What’s a parent to do when school conflicts with beliefs?

In the past week, the Presbyterian Church of America voted to

consider a resolution encouraging Christian parents to withdraw their

children from the public education system and pursue private or home

schooling options. The Presbyterian measure, based on a similar

resolution in the Southern Baptist Convention, states that public

schools are not providing “a Christian education.” The Southern

Baptist motion focuses on schools that have curriculum or

organizations that “treat homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle.”

Separate from the specific issues cited, what should a parent’s

response be to school curriculum that goes against their beliefs?

The Hebrew word for education is “chinukh,” from a root meaning

“dedication.” Parents must be dedicated to resolving the critical

issues pertaining to the education of their children. One of the

foremost concerns is whether school instructors are underscoring and

magnifying the teachings instilled by parents or substituting lessons

uncongenial to what is fostered in the home.

Safeguarding our children extends beyond ensuring their physical

security and includes the obligation to protect them morally and

ethically. What are parents to do when they believe that schools are

undermining the Godly message they want implanted in the hearts,

spirits and minds of their children? If they deem the curriculum to

be at odds with Biblically mandated truth, it is understandable that

the state-mandated course content would comparatively place a distant

second to revealed truth.

It is, of course, illiberal to deny the validity of their choice.

We recognize that our children spend the greater part of the day

open not to our influence but to that of the classroom. It is,

therefore, an uphill battle to instill values in the home, given the

instruction to which children are exposed during the long school day,

as well as the profound influence of fellow students with whom our

children interact for many hours per week.

There are parents for whom public schools threaten the foundation

of their family and the solidity of their community life. They

believe in certain boundaries that are, in their estimation,

unjustifiably crossed by teachings in the public school classroom.

Since public schools should not have to remove from the curriculum

teachings or textbooks that are inconsistent with religious views,

certain parents will opt to have their children study from texts and

teachers committed to a theistic, Biblically oriented approach to

life.

The Bible teaches, “Raise up a child in the way he should go, and

when he is old he will not depart from it.” Parents hold diverse

views as to what constitutes the proper raising of a child and the

direction in which he should go. Whether a parent chooses to remain

and do battle with school administrations or to depart for what is

deemed a safer and more truthful environment, is a decision for each

to take.

As I would not welcome advice from others who do not share my

outlook and who do not bear the ultimate responsibility for the

education of my child, so I would not proffer such counsel to other

parents.

This is an issue where the promptings of examined conscience,

parental vision and cherished beliefs should prevail.

RABBI MARK S. MILLER

Temple Bat Yahm

Newport Beach

Connections between education and faith are essential. One’s mind

and intellect are essential to understand what to believe and what

not to believe.

Most faith communities have their own private schools; Episcopal

schools are renowned, for example. And home schooling possibilities

are available in many places; they certainly are in Orange County.

Parents have ample opportunities to choose schooling where their own

belief system is primary.

Those of us who choose public education face consistent challenges

to think about the great variety of belief systems within American

society and to connect faith and intellect. We need to help others do

likewise and remind appropriately secular educators of the many and

diverse contributions faith communities have made to life together in

our United States.

It is reasonable to assume that American schools should teach

American students about American culture; this certainly includes

teaching about the significant roles of religions both historically

and currently.

In California, sixth-grade students are to “Note origins of

Christianity in the Jewish Messianic prophecies, the life and

teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament, and

the contribution of St. Paul the Apostle to the definition and spread

of Christian beliefs (e.g., belief in the Trinity, resurrection,

salvation).”

In Colorado, “First-grade students will identify traditions in

their family (e.g., Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Christmas,

etc.),” and “Seventh-grade students will explain the origins and

significance of Judaism as the first monotheistic religion based on

the concept of one God who sets down moral laws for humanity.”

In Massachusetts, high school students are encouraged to “discuss

how the ideas of Moses, Jesus and Mohammed could motivate entire

peoples to action.”

The National Education Assn. agrees; its 2000-01 resolution E-7 states: “The NEA believes that educational materials should

accurately portray the influence of religion in our nation and

throughout the world.” And the association goes on to cite support in

a variety of legal cases.

It is possible to integrate faith and education without mixing

church and state. Every state has academic standards that include

what is mandatory, what is permissible, and what is excluded.

People of faith who support public schools must get involved in

developing their state’s standards, sharing them with teachers and

administrators of our local schools, and then collaboratively

developing ideas for interrelating past and future with present

realities. The same collaborative, polite, supportive spirit should

apply to parents’ attempts, motivated by their own religious beliefs,

to influence curricula.

We will all do well to remember the wisdom of Alexis de

Tocqueville in his classic “Democracy In America”: “When the past no

longer illuminates the future, the spirit walks in darkness.”

(THE VERY REV’D CANON)

PETER D. HAYNES

Saint Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church

Corona del Mar

Unfortunately, we have a problem.

I have taught in Christian schools all across the United States.

Often these schools are used as an escape mechanism for

fundamentalists who fear the Biblical mandate of “in the world, but

not of it” and try to isolate their children from the rest of the

world.

These schools are also used as “last resorts” for kids who get

booted out of public schools, as their parents hope maybe religion

will straighten them out.

The result is often a mix of extremist positions that fail to

present Christianity as an attractive option for any of these

children.

The problem with the public school system is that, in many cases,

the system is required to teach things that are objectionable to

people of faith. (Maybe another subject for this column could be what

subjects the schools should focus on.)

If public schools would focus on reading, writing, math and

science, then there would not be objections from people of faith.

Often, educational requirements are influenced by powerful

lobbying groups with an agenda beyond the basics.

In both cases, I am casting broad generalizations. There are some

great exceptions to these generalizations in some of our local

schools.

However, these generalizations are truer than any of us would like

to believe.

So how is a parent of faith to respond? Education begins in the

home. If parents don’t live out their faith at home, their kids will

replicate this disregard for that faith and reject it as hypocrisy.

The way we live educates our children far more than the words we

speak.

Parents also need to be involved with their children’s education,

regardless of where they attend. You may not be able to be a “room

dad,” but you can talk with your kids over dinner about what they

learned in school and flip through their textbooks on occasion.

You can help them with their homework and keep in touch with their

teachers.

If parents have a healthy relationship with their children and are

involved, they can walk a child through whatever issues come up in

class and equip them to understand how an issue intersects with their

faith and practice.

Unfortunately, many parents are not involved, so they don’t know

about what is being taught until it is too late.

That can be compounded if they don’t have a relationship that

makes the children comfortable enough to work through the issue with

them.

Love your kids and get involved in their lives, but don’t pull

them out of school. Don’t give up yet. There may come a day, but not

yet.

If you want a distinctly Christian education, that is a different

issue.

The new mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa, was asked why

his kids weren’t in public schools. He responded that as a Catholic,

he wanted his kids to have a Catholic education. The press dropped

the issue.

If it is OK for the mayor of Los Angeles, why not for others?

SENIOR ASSOCIATE PASTOR

RIC OLSEN

Harbor Trinity

Costa Mesa

Last week at our Zen Center’s Father’s Day celebration, I shared

my feeling that my father’s influence grows stronger with each

passing year, despite the fact he has been dead for more than 20

years.

This is because he spent so much time with me as a child, whether

we were playing sports, fixing things around the house, on camping

vacations or having dinner together as a family every night.

He talked about anything and everything, and I know now that I was

absorbing it all like a sponge.

It is unlikely that a classroom presentation on a controversial

subject will outweigh the steady influence of a parent who has a

close relationship with his or her child.

There is no need to circle the wagons, run from those who have

different views or opt out of mainstream society in order to guide

children.

And at the right time, we want them to come to full maturity by

taking responsibility for their own beliefs and actions, even if they

are different from our own.

I am more concerned about the negative effect of TV and video

games on children than the good influence of the many dedicated

teachers in our neighborhood public schools.

Alarming research from Stanford shows that children now spend an

average of more than six hours per day watching TV, using computers,

downloading music and instant messaging.

The majority of children (68%) have a TV in their bedroom.

Anyone looking at the reading and writing skills of many of our

college students should worry about the overall quality of both

public and private education.

The individuals proposing these resolutions and asking their

entire denominations to adopt their point of view seem preoccupied

with certain hot-button topics, rather than good education for all

children in our society.

A skilled and committed teacher will give each child encouragement

and will create a healthy and uplifting classroom environment.

The teacher will share the parents’ concerns for the welfare of

their child.

In that context, issues about curriculum are relatively minor and

can usually be resolved at the local level.

Of course, there are valid concerns from both the right and the

left about how controversial topics are presented.

The public schools should model the democratic process by

listening to all involved, by encouraging civil debate and creating a

fair process for resolving differences. But our schools, teachers and

children should not be used as political pawns.

I believe more emphasis should be given to the recruitment,

training and support of teachers, which includes offering higher

salaries and better benefits.

It is hypocritical to say that our society values our children and

education while auto mechanics, mail carriers and bus drivers make

more money than elementary and high school teachers.

Many bright, talented and caring young people quickly rule out

teaching as a career choice because the starting pay is low, even

when compared with other public service professions.

Public schools should not provide religious indoctrination of any

type, although I believe basic information about all religious

traditions should be taught as an academic subject or within social

studies and history classes in ways appropriate for the grade level.

Parents who want their children to receive religious instruction

should take advantage of programs offered by their faith communities.

One of the first Japanese Zen teachers to come to the United

States, Nyogen Senzaki, left his monastery in Japan to start a

kindergarten.

Rather than indoctrination, his focus was on working with parents

to help children to appreciate nature and to become more aware.

Whether in public schools, private schools, home schools or

religious programs, the key is for parents to share their own

spirituality and values with their children day by day.

REV. DR. DEBORAH BARRETT

Zen Center of Orange County

Costa Mesa