What does Ellen White advise regarding the education and upbringing of children?

Ellen White places primary responsibility for the education and spiritual formation of children on parents, but she does not declare homeschooling to be the only mandatory path for every family. She strongly warned against an education in which God is removed from the center, while at the same time urging the development of Christian and church schools.

The Biblical Foundation: The Home Is the First School

Ellen White’s counsel grows out of a biblical principle: faith cannot simply be "handed off" to a school, a pastor, or a teacher. The daily knowledge of God, prayer, the example of parents, and attitudes toward work, truthfulness, and people shape a child far more deeply than academic lessons alone.

“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” Deut 6:6–7

The Apostle Paul likewise addresses parents first and foremost, rather than an educational system. This does not mean parents must teach every academic subject personally; however, they cannot delegate to anyone else their responsibility for the direction of their child’s life.

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Eph 6:4

Where Ellen White Writes About This

The most direct treatment of Christian education is found in Ellen White’s book Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students (often abbreviated CT). It is helpful to start with the following sources, checking the pages in your specific edition:

• CT: emphasizing that parents must personally lead their children to Christ and not leave their moral education unattended.

• CT also includes an appeal not to place children under the influence of an education where biblical faith is not the foundation. Here she also raises the need for schools designed for children of Adventist families.

• Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 6: one of the most vital sources. White calls upon congregations not to be indifferent to the education of children, but to establish schools where learning is united with the Bible, a missionary spirit, practical labor, and character building.

• Fundamentals of Christian Education: on the danger of learning that separates knowledge from God, and on the necessity of preparing youth for service.

• The Adventist Home: on the daily spiritual life of the family and the training of children from their earliest years.

Did She Command That All Children Be Removed from Public Schools?

It would be inaccurate to say that Ellen White issued a universal command: "all Adventist children must be educated solely at home." She made no such sweeping decree. Her primary concern was something else: a child must not form their worldview under a model where God is absent, biblical principles are ridiculed, and success is measured only by career, popularity, or material gain.

White strongly championed the establishment of church schools. Thus, her practical response to the problem of secular education was not merely isolating the child at home, but also fostering the collective responsibility of the church for Christian education. If a church school is unavailable, and the local school exerts a destructive moral or ideological influence, homeschooling can be a wise and responsible decision. However, this choice should be made prayerfully, taking into account the parents' capacities, the needs of the individual child, and available alternatives.

Principle Is More Important Than the Form of Education

Homeschooling in itself does not guarantee spiritual success, just as a church school does not automatically instill faith. A child needs a living relationship with Christ, a consistent example set by adults, biblical mentoring, healthy fellowship, and opportunities to serve others.

“Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Prov 22:6

This text is not a mechanical guarantee that the right educational format will eliminate a child’s free will. Rather, it underscores the profound weight of early, intentional, and loving mentorship.

How to Apply This Practically

Parents should honestly evaluate the environment that is shaping their child: what they are learning about God, morality, human dignity, and the meaning of life. Regardless of whether a child attends a public, church, or home school, the family can read the Bible daily, pray together, discuss tough questions, know the child’s friends, and stay closely connected to the church community. If a school systematically undermines the child’s faith and character, a better alternative should be sought—a church school, homeschooling, or another safe educational setting. The essential principle for Ellen White is this: Christ must not be a mere addition to education, but its very center.