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Yet as more and more friends pulled their children out of public school, I became curious. I began researching non-public school options and why so many families were separating from their schools. the standard. Many friends were homeschooling or enrolling in hybrid schools, but as a working mom, those options weren’t viable for me.

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This random exploration brought me to a point of no return when I began reading about the merits of a classical Christian education. I had heard the term “classical education” before, but it was unfamiliar to me and, to be honest, seemed elitist. When I Googled “classical schools,” I discovered that their names were in Latin and difficult to translate. However, something pushed me.

As I learned more about the classical education model, I knew it was what I wanted for my children. I learned that classical education is rooted in the traditions of Western civilization, including the study of classical languages, logic, literature, and philosophy. It promotes critical thinking and public speaking and cultivates a deep appreciation of the heritage that has shaped a modern and free society.

Unlike public schools, mainstream schools promote a holistic learning experience that integrates faith, mind, and spirit. They focus less on standardized tests and curriculum standards and more on the pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty in all areas. Public schools’ intense focus on meeting required state mandates can limit the depth, breadth, and individuality of students’ personalities, interests, and potential.

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However, I had a hard time making this decision. Although I had heard horror stories about some public schools, with failing academic programs and radically ideological teachers, that was not the case at our local school. We loved our teachers and had a wonderful experience with parents, students and administration.

Plus, there was the money factor. If we were to transfer, we would pay a total of over $22,000 a year for our two children to attend. My imagination ran wild thinking about what I could use the money for: investments, car payments, a needed new roof, braces, replacing our 10-year-old couch.

And yet, looking at the results of so many public schools today, I was not impressed. with the results: Failing grades and dogmatic, entitled students are heading to universities that would only accentuate these negative qualities.

It was also important to me to help my children develop critical thinking skills for rigorous debate and idea formation in an environment where they would not be “cancelled” or reprimanded for “bad” thinking. Since these are the most formative years of my children’s lives, I decided that some of the money I had saved for college would be better spent now.

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In the classical school we have chosen, students are encouraged to research, reason, wrestle with complex ideas, and seek the truth, even if an issue seems confusing on the surface. Mainstream schools like this don’t just prepare students for college and careers one day. Rather, they train them to lead lives of meaning and virtue, no matter what they choose to pursue.

If all schools approached education this way, we would see deeper thinkers, better ideas, and foster true ingenuity. I hope that one day all schools will adopt the philosophies of classical education. Until then, I will pay to ensure my children have this foundation.

Ericka Andersen is a freelance writer in Indianapolis, Indiana. She is the author of Reason to return: Why women need the Church and the Church needs women.