In recent news, the United States House and Senate have approved a $26 billion bill in state aid to school districts and states to prevent large scale layoffs of public school teachers and government employees. Passed along majority lines, President Barak Obama was quick to sign this measure and praise Democrats for saving American jobs. American jobs? Perhaps American government jobs might be more accurate.

The urgency of this measure is also evidenced by the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's calling back of Congress members during the summer recess to prevent massive layoffs at public schools across the country this fall. The government's patching up efforts haven't ended. No doubt there are many public school teachers who are Christians whose jobs have been saved. Measures like this, which display an open and obvious intention to secure government jobs, make one wonder.

Why do public school teachers deserve to keep their positions any more than Christian school teachers do? Aren't Christian schools suffering the same effects of a pressured economy, low enrollment, and non-existent budgets? It seems government institutions like the public education system can't be allowed to fail. This news flash is hardly an eye opener. Life isn't fair. Christian schools will never receive large cash bailouts as private religious-based institutions.

Here's the kicker, though: Christian schools can't fail either. They mustn't. The need for faith-based schools to teach beliefs and God-centered academics is a right no one can take away from us unless we take it away from ourselves. Are we removing a precious right to freedom of religion every time a Christian school closes, every time a student is withdrawn and placed into public school, every time a teacher leaves because they get paid better at a public school? If so, what will become of Christianity in our nation? Educating our students in the truth is a right and a privilege. Christian schools and public schools aren't treated the same because they shouldn't be the same. Sometimes that's a hard lesson to learn.

What do you think of public school bailouts? Do you think America is slowly abandoning Christian education?