As a mother of two and a grandmother of two, I feel increasingly committed to protecting the future of our children.
It is a scary world we live in, and it looks nothing like it did when we were growing up. It’s even vastly different from when I was raising my own children, and I can’t imagine the questions that must be answered when a child comes home from school today, nor the conversations that take place when parents aren’t around.
Our moral compass seems to have an out of order sign hanging on it. Thus, I was extremely hopeful and happy to see that Alabama’s Sen. Tommy Tuberville is carrying the torch for our children.
“Every child in America ought to have the option of going to a religious school,” Tuberville stated in a recent press release seeking to recognize and celebrate religious education in the nation. “There’s a myth out there that our Founders wanted to keep God out of the public square. That just isn’t true. This country was built on love of God, love of country, and love of family.”
As a parent, I greatly appreciate Tuberville’s strong commitment to give families the freedom to instill their faith and values into their children's education. As the world grows increasingly disconnected, it’s encouraging to see his focus on restoring our nation’s values, reminding us that we can return to the principles that have always made America strong. And since he seems to show absolutely no weakness when challenged by the establishment, I have more confidence that he will succeed in this new area of encouraging and supporting religious education.
But strong political leadership such as Tuberville’s needs the support of strong parents, willing to fight alongside him.
Many believe that religion and the classroom do not mix, but how can that be when religion has played such a role in our country’s identity and in politics? Even our first president, George Washington, endorsed the crucial need for religion in our nation, noting in his “Farewell Address,” ‘‘Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.’’
We talk today about moral decline, but we forget that we are actively removing God from our homes, our schools, and the political world. We’ve even stopped saying the Pledge of Allegiance, removing that daily reminder for children to know what our country stands for!
Tuberville’s support for parents to send their children to religious schools is a step in the right direction. But I also pray that our children will first learn the importance of prayer in their own homes with their families so that they feel confident in sharing that same lesson with others when they are in their schools, religious or otherwise. I pray that this step would bring us back to our true love of our God, our love of country, and love of family.
Thank you, Sen. Tuberville, for taking this stand!
Ashley Carter is a wife, mother, and grandmother living in Elmore County, where she and her husband run Farm to Table Living and Carter Farms. Ashley serves as Controller and Executive Assistant at 1819 News. She is currently working on an inspirational book of short stories. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email ashley.carter@1819news.com.
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