Columbus Citizens Journal |
Editorial Page
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Way back when in 1983 |
| I read the recent C-J article "Deportment,
3Rs govern Christian school classrooms" with concern.
I am a graduate of a Christian school run by Dominican nuns and am attending a Christian university operated by Jesuit priests. I have never attended a public school. My concern is that the article seemed to indicate there is a connection between superior education and conservative or fundamentalist ideas: That is not so. A Christian school fundamentally offers religious instruction in a particular faith. However, Christian schools run the gamut from the very current to the very conservative. The more conservative the school, the more the religious aspect crowds the educational aspect. Religion is a belief, an opinion or expectation. In a fundamentalist education the sword of opinion strikes down many intellectual ideals - literary freedom, theories of science like evolution, and an open mind. That cannot be considered a superior education. Beyond the 3R's, the protected environment of the very conservative schools allows their students to graduate with innocence instead of virtue. |
Innocence is not an effective tool with which
to conquer the world. In praising the academic standards of Christian schools,
the C-J article gave undue credit to their religious aspects.
For dissatisfied public school parents who may be looking at tuition supported schools, I offer this advice: If you are after stricter educational standards and discipline, opt for a private school. If you are concerned about the moral fiber of your children or want them educated in your faith, send them to a church related school that does not limit their education. Stricter education and discipline will come as a package deal. If your religion is more important to you than the education your child receives, send your child to a conservative Christian school. People are so concerned with public education and the cultural problems that plague it they fearfully overcompensate, and their children's education suffers in the long run. Todd Brennan
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