Every
Parent, Every Child: A Pastoral Statement on Educational Choice
(Editors note: To
reiterate the importance of giving Minnesota families a real choice about where
their children go to school, the Catholic bishops of Minnesota have re-released
their 2002 pastoral statement on educational choice titled “Every Parent, Every
Child.” That pastoral statement is reprinted here. Portions of it were adopted
from “Every Parent, Every Child,” a pastoral by
by the Catholic Bishops of
As the spiritual leaders of
The principles of Catholic
Social Teaching guide us to seek public policies that build the common good. We
advocate for policies that protect life, promote justice, support community and
provide compassionate care for the most vulnerable among us. When considering
the needs of children and families we have consistently called for policies
that ensure access to basic needs, including access to a quality education.
Today, our comments focus
specifically on the value and importance of educational choice to children,
families and society. Children are our most precious gift and represent our
greatest hope. By ensuring access to adequate and appropriate educational
opportunities, we invest in our children and our society.
The primary responsibility
for children rests with parents. However, government, faith communities and
schools all play significant roles in their development, protection and
education as well. In
Thankfully, we have a wealth
of options. These options have enabled families to find the right schools for
their children and consequently enhanced the possibility of success in school
and in life.
However, despite innovative
educational initiatives, the dedication of educators across the state and the
commitment of parents, choice remains out of reach for countless families
throughout
For families that cannot
afford to live in an area with successful public schools or afford private
school tuition, choice is illusive. That is why we are calling on policymakers
to continue our state’s legacy of commitment to education by increasing access
to the rich range of options that exist in our state. We do not view this as a
quantum leap, but rather, the next logical step in the development of options that
empower families to find the best possible educational setting for their
children.
Critics of increasing access
to educational options like parochial or private schools have cited fear of
negative impacts on government schools. Some have characterized increased
access through vouchers or other means as an attack on funding for government
schools or view increased access as a criticism of the status quo. However, in areas where school choice
programs have been implemented, many public schools have shown improvement
without a loss in revenue. In many cases previously failing public schools have
been motivated to improve due to increased competition. Families, society and
especially children have benefited from increased access to educational
options.
Other critics have cited
First Amendment protection against the establishment of religion as an argument
against providing public funds for access to religious schools. However, the
recent decision by the United States Supreme Court affirms the legitimacy of
expanded choice programs. Ultimately, we feel that what is best for the child
should be the foremost concern of all education advocates. A funding model that
allows parents to freely choose where their children attend school will shift
this debate and place the focus on the student rather than the system.
Increasing access to
parochial and private schools would likely benefit both students and society.
In the case of Catholic schools, studies have shown consistently high
achievement - particularly among minority students. The positive effects of
Catholic schools have been attributed in part to solid core curricula and
strong school communities - characteristics shared by many other parochial and
private schools. At the same time, Catholic schools generally spend less per
pupil than public schools.
We do not call on government to provide all
things for all people but we do assert that government should establish
conditions that provide equity and equal access to opportunity. By empowering
families with true educational choice, government can help provide this access.
Through real educational choice, families are strengthened to make choices that
benefit both the individual and society.
In the interest of enhancing
access, we call on our elected leaders to assist parents in the important task
of directing the education of their children. Through the establishment of tax
credits, vouchers or scholarships, government can help ensure that all parents
have the means to select the appropriate schools for their children.
Furthermore, we call for the
creation of strategic alliances with members of all religious faiths,
communities, businesses and families to speak with one voice to bring about
changes in our educational system that prioritize the needs of our children.
By uniting to increase
educational choice for