As a parent, I would like to address some of the questions you may be asking yourself, because my husband and I wondered about some of these same things when we made the decision to keep our boys at Cumberland high school.

When are you going to stop sheltering your children? Don't you want to expose them to the world while they're still living at home?

They are exposed to the world every day. All they have to do is turn on the television. We want them to have the Biblical foundation they need to handle what the world throws at them. At Cumberland, they have Bible classes every day, and they can pray with fellow students and teachers. Spiritual development is as much a focus as academics.

Aren't your boys missing out on the high school experience? What about the sports and music programs that are available to public high school students?

At CCA, I think our sons have received a better sports experience in that they have had fun, they have been taught good sportsmanship, and they have had more opportunity to participate than they might have had in public school. Their Christian coaches have influenced them not only athletically, but spiritually as well. As for music, my son was interested in playing guitar, so we arranged for private lessons for him. He loves it and uses it on mission trips and during chapel at CCA.

Will your boys be adequately prepared to attend college? Are they getting what they need academically?

We just received the ACT results for one of our sons, and what jumped off the page and got our attention was the statement: "You should do well in a wide variety of colleges and many types of college programs." This shows that the teachers have done their job well. I believe that what my sons have gained from Cumberland far outweighs what they might have missed by not being in public school.