In 1989 Grandpa (Don) and Grandma (Mary) lived in Savage Minnesota with their four children.   Three of them attended St. John the Baptist Catholic School.   Don while teaching catechism is informed by his student, Sarah, that things have changed since he was a boy in catechism. Her claim was that today’s children need to decide for themselves what is right and wrong for them.

Don was surprised.  He learned that Sarah was right about what the school was teaching.  St. John’s was now using “values clarification” texts for teaching morals and virtues.   Students would indeed be taught in catechism, and in the school that virtues and morals are relative, and subjective.  The training would be all about clarifying your values and deciding what’s right for you.   No right nor wrong way to believe.

Don objects!   By accident Don and Mary learn there is such a thing as homeschooling.   They also learn that they too were practicing “values clarification”, ‘doing what was right for them, which really wasn’t right at all’.

Don saw the fruits of homeschooling in 1989 and wanted them so much for his own family that Don and Mary decide to homeschool their children.  Don and Mary decide to teach Godly character traits and values to their children.   The family stops watching the TV.  Mary gets a tubal reversal.   Together they make the sacrifices and changes needed as they put their trust in God.   The family grows to eight children.  Two of the eight children become religious sisters.  Six of them are happily married.  From those six marriages there are twenty three grandchildren!   All of the children and grandchildren have kept their Catholic faith.

Grandma and Grandpa Hill are so glad they made those decisions of 1989, homeschooling, the tubal reversal and turning off the TV.

As promised this is the link to a recommended article by William Kilpatrick https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/education/catholic-contributions/how-not-to-teach-morality.html