A religious argument for public education: 9-15-17
September 15, 2017
One of the most common lessons about life to be preached by the world's great religions (and either later or earlier, by philosophy systems) is the need always and everywhere to care about and work for the common good.
Self-centeredness is in many ways idolatrous and, thus, a violation of the first of the Ten Commandments. Beyond that, Judaism and Christianity -- and later Islam -- have insisted that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves and that the strangers among us are to be included in the people we count as neighbors.
All of that, in some ways, is woven into the idea of public education in the United States. Early in our nation's history our leaders decided, correctly, that public education for all -- not simply private education for the wealthy -- would create an informed citizenry that would serve as the bedrock of our democracy.
And they were right.
In recent years, however, public respect and support for public education has faltered. And we are paying a heavy price in the way of uneducated or badly educated people who don't understand basic civics, who are considerably more focused on materialist consumption than they are on what the humanities can teach us or what constitutes liberty and justice for all, as our Pledge of Allegiance puts it.
This Atlantic piece delves into the failure of many Americans to understand the need for public schools. It's an important read that I hope you will digest and then share with others. (One way is to share this blog post on Facebook or other social media outlets.)
For one thing, it reports some good news about our public schools: "Few people care more about individual students than public-school teachers do, but what’s really missing in this dystopian narrative (of failing public schools) is a hearty helping of reality: 21st-century public schools, with their record numbers of graduates and expanded missions, are nothing close to the cesspools portrayed by political hyperbole."
The author, Erika Christakis, adds this: "Our public-education system is about much more than personal achievement; it is about preparing people to work together to advance not just themselves but society. Unfortunately, the current debate’s focus on individual rights and choices has distracted many politicians and policy makers from a key stakeholder: our nation as a whole. As a result, a cynicism has taken root that suggests there is no hope for public education. This is demonstrably false. It’s also dangerous."
I was glad recently to be able to write this Flatland column about Kansas City area clergy coming together to find ways to support local education -- public, private and parochial. My hope is that they can help to encourage their congregants to get re-engaged in education. Why? One reason (not the only reason) is religious in origin -- for the common good.
(For those of you born after, say, 1970 or so, the photo here today shows what public school classrooms looked like when I was in elementary school. Notice not just the desks in military rows -- thank goodness that's mostly ended -- but notice also the American flag and the piano. The arts were nurtured in many public schools at the time.)
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WHEN A PRIEST CALLS FOR RESPECT OF LGBTQ PERSONS
In June I reviewed Fr. James Martin's new book in which he asked the Catholic Church to treat LGBTQ folks with respect and vice versa. I welcomed the book and its tone but criticized Martin for, at times, seeming to blame the victims. The response to the book has varied widely, which is why a Fordham teacher recently spoke with Martin about his thoughts about those responses. It's worth a read.
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