While there are exceptions, most teachers work very hard and put in long hours to teach the children in their classrooms. We should appreciate this work and we should be thankful for the sacrifices they make. However, the ultimate authority over education belongs to parents, not teachers, and that authority was given to the parents by God. This is unfortunately a necessary reminder for those teachers who go on social media to denigrate parents and parental involvement in education, especially since those parents are not "experts" with a degree.
There is plenty of Biblical support for this. Deuteronomy 6:6–7 tells parents specifically to train their children in the Word. The Fifth Commandment explicitly tells children to obey their parents, promising a long life for obedience. Proverbs 1:8-9 and Proverbs 13:1 instruct children (especially young men) to obey their fathers and mothers. This is also emphasized in the New Testament, with the Apostle Paul's instructions in Ephesians 6:1–3, and the Apostle Paul repeats this in his letter to the Colossians.
As is the case in so many things, it does not have to be "all or nothing." It is actually possible for parents to expect their children to respect the teacher's rightful authority and also recognize that it is the parents, not the school system, who have the ultimate authority over their child's education. Recognizing parental authority does not mean automatic negation of the in loco parentis doctrine. We live in a society where far too many people are unable to grasp the concept that two things can be true at once. It is utterly absurd to argue that those who believe in parental authority should be obligated to homeschool their children. This is a petulant and childish response.
It is actually really simple. Civil government has set up an educational system where we can ensure that children are instructed in a wide variety of things, from mathematics to history, art, science, language and music. Parents then entrust their children to the schools and (hopefully) expect their children will respect the school's authority. But the legal codes of the states have long reserved educational authority - and authority over a wide variety of other matters - to the parents. This is because our nation has a long history of Christian influence over our laws. Both concepts can exist simultaneously and symbiotically.
Yes, I know that abuse and neglect exist. Duh. There are legal mechanisms to deal with that, as there should be. But can we please stop sacrificing the normal on the altar of the abnormal, or using bad behavior to restrict the rightful authority of all parents? In other words, can we please be adults?
Scripture is clear: God gives children to mothers and fathers, not to the civil magistrate. It is those parents who have the ultimate authority over those children, and bear the ultimate responsibility for them. This is why conservatives err when they talk about parental "rights" instead of parental authority. Conservatives need to re-embrace the concept of sphere authority, especially at a time when all authority is sliding to Washington D.C.
Parental authority in education
We live in a society where far too many people are unable to grasp the concept that two things can be true at once.
