Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray. Proverbs 22:6

For those of you who have been following my blog for years you may remember that back in 2016 after my oldest son entered Catholic High School, I got in a fight with the administration over the sex education curriculum that was included as part of “theology” which resulted in my son’s expulsion from the school. We were told at the time that we had signed over our right as parents when we signed the contract for the school. It was one of the darkest moments of my life as a Catholic.

While it has been years and I have made my peace with the people in my community I knew back then as I know today that the battle was never against them, it was against powers and principalities.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12

I never harbored ill will towards anyone, I simply wanted my child’s soul and the souls of the people at the school to make it to heaven. Nothing hinders being heaven bound like luke-warm Catholicism that denies parental rights. It’s a great way to suck the faith right out of your child.

This single incident changed the trajectory of education for my children. We ventured into the public school system, which in an irony, actually partnered with us more. But there was a big national machine in the public school system that pushes ideology that is not of God. Your child either gets stronger in faith or gets sucked into the abyss.

Things took a turn for the worse during and after COVID. All of the bad ideology was heightened. And the national machine was pushing hard. I saw the anxiety and depression raise in my own children. I was at a loss. I was caring for my parents at the time, running my household and I was working at the church, and I didn’t think I could take much more. But because I have one job as a parent, which is to get my children’s souls to heaven, I pulled two of them out and homeschooled. It’s like having a classroom handed to you while you’re in an ocean of waves during a hurricane. I cried and I pleaded with God.

And God responded. He responded by raising up other parents who want to be Saints along with their children. And they started a new Catholic Classical School in our area called Chesterton Academy of the Incarnation. With the blessing of the new Bishop, this non-Diocesan school began 3 years ago.

It is for this reason that I write to you today. This is the most personal for me. My daughter went from anxious and depressed hoodie wearing teenager who was being taught by the nebulous machine, prior to homeschooling, to hate traditional values. Though homeschooling helped, she was lonely and still depressed. When Chesterton became an option, she took the entrance exam and was enrolled. She is now a thriving, happy sometimes hoodie wearing, but also uniform wearing teenager who talks to me and has faith. The change in her is nothing short of a miracle.

Though there are many reasons I love this school, the first and foremost is the strong Catholic identity. They have Mass as part of the school day every day. They have opportunity for regular confession. The faith is woven throughout what they learn. My daughter is being taught the ideology of the Kingdom of God. The added bonus is they are partners with parents and the education is quality. The cost is also less than half of the other Catholic High Schools because they want to support Catholic families. They are also being taught philosophy, which is something I think our world is sorely missing. Hence the naming of the school after the brilliant philosopher, G.K. Chesterton. There are many Chesterton Academies throughout the United States founded by parents who wanted better with the support of clergy and Bishops who see the value of this vision.

But I am writing to you about this one. Chesterton Academy of the Incarnation is fledgling. They don’t have a permanent building yet. That low tuition, well it doesn’t cover the cost of what a student needs but it is kept low to provide an alternative for parents who can’t afford more, especially if they have multiple children.

So yes, I am making a personal plea for money for this school. We need small donations, large donations and recurrent donations. And we need prayer.

Please consider donating to this wonderful cause that helps educate the Catholics of the future. Any amount helps. If you can’t donate, please pray, pray for our young people.

The goal for my family is $2,500. The larger goal to keep us going is $100,000. Anything you can do to help keep this school running for my daughter’s future and for all the kids would be appreciated from the bottom of my heart.

If you do decide to donate, Donate Here.

When it asks what family please put Skinner. When it asks which House, please put Chrysostom.

If you would rather go old school (like this Classical School) and write a check, please make Check to Chesterton Academy of the Incarnation, put Skinner Family in memo and mail checks to;

Chesterton Academy of the Incarnation

P.O. Box 680992

Franklin, TN 37068

God Bless you all,

Susan Skinner

If you would like to purchase the Family Healing prayer book, The Queen’s Triumph, I co-authored with Ashley Blackburn, please click this link.