Parenting and educating children in today’s world is harder than it has ever been before. But Jeff Keaton encourages moms, dads, and teachers to hold on to hope.

How can parents protect their kids from a world that wants to feed them lies? How can teachers stand strong in the midst of difficult moral dilemmas? Jeff Keaton addresses both these points in today’s episode, reminds us of some inspiring truths, and gives his thoughts on how parents—if they want to—can create a generation of healthy, Biblically-minded kids. Jeff is the founder and president of RenewaNation, an organization dedicated to spreading Christian education throughout America and around the world.

“Here’s what parents want to do: they want to say, ‘I’m dropping my kid off at school and the school will do all the educating. I’m dropping my kid off at Sunday School and the church will do all the religious education.’ It’s backwards…At the end of the day, God’s going to hold us, as parents, accountable for how our kids are trained.” — Jeff Keaton, president of RenewaNation

On this episode, Melvin and Jeff discuss:

• School funding: where does the money go? Why are schools spending millions and turning out under-educated children?
• Lack of parental involvement and where that has left both public and Christian schools today
• How parents and grandparents can take on the responsibility to train their children at home, while still taking advantage of school and church resources
• What’s the difference between failing schools and failing communities?
• Broken families: how do divorce and fatherlessness contribute to America’s current social climate?
• Why schools should stop trying to fix families
• Teachers are leaving public schools and finding jobs in Christian schools—is fear driving this mass exodus? 
• The influence teachers have in their students’ lives, how to persevere in a public school if you’re a Christian teacher, and how to let your students see your Christian values
• How school administrators can support their teachers by establishing better classroom environments 
• Spreading truth regardless of religious and political lines

Would you rather watch the video versions of our podcast? Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get notified every Wednesday when new episodes drop. Here’s today’s conversation with Jeff:

If you like what you heard today, stay tuned for our next episode on The State of Education with Melvin Adams. 

RESOURCES MENTIONED ON TODAY’S EPISODE:

• Visit Jeff Keaton’s organization at RenewaNation.org
• Jeff recommends these books:
  • 50 Things Every Child Needs to Know Before Leaving Home 
  • Biblical Worldview
  • Grandparenting: Strengthening Your Family and Passing on Your Faith
• Starting a Christian school? RenewaNation offers coaching guidance for your startup
• Visit Noah Webster Educational Foundation to learn more about us and check out our blogcast