Right to an Education v. the Religion of Evolution Home Next >>
By: Swayne Benson Loftis Blue means "Quick Read" (about 15 min)
Introduction
March 2008
The world is full of people that whine but do nothing. Jesus said that you are the light of the world and commanded us to shine (Mathew 5:14, 5:16). I chose to let Jesus shine his light through me on Tuesday night, November 21, 2006. I was nervous as I waited for my turn to speak to the Honorable Springfield (Missouri) School Board. God had sent me. I so much felt like my physical body was a sacrificial lamb being offered up for God’s work. People would have to look at me as I spoke. There was no way around it. I had no guarantee that the Board, other school officials, and the audience would rally beside me as I articulated the brutal discrimination being done to my sweet children, and to others, by the Springfield School Board.
I felt unworthy in life in a number of ways. The struggles of living life and raising children. But friends, what moved me forward was this truth: All children, including mine, have a right to an education without being coerced into denying their faith in Jesus Christ and in the Holy Bible.
I gave a five minute introduction to the about 100 minute presentation titled, MY CHILDREN HAVE A RIGHT TO AN EDUCATION EVEN IF THEY WON'T ACCEPT THE RELIGION OF EVOLUTION. I had the room assistant place a printed copy of my presentation that also included a audio CD version of the presentation into the hands of each Honorable School Board member and anyone at their main table.
The Board politely listened to my introduction then my family and I left the meeting. That was a year and four months ago, and I haven’t received so much as an email or postage stamp from any one of them, not even from the board secretary. (I had included plenty of contact information.) No one called and said, “Mr. Loftis, your children are important and state law gives us very substantial money and requires us to give every child, including yours, a reasonable opportunity for education without discriminating against their race or religion. Let’s get together and see what we can do.” (Author's note: I have since confirmed that they had made no effort to communicate with me.)
The Board viewed my children and any similar Christian children as unworthy citizens. Not worthy of so much as a postage stamp. However, my oldest son will be 18 in a couple years. Do you think the Selective Service will write him a letter and say that because he was denied his share of education funds he will not be required to potentially put his blood at risk to defend equality for all Americans on a battlefield. His blood is good enough to die, but not worthy enough, in the eyes of the Springfield School Board, to have the same opportunity in education as other children without being endlessly coerced to accept the religion of Evolution.
I gave this presentation (Nov. 21, 2006) that God told me to deliver and about a year and a half later, no money. I had told just about everyone what God told me and one night I prayed and said, "Holy Father, I did what you told me to do, and I have received no money for my children's education. I am starting to feel embarrassed and starting to look like a nut. Why haven't you given me the money? What's wrong?"
I went to bed that night and at about 10 a.m. the next day while I was working, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, "Swayne, I have given you the land. Go possess it. " The Holy Spirit brought to my mind the whole scenario of how the Lord God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt and told them,
"Take possession of the land [Canaan] and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess." Numbers 33:53
God was showing me that even the children of Israel had to take up battle plans & swords and physically drive out squatters, seven nations that had set up habitation on what belonged to Israel. God was telling me to enter the political arena and take possession of what is ethically mine, my children's fair share of education dollars to be spent in a wise way and without religious persecution.
"I will send my terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter." Exodus 23:27
God is with us as we protect our children from those steeling our children's education money and forcing them to blaspheme God as I illustrate in this book.
"I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way." Exodus 23:28
In a similar way the 2002 Supreme Court decision upholding school choice that includes religious schools was like hornets sent from God to remove huge obstacles. [Endnote 4] Great credit goes to the people that have forwarded school choice this far. Now God wants his representitives in charge, protecting education opportunity or all children.
There are successes but there are also many problems with Missouri's public schools. In this book (presentation) I describe one that absolutely cannot be allowed to continue and I give a clear solution.
Early 2009
I am handedly involved in the 2009 Missouri Legislative Session and am posting communications to all Missourians devoted to the brilliant Light of Freedom. I am actively working with Missourians on both sides of the isle as we ascend together to do the right thing in the eyes of God and not rest until Equality in Education Opportunity is Law in our beautiful State. I will be posting communications and volunteer opportunities at RightToAnEducation.Org. Thank you for joining this important cause.
Sincerely Yours,
Swayne Benson Loftis (Chapter 1 below)
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Right to an Education v. the Religion of Evolution
Chapter 1
Five Minute Intro
The following was presented live by Swayne B. Loftis to the Honorable Springfield School Board on November 21, 2006. It took about five minutes. The contints of this book is almost identical as what was presented to the Springfield School Board. Changes are gramatical corrections and Author's notes have been added.
Introduction & Summary
of Presentation
to the Springfield R-12 School District
Honorable School Board
Springfield, Missouri
Tuesday November 21, 2006
Presentation Title:
MY CHILDREN HAVE A RIGHT TO AN EDUCATION EVEN IF THEY WON’T ACCEPT THE RELIGION OF EVOLUTION
By: Swayne Loftis, PO box 8493, Springfield, Missouri, 65801
Email: SwayneLoftis@hotmail.com
Good evening Honorable School Board members, friends and guest. Thank you for your valuable time tonight. I have a very exciting five minute presentation. It is actually a summary of a much longer detailed presentation that I have included in print, text version on CD, and actually an audio version on CD in the portfolio I gave each of you. I know your time is valuable and I am trying to use it efficiently.
A year and a half ago, I was in a dilemma. I was divorced and trying to home school my six beautiful children during the six months out of the year that I had custody of them. I was working full time and paying my older children to do their own school work and help their younger siblings with theirs. When I would get home I reviewed their work and covered special subjects. It was very difficult. I clearly realized why public schools get over $6,000 per student per year to educate children. There’s a lot to it.
Why don’t my former wife and I send our beloved children to the Springfield Public Schools? Several reasons. The most important is our faith in Jesus Christ and in the Holy Bible.
Jesus says in Mark 8:38,
If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.
To be ashamed of Jesus in front of people puts a person at risk of God’s eternal punishment. This is huge. It is very important to my former wife and I that our precious children are not unreasonably risking God’s eternal punishment as they simply try to get an education. We support other parents right to exercise their religious faith without government persecution, and we support our own right to do so.
So, there I was, my dear children struggling to get the education that they deserve and need. I was overwhelmed emotionally and timewise trying to educate them. So one morning I was praying before going to work and I said, “God, it is so hard to educate my sweet children when I don’t get one dime of my education tax dollars.” I continued, “Gracious Lord, there is only one reason why we don’t get our share of school tax dollars. It is because we won’t deny our faith in you.” I said, “Lord, Help me.”
At that moment, the Holy Spirit spoke to me. Almighty God spoke to me and said this, “Swayne, if you go to the Honorable Springfield School Board and articulate, explain this horrible injustice, I will not only give you your share of your school tax dollars to send your children to private school, but I will give every parent in the State of Missouri their share of their school tax dollars to send their children to what ever school they want them to attend.” He continued, “Swayne, I can do this because I am God.”
I just paused and said, “Thank you, Lord.” Yes, it has taken a year and a half for me to finally get here. But I am here and I am doing the part that God told me to do. And Honorable School Board, I am asking you to do your part and I am sure God has the capacity to finish all the other details involved.
My written presentation addresses this: The Springfield Public Schools systematically, from the early grades through high school pressure students to embrace the religious faith of Evolution and consequently deny, in my children’s case, faith in Jesus Christ. This is a profound violation of the First Amendment. The solution to this is to put 90% [author's note - in the current bill, 100% is depicted minus all transportation and federal funds in a district] of my children’s fair share of their school tax dollars into 3rd party Education Escrow Accounts to be invested into the public or private school my choice. In 2002, the US Supreme Court cleared the way for this liberating concept. [Endnote 4] My children’s private school should have the same financial resources as the deeply religious Springfield Public Schools that embrace Evolution.
Thank you.
Swayne B. Loftis