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“In today’s educational environment, there is an overwhelming need for Christian education,” says Dwayne Oxner, principal at Ridgewood Christian School in Port Arthur. He told the TEXAN that God’s instruction in Deuteronomy 6 for parents to teach their children is more than just a suggestion to teach biblical concepts.
“It’s a directive to instruct and impress God’s decrees and laws upon a nation, their children and their children’s children.”
By teaching from a Christian statement of faith, Oxner said every student and parent recognizes “we are on the same page” spiritually. “We are not automatons nor are we a Christian country club. We are simply like-minded believers who desire that our children learn and acknowledge God’s decrees and laws.”
In contrast, Christian parents of children enrolled in public schools may find themselves having to counter what was taught in the classroom.
“When our children go home talking about class, our parents do not have to reprogram them because they’ve been taught that the universe just happened,” he explained. “Our parents are able to acknowledge and reinforce the truth.”
Ridgewood was begun in 1998 by Ridgewood Church and is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Association of Christian Schools (SBACS) as well as the Texas-based National Association of University Model Schools (NAUMS).
A RESOURCE, NOT A REFUGE
“A lot of people think Christian school is an escape from the world, saying the kids are sheltered and need to face the real world,” added David Wilson, pastor of Southcrest Baptist Church in Lubbock. When he presented the vision to launch Southcrest Christian School in 1993, the primary reason was “to keep God in everything,” he recalled.
The school notes on its website that “SCS education is not a refuge from, but rather, a resource for a rapidly changing world.”
“I have a lot of public educators in our church, but their hands are tied as far as what they can teach from a biblical worldview. There needed to be an alternative—not a reaction, because there are people who would like to have their children taught a biblical worldview and still get a quality education.”
Instead of trying to hide and escape the world, Wilson said the school is preparing students to face the world from a Christian perspective, preparing them to handle real life with substance. “It’s not Vacation Bible School. Our kids have done well on testing and have no trouble entering the steps above them,” he added.
From meeting in four rooms with combined grades that first year, Southcrest Christian School has leased additional space in nearby Cumberland Presbyterian Church to accommodate growth. Now at an enrollment of 280, the school will host its first graduating class in 2013 as this year’s juniors become seniors.
In addition to SBACS, the school is affiliated with the Association of Christian Schools International and is awaiting word of accreditation through the Texas Association of Baptist Schools (TABS).
National statistics show a 10-15 percent decline in enrollment in Christian schools over the past three years, according to Ed Gamble, national executive director of SBACS.
“Most Christian schools operate close to the mark. They don’t have extra cash lying around,” he said recently in an interview with the Florida Baptist Witness.
Some Southern Baptist churches are making hard decisions about whether to continue supporting a Christian school when faced with their own funding challenges. With a current enrollment of 80 students, Oxner has seen that number remain consistent at Ridgewood.
“I can tell you that many other schools are being forced to close their doors due to lack of enrollment and financial shortfalls,” Oxner said.
Both Ridgewood Church and Southcrest Baptist Church allow their schools to operate rent-free, providing a substantial savings in operational expenses. Parents participate in annual fundraisers to provide additional income for the schools.
Oxner said southeast Texas has handled the economic downturn better than most areas of the country, but added, “Most of our parents are already making significant sacrifices and many simply could not afford a tuition increase.”
“I do sometimes think, ‘If they went to public school I wouldn’t have to pay for this,’” shared Zulema Escobedo, whose three children are enrolled at Ridgewood. When she hears of a friend or family member whose child is being taunted or hates going to school, she said she’s reminded it’s a good investment, citing the academic environment and character development.
Escobedo turned to Ridgewood 10 years ago when her daughter was being harassed by another kindergarten girl wanting to express her affection. “They said there’s nothing we can do,” citing the 5-year-old’s freedom to express herself.
When her children are complimented on their behavior by people they meet in restaurants and stores, she is quick to credit Ridgewood for reinforcing the values she and her husband have taught.
SBACS reports over 600 schools operating nationwide with some relationship to Southern Baptist churches, including 178 in Texas, though some of those offer only preschool education. Since private Christian schools often affiliate with more than one organization there is overlap between the 23 Texas schools relating to NAUMS, 42 schools that make up TABS and 258 schools that are a part of ACSI.
