National School Choice Week and the Growing Movement for True Educational Reform

By Keith A Fournier
2/2/2013
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Parental choice in education is right for our children, right for our parents and right for our Nation

Parental (School) Choice is an idea whose time has come. It is a matter of true social justice, not what is masquerading as social justice in some circles these days. It is a civil rights issue, a matter of educational freedom and the means to true educational reform.

National School Choice Week

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CHESAPEAKE, VA (Catholic Online) - January 27- February 3, 2013 is National School Choice Week in the United States of America. Around the Nation events are being held to call attention to this rapidly growing movement for true educational reform. This movement crosses political party, social and economic lines.

Some who oppose school choice are entrenched in the current federalized educational bureaucracy and the culture which fuels it. However, increasingly people of every walk of life admit the obvious, our educational system is broken. A growing number are supporting the school choice movement.

In loco parentis - a Latin phrase meaning in the place of, or on behalf of the parents - was the polestar of educational law for years. Now, it is replaced with a top down one size fits all federalized system which has substituted bureaucrats for parents.

The origins of what became the public school system began with families pooling resources in small community schools. Now, parents and local communities have an increasingly smaller role in the educational process.

We need to reconsider our history to chart a path to true educational reform and educational freedom in the future.

The current overly federalized approach to education in the United States is failing. Statistics and experience confirm the obvious. It is time for a change and parental (school) choice is the change needed. It means affirming again that Parents are the ones who should be able to make the choice of how to best extend their own teaching mission outside of the home.

The proper role of Federal, State or Local Government is to support the first government in the home. I believe we should use the phrase Parental Choice. Schools do not make the decision, parents do - or at least they should be able to, no matter what their income.

I am not against government. I simply insist that we remember that government begins in the family. Any good governance must recognize the first government of the family and then follow the social principle called subsidiarity. That principle reminds us that good government is bottom up, not top down, deferring first to the smallest governing unit; not usurping but empowering and helping families.

The teaching of the Catholic Church on the primacy of parents in the educational mission is clear and helpful. In his apostolic exhortation on the family entitled "The Role of the Christian family in the Modern World" (Familiaris Consortio) Blessed Pope John Paul II affirmed the social and political role of the family and called for the development of a "family politics". Here is an insight:

"The right and duty of parents to give education is essential, since it is connected with the transmission of human life; it is original and primary with regard to the educational role of others, on account of the uniqueness of the loving relationship between parents and children; it is irreplaceable and inalienable, and therefore incapable of being entirely delegated to others or usurped by others."

In his "Letter to Families" the late Pope wrote "Parents are the first and most important educators of their own children, and they also possess a fundamental competence in this area; they are educators because they are parents. They share their educational mission with other individuals or institutions, such as the Church and the State. But the mission of education must always be carried out in accordance with a proper application of the Principle of Subsidiarity."

"This implies the legitimacy and indeed the need of giving assistance to the parents, but finds its intrinsic and absolute limit in their prevailing right and actual capabilities. The principle of subsidiarity is thus at the service of parental love, meeting the good of the family unit. For parents by themselves are not capable of satisfying every requirement of the whole process of raising children; especially in matters concerning their schooling and the entire gamut of socialization."

"Subsidiarity thus complements paternal and maternal love and confirms its fundamental nature, inasmuch as all other participants in the process of education are only able to carry out their responsibilities in the name of the parents, with their consent and, to a certain degree, with their authorization."

The opposition of some who often control of the teachers unions to such educational reform shows how far some of these mediating associations have strayed from their primary ...

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1 - 4 of 4 Comments

Bill Sr.
4 months ago
How can your explain that a mother who has the right to choose life or death for her child should not have the right to choose the school for him. Also, as in Obamacare for his health insurance, when you choose to send your child to the secularized government school there is no "fine", but if you do not accept the terms and conditions of the mandated federal system and wish to be "personally responsible" for the education of your child you are still bound by law to continue your contributions to that system which your moral or religious conscience informs you is corrupting the minds and lowering the intellectual potential of the public. That is nothing less than another form of taxation called "penalties". We have entered the age of FAITH FINES.
Larry
4 months ago
Today, the civil rights issues have changed, though too many are still fighting the issues of the 70s. Some think that unless all past issues are resolved to their satisfaction, nothing has changed. Yes, there are still raciest tendencies in some, yes there is sexism from both men and from women (defining, decicing and dealing with others based on their gender/ sex) and other 'isms' that the left loves to champion.

We focus so much on the 'poor' we don't look at contributing factors that make them and keep them poor. We get the pity attitude of 'poor person' and then condemn those who don't deal with them as we in our almighty arrogance think they should be dealt with. BUT without a good education to give them some footing and foundation to do well or better in life, too many fall back into poverty and some stay there. In this country, a good education helps prepare one for more success in life (lots of studies show this).

We should be championing school choice for our education - I was educated in a Catholic school and that was school choice but it cost my parents, as it did many others. If we want to take care of the poor, we should focus on the injustices in the education system - look at the results - drop out rates, low perfroming graduates (not even able to perform at their grade level), many struggle in highere education training and college, not being prepared to take advantage of the opportunities this country offers, despite the obstacles. I know that being stuck in the 70s mentality (which by the way did include some education issues) it is hard to focus today on today's major issue of education needs. Since the education complex and institution includes several reminants of the 70s (unions, democrat party, liberals) it is hard to take action. It's easier to blame conservatives and do little to change the education system. Little improvements are what if focused on - at least we 'tried' is the mantra. That makes us 'good' while they fight the old issues. Too bad - talk about keeping people down and in their place - that is what the lack of a good education does!
Mathew Thankachen O.Praem
4 months ago
The family is the "first government "and the "first and the best teacher and hence their " choice of education for their children ' are to be respected is but only a logical conclusion which a federal government is to respected. As far as the parents are concerned, in the present context of " moral erosion", a " holistic approach" of " person building" is more important than " creating education a commodity to cater to the national and international requirement". As a matter of fact, in my opinion, the parents' Association should have a say in the 'syllabi fixing' and ' administration of the school', taking into account both the National/ federal requirement and holistic personal development. Brain washing into any ideology whether that of Politics or sects like homo- sexual are to be avoided. The youth are to be trained in such a way that they are capable of " creative thinking" and " choice making" considering human dignity of oneself and of others. while " individuality are to be respected and promoted, " individualism" are to be made aware of. Any " social issues" affecting humanity like war, economic recess, promotion of culture of death have to come under the preview of education. However, despite timely evaluation of the outcome of education policy, parents may not jeopardize the daily administration of the school.
Mathew Thankachen O.Praem.
Tom McGuire
4 months ago
"...they are educators because they are parents." Educator, perhaps, but competent not always possible. Children 14 to 21 years of age who are parents are not competent educators. Schools of choice and right to life political groups do not address a growing and serious problem of parents not prepared to be parents.

I have worked with Charter schools. The corruption and profit motive does not make for good education. They can and do make some people very rich. Parents can be made to feel they have a say in the education of their children, but in reality the control is in the hands of the managers who have little restriction in terms of where they spend the money.

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