony and Sara Caggiano have chosen a Christian private school so their children will have a Christ-centered education. God is intricately involved in our world, and they have found a school that reflects that in their curriculum.

For seven years they have not only watched their children grow in academics, but in Christian character as well. With a son in tenth grade, twins in ninth, and a third grader, Sara is busy car-pooling, but she isn’t complaining. “It is worth the drive, and I would do it even if we lived twice as far away. It is our top priority.”

Private education isn’t free, but Tony and Sara view the money spent as an investment in the lives of their children. The support received from faculty, staff and other families creates a warm, inviting atmosphere that enriches the educational experience. Smaller class sizes allow more personalized interaction with each child. The private school the Caggiano's have selected includes families from various cultures and walks of life, exposing their family to a wider worldview that is still rooted in Christianity. Recently, Sara observed athletes joining together in prayer before a game. Evidence that what the teens are hearing on campus and in their homes is having an impact on the way they conduct their everyday lives.

PUBLIC SCHOOL
“As a young man, I remember hearing Francis Schaeffer appeal to the church to be salt and light to the world around us instead of running from it,” says Rick Brunson. He and Ruthe Brunson embrace public education out of conviction, not convenience.

The Brunson's have two children – a daughter in the 11th grade and a son in the 8th grade. Rick points out in the book of Daniel how four Hebrew youths were encouraged to learn about the world in which they lived. They realized that God had a purpose for their lives then, and they pursued it with all their hearts, even when the choices became more costly.

Rick and Ruthe embraced public schooling for their children but they recognize they must balance what their children are hearing with what the Word of God says, which leads to many lively discussions at the dinner table. Recently their son asked how it is possible to win the war on terror when the terrorists are willing to sacrifice their lives for their cause? These are hard questions, but the same ones the teens on campus are asking. Being able to share a Biblical worldview with their son enables him to turn around and share truth with his friends.
Ruthe has always worked at the school her children attend, which has given her great opportunities to effect the school in a positive way. Their children are learning academically, but more importantly they are learning how to confront the culture without being compromised by it.