I’ve been a Public School teacher for over eight years and I’ve seen the ugly truth about our current state of education and how it is affecting our children. While there are many wonderful teachers doing their best, the system itself is breaking, and it’s our children who pay the price.

The reality of today’s school system in America is that learning is not the top priority anymore. Yes, I know your principal or district superintendent will say it is but I can attest that their actions don’t reflect that commitment. 

Schools Are Overcrowded. Teachers aren’t supported.

Politics Overshadow Learning. Exams drive instruction instead of curiosity.

Safety and Morality Are Under Siege. Parents feel powerless.

I’ve seen a lot of things in my career and I’d like to share what I think are the top five warning signs for parents to remove their children from public school. 

1. Your Child is Not Being Protected - Physically, Emotionally, Mentally, Spiritually

Public schools have failed to protect our children. We’ve heard about the horrifying stories of bullying that have led to death and serious injury. We’ve also heard of the tragic moments where school shootings occur. It’s true that we cannot control other people but we can certainly take proactive measures to ensure the safety of those we love. 

If your school is not protecting your child when issues arise they are failing your child. Anytime children endure traumatic events it doesn’t just affect them in one way but rather in every way - physically, emotionally, the way they think, and what they believe. These are highly sensitive areas that schools should be protecting with intentionality but often drop the ball in. 

2. Your Child Begins to Suddenly Disrespect You In New Ways

Disrespect happens as children grow and learn their boundaries. However, the issue here is if you begin to see disrespect in ways that are increasingly more rebellious.

 

This is a sign that your child is seeing how other students behave, think, and talk to each other (and authority figures) and attempting to adopt it themselves. As the parent you are responsible to address these issues but if you are reaching a point where the disrespect is overwhelming it’s time to remove your child from the environment they’ve picked up these habits. 

“Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.””

‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭33‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

3. A Pattern of Bad Decision-Making Begins (and solutions aren’t working)

This could apply to a variety of situations but the idea here is that there is a harmful pattern and nothing is working to break it away from your child. These patterns are usually tied to deeper issues within the child but again, sometimes the “soil” and “conditions” of an environment don’t promote the growth of good things. Consider why the pattern has started, what type of support you are getting, and be mindful of where this could lead. 

The biggest mistake I think some parents make is that they write things off as if they are “no big deal” when in fact they should be addressed. Finding a balance between setting consistent standards and nagging is important, but it’s highly important to expect high-performing standards from your child. 

So whether they are repetitively late, disrespectful to teachers, fighting, cursing, falling behind in their grades, skipping classes, doing drugs, or just overall making poor choices - call it out. It’s the most loving thing you can do. If they don’t respond, consider a different environment that supports your goals for your child. 

4. Your Child is Found Committing Illegal Activities

Drugs, alcohol, sex, and robbery are illegal activities that have serious consequences. While every student has struggles it’s important to address these types of behaviors with clear consequences and a path to redemption. 

None of these activities happens accidentally but rather they are the result of an environment that promotes, glorifies, and exalts the qualities that come with these behaviors.

 

Most of the time I found that students exhibiting these have never been exposed to an environment that models Godly values, nor have they seen the benefits of living for God. My suggestion is not to play around with this situation. 

Even if your child doesn’t yet understand your decisions, they’ll one day see that your love was willing to take hard steps to protect them.

5. Your Child Is Becoming Increasingly More Disinterested with God

A student who is growing older is also growing in responsibility, in stewarding friends, goals, dreams, and passions. Naturally they are learning how to pursue God while maturing into a more independent person in society. If let to their own devices, I’ve seen students get swallowed up by the cares of the world in public school, and forget about living for God.

 

They get into relationships before they are ready to date, experience the pain of rejection and betrayal, and are wounded unnecessarily. They get caught up in sports as it dethrones God as their number one pursuit. Even academics can become the sole focus of their life. 

However, those things alone are not the end goal of this life. The true treasure is to know God and to know His Son Jesus Christ. 

I’m not saying your child should be a Shaolin Monk isolated from society but I am saying that learning how to live a life where God is seen in everything is a worthy goal. It’s possible and it’s necessary to be modeled and taught. 

Too many parents have sent their Christian child off to college only to have them return, rejecting their faith, hating God, and questioning all that you thought they believed.

 

I propose it’s because they were not taught and led into a real encounter with Jesus. They did not have answers against the cultural worldview that hates God. Do not be mistaken - there is no middle ground in this.

 

Either you are actively leading your children toward God or you are not. And if you are not, someone else is leading them in a direction you aren’t aware of. 

So what can you do if you’re seeing some of these warning signs? There are Christ-centered alternatives that can restore both your child’s heart and their love for learning.

Consider Homeschooling or Christian Private Schools - Why?

“Fathers, don’t exasperate your children, but raise them up with loving discipline and counsel that brings the revelation of our Lord.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭4‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Parents are the primary educators of their child’s life and God wants us to lead them to Him, to teach them about Him. Not just to believe He exists but to live their life in a way that aligned with God’s values. To have a personal relationship with God where He speaks to them and leads them, far after we pass away. 

Freedom to Set the Schedule

Homeschooling is a phenomenal option for this to occur. You have the freedom to set the schedule of learning, the content they learn, and the skills they learn. You can build the classroom in any schedule you’d like, or any place you’d like. Imagine a lesson on physics occurring at NASA space station or a lesson on animal behavior at the zoo! 

Learning Beyond the Classroom

Is your child interested in aviation? Sign them up for a local aviation instructional program with real planes! These are powerful ways to engage your child! 

You provide the environments they learn within, have access to vet them yourself, and then can give them space to learn within those boundaries. It’s not about shielding them from danger, but setting them up to successfully learn how to handle those situations. 

Faith-Focused Instruction

Another powerful option is to enroll them in a local Christian private school. These schools are not governed by the state educational system, nor under their jurisdiction. They have freedom to develop their own sequence of learning. 

With these schools you will find a ton of benefits - such as smaller class sizes, God-focused integration into their learning, and families that also share Godly values. However, there are instances of bullying and sometimes an intense focus on academics over Spiritual formation. 

Next Steps

Assess your situation and if you are convicted to pull your child from public school, I think you are making a wise decision that will have lasting fruit over the years. 

State Education Scholarships & Homeschool Funding

Remember, there are several states that offer tax credit scholarships or educational saving accounts (ESA) where they will deposit money for you to use on curriculum, tuition, materials, and more.For example, in Florida, they will give families who remove their student from public school up to $8,000 per student for expenses. Check your state's policy for more information. 

If you decide to homeschool your child, check out our “Biology: Designed by God” curriculum that offers an academically rigorous college-prep biology course immersed in Biblical revelation connected to God. It makes homeschooling easy because questions and activities are embedded directly into the textbook, making it “open and go” style. 

There is hope, you are qualified, and there is a better way.