New Role; New Goals

I work with Forrest Turpen and his wife, Judy, in the California Regional Office in Anaheim. Forrest is the West Coast Regional Director for CEAI and President of the Board for Released Time Christian Education. Judy is contributing editor for the CEAI Magazine, Teachers of Vision.

My role at CEAI is to assist in promoting, supporting, and expanding the programs of Christian Educators and Released Time. We agreed that I would focus specifically on three goals this year.
The first is to expand our sphere of influence and memberships in CEAI through visiting Christian universities in southern California. We would like to make CEAI available as a resource to students getting ready to graduate in the field of education. It will be my job to update contacts, visit the school’s Education Department and promote the mission of CEAI. Secondly, I will exhibit at regional conferences and develop new training workshops. I will be able to promote both CEAI and Released Time Ministries at these conferences. Thirdly, I will stabilize Released Time Programs which are lacking leadership, curriculum, training, or volunteer staff. I will work with new school districts to re-start classes which have been discontinued or start classes in areas where they have never been before.

No Longer Alone

Through feedback from teachers who attend the Daniel Institute weekends, we are discovering that Christian teachers feel alone in much of their work. Christian Educators Association (CEAI) is a professional membership for Christian teachers which offers professional liability insurance, prayer networks, free legal consultation, a magazine and newsletters discussing current events in education, local seminars on legal rights and many internet resources. We want to spread the word that teachers have support for themselves and in reaching their school for Christ.

In November we presented a workshop for my older sister’s Sunday School class which included important information for teachers and parents who have kids in public schools. Since Susan participated in the second Daniel Institute Weekend, she shared with the class how much it had encouraged her. I spoke about the ministry of Released Time Christian Education and how it can help Christian teachers identify other Christians in their school. Forrest Turpen, our Regional Director, discussed opportunities for teachers to talk about Christ using the curriculum and standards set by the State Board of Education.

Some teachers have been intimidated and told that they cannot have a Bible on their desk. Many of them think they are not allowed to pray with another teacher before school or during their lunch hour but that is not true. Students can pray in class during non-instructional time, if they choose. They can read their Bible after finishing their homework. They are free to share their beliefs in assignments, as long as the guidelines of the assignment have been met. These liberties are based on freedom of speech, religious freedom and equal access laws. CEAI staff make themselves available to support teachers. There is such a need Christian teachers in public schools that we must empower as many as we can for the task that God has called them to do.