Dispelling Common Myths about Christian Education

“I am not homeschooling your kids,” my college roommate said to her husband.

My former roommate and I met up every month or so (with our spouses in tow) for a game night. We were all newlyweds with no kids. But to us, this epic argument about where our kids would go to school was a legitimate conversation. Three out of four of our jobs were in higher education. We saw firsthand examples of students who were homeschooled, attended Christian schools, or graduated from public schools. Because we valued education, where our future kids would attend school was important to us, even though we didn’t have kids yet.

“But don’t you want our kids to learn what interests them?” her husband replied.

As my college roommate quipped a response, my husband gave me with a knowing glance and chuckled. He was thinking about similar conversations we’d had about our own imaginary kids. In the end, my husband and I vowed that when our kids were ready for school, we would pray our way to a decision.

Deciding where a child goes to school is not easy for parents.

Through the years, I’ve been amazed at both the overly negative and overly positive comments I’ve heard from friends and family about Christian schools in particular. I thought it would be helpful to dispel some myths about Christian schools, whether you know someone who attends a private school, work for one yourself, or perhaps are considering one for your child.

But before I do, I want to include this disclaimer. I know there are quality public schools. Alternatively, homeschool is the best option for many families. I don’t want to limit God by giving the impression that Christian schools are always the best choice. This may not be the case for where you live or what your family needs.

However, I also know there are a lot of preconceived notions about Christian schools. Here is what I know firsthand from my experience within Christian education and what a faith-based school can provide.

Myth #1: Students from Christian schools are sheltered.

The goal of the faith-based schools I’ve been a part of is to give the big, imperfect world we live in context, not shelter kids from it. These schools filter the world through a biblical perspective. Christian schools expose students to different pieces of our culture in age-appropriate ways and stages. As believers, we are in a culture war. However, Christian schools are not meant to keep children safe from that war but to equip them with the tools they need to live well within the world. A phrase common in church circles is “in the world but not of the world.” Preparing students to live their faith well should be a religious school’s goal.

Myth #2: Students are “safe” in a Christian school.

A Christian school will not magically “fix” a rebellious student who doesn’t want to change. Christian high schools see all the same teenage angst afoot as public high schools. (However, students in Christian schools like to keep their activities more hidden because, when those activities are revealed, students are disciplined). However, a faith-based school can be a place where students encounter Christ. It can be an environment that supports the change of students’ hearts or a place of hypocrisy. It depends on the school and the leadership of the staff.

Myth #3: The material taught at a Christian school is all “Christian.”

Once a parent came to me appalled because her daughter’s teacher was having the class read a book with questionable material by a non-Christian author. Because I knew the book and thought her daughter could handle the topic, I encouraged the mom to read the book with her daughter. “Don’t you want your daughter to have a viewpoint on that issue before she graduates and is on her own?” I asked. “Don’t you want to have an opportunity to share your opinions with her before other people’s opinions shape her?” As the mom looked closer at the book, she realized that the secular book was not celebrating the questionable material but illustrating real-life consequences.

Not all material taught in Christian schools is “Christian” in the most obvious sense. However, teachers should present the curriculum through a biblical lens where students wrestle with material in light of biblical truths.

Myth #4: All Christian schools are alike.

Just take a tour of a couple of faith-based schools, and you’ll see how wrong this statement is. Christian schools should have a focus on Christ. Still, most religious schools fall into one of two categories: they are discipleship schools or mission schools. A discipleship school teaches (or disciples) Christian students. They only accept Christian students or students whose parents are Christians. A mission school can operate differently, but it is usually a mix of believers and non-believer students and families. The purpose of this type of school is to bring non-Christians to Christ. Understanding which category a Christian school falls into is essential to knowing how it operates.

Myth #5: Christian schools are too expensive.

Most Christian schools require tuition, whereas public schools do not. However, many Christian schools also offer tuition assistance or scholarships. In my experience, if attending a religious school is a priority, parents make it happen, no matter their financial status. Also, depending on what state you live in, there may be local benefits. For example, when we lived in South Carolina, we used untaxed dollars from our education fund to pay for private school. If the only hurdle in going to a Christian school is the cost, parents should talk to the school and see what options are available for their family.

Myth #6: Students from Christian schools don’t receive a quality education.

I’ve seen students from Christian schools awarded thousands of dollars in scholarship money and attend prestigious colleges. The Christian high schools I’ve been a part of had more challenging educational objectives than other schools in the area. But I’ve also seen the reverse happen with students from faith-based schools not keeping up with their peers in a collegiate setting. Just because a student attended a religious school does not make them an automatic “success” or “failure.” We must also challenge the educational paradigm when we think about the end goal of a faith-based school. Do these schools only want students to test high on standardized tests and go to college? Are there other options for students’ futures? Is there room for all students to learn to love God and love others well?

The Bottom Line When It Comes to Education

Now that my husband and I are parents, we return to this question: What is our end goal for our children’s education? Of course, we want our children to reach their God-given potential and fall in love with learning. We want our kids to be independent, contributing citizens of society one day. But most importantly, we want our kids to love Jesus. When it comes to our kids, we are the primary educators. It is our responsibility to teach and partner with others to achieve these goals.

When a school’s goals line up with our goals as parents, it can make for a great partnership.

Ashley Shannon is a wife, mother, and self-appointed adventure curator. As a lifelong learner, she enjoys exploring the Midwest where she lives and painting her experience of motherhood with words.

Photograph © Emmanuel Phaeton, used with permission