Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

What prompted the Federal Government to get involved in the education of our nation's children? Mike Smith looks back on today's Home School Heartbeat.

Mike:


The Federal Government has not always played a role in American Education. When the founding fathers wrote the establishment clause into the First Amendment they weren't thinking about education, because the Federal government had no role in education at that time. As in many other areas, States were free to do what they deemed best.


But during Reconstruction, the Federal Government took on a larger role in public education, attempting to ensure Southern States would rectify the inequalities caused by slavery. The Morrill Act of 1862 established land-grant colleges. By 1867, the House of Representatives created the Education and Labor Committee. In the same year, the US Office of Education was established in the executive branch.


Today's schools bear no resemblance to American schools prior to 1948. That's when the Supreme Court ruled in McCollum v. Board of Education that optional religious training was not allowed in the public schools. By 1963, the Court declared Bible reading and prayer in schools unconstitutional.


Present day educators ignore the fact that the Bible was used openly in public schools for over 150 years. Teaching tolerance rather than truth has weakened our nation. Parents, hearing the call of Ephesians 4:15 to live the truth in love, are taking their children elsewhere. And until next time, I'm Mike Smith.