Two Fine Essays
Even though the two essays by Amy Black and Paul Brink differ in the approaches they recommend, I somewhat surprisingly found myself largely in agreement with both of them. Both clearly recognize deep problems with our current K-12 educational system (if it can be called a system) and both sincerely seek answers rooted in a genuine concern for children and their families.
Black’s point in regard to poverty and its underlying contribution to our education problems is accurate, yet often not discussed. In fact, I would go one step further and point out that single parenthood is a leading cause of poverty. There is an indirect, but clear line from a society that assumes premarital sex is normal and divorce an appropriate, “no-fault” answer to marital difficulties to poverty to children failing in their studies and dropping out of school. And Brink’s point in regard to the importance of communities—whether based on geography or interests and beliefs—as being the proper locus for setting and monitoring educational policy is also well taken. But both points—as accurate and as well expressed as what they are in the two essays—have a certain unreality to them. If in order to correct the deep problems with our educational system, we must wait to reduce poverty and single parenthood and if we must wait until the American political culture accepts communities as the basis for our schools (whether geographic or non-geographic in nature) we will be a long time waiting. Meanwhile, additional generations of students will have been failed by society with unacceptable consequences.
To her credit, Black in particular recognizes this problem and puts forward several more short-term, practical policy proposals. Let me reemphasize one that Black suggests and add one of my own. Her suggestion I would emphasize is that of after school programs. I have visited and studied a number of these programs, and have been impressed by the good they often do. They keep kids off the streets in the time gap between when school lets out and a parent returns from work. Meanwhile they can receive the encouragement and help with their studies they too often do not receive at home. In a number of focus groups I have conducted with teenage participants in such programs, they have described them as serving as a second family, with values, motivations, and role models they have not received from their own families. This is where churches and other faith based civil society organizations can provide a vital service. There IS something we can do that is positive and proven in effectiveness.
A second suggestion I would make is to enact voucher or voucher-like programs as a means of funding education and putting more power into the hands of parents, including low-income parents. This is a key means by which the communities that Brink discusses would be encouraged and empowered to come together to seek the education for their children they desire. And given the tax-based resources of government—national, state, and local school district—this would be a crucial means to empower parents. Since the Supreme Court has found vouchers can be used at Christian and other faith-based schools without violating the Constitution, this is a viable public policy option that could be pursued now. Cleveland, Milwaukee, the District of Columbia, and others areas have already experimented with vouchers.
More important than any specific proposals that our two essayists made is the fact that both deeply care about our doing a better job than we are now at educating our children. If we as a society truly care and put that caring ahead of special interests with a vested interest in the status quo or a commitment to the latest politically correct theory, I am convinced our educational system can and will be improved. Our children, our families, and our society will all be better served than they are now.
Thanks to Steve Monsma for continuing our conversation and adding helpful details about programs and policies that are helping address some of the failures of our current educational programs. I appreciate his insights, especially those that draw upon his on-the-ground research.
Poverty and single parenthood—two issues that often go hand in hand—are two factors that complicate the task of public education. I am not trying to argue that we must solve these problems first and then “fix” education; my larger point is that these issues are so deeply interconnected that we have to address them all, in large and small ways, if we want to provide hope for future generations.
As these conversations have demonstrated, public policy issues are complex and overlapping. We like to talk about particular issues one at a time, and such discussion is illuminating. But we also have to think about ways in which issues overlap, influence, and affect one another. I am grateful for this space for us to explore these connections and think more deeply about how we should respond as Christians.
Thanks to Steve Monsma for continuing our conversation and adding helpful details about programs and policies that are helping address some of the failures of our current educational programs. I appreciate his insights, especially those that draw upon his on-the-ground research.
Poverty and single parenthood—two issues that often go hand in hand—are two factors that complicate the task of public education. I am not trying to argue that we must solve these problems first and then “fix” education; my larger point is that these issues are so deeply interconnected that we have to address them all, in large and small ways, if we want to provide hope for future generations.
As these conversations have demonstrated, public policy issues are complex and overlapping. We like to talk about particular issues one at a time, and such discussion is illuminating. But we also have to think about ways in which issues overlap, influence, and affect one another. I am grateful for this space for us to explore these connections and think more deeply about how we should respond as Christians.
Thanks to Steve Monsma for continuing our conversation and adding helpful details about programs and policies that are helping address some of the failures of our current educational programs. I appreciate his insights, especially those that draw upon his on-the-ground research.
Poverty and single parenthood—two issues that often go hand in hand—are two factors that complicate the task of public education. I am not trying to argue that we must solve these problems first and then “fix” education; my larger point is that these issues are so deeply interconnected that we have to address them all, in large and small ways, if we want to provide hope for future generations.
As these conversations have demonstrated, public policy issues are complex and overlapping. We like to talk about particular issues one at a time, and such discussion is illuminating. But we also have to think about ways in which issues overlap, influence, and affect one another. I am grateful for this space for us to explore these connections and think more deeply about how we should respond as Christians.