Christian right leaders are gradually giving their support to a movement urging parents to pull their children out of public schools, reports the Washington Times (Aug. 7).
Christian leaders, such as James Dobson of Focus on the Family, and Southern Baptist officials, as well as conservatives such as “Dr. Laura” Schlessinger, have reversed themselves in the last few months on the view that Christians should not forsake the public schools and that they should act as a positive influence in the system. Now they are calling for withdrawal from the schools because of intensifying homosexual “propaganda” and other liberal views espoused there.
The so-called “exodus” movement, which calls for Christians to withdraw from public schools and to abolish the public school system, has been active for over four years, facing opposition even from conservatives favoring Christian schools and homeschooling. But, somewhat ironically, its momentum seems stronger after the recent Supreme Court decision allowing school vouchers.
Journalist Joseph Farah says that a lot of conservatives are worried about the effects of pop culture on their kids and are moving to the position that “it’s time to end all government involvement with the schools, at the state and local and federal levels.”