Our Public Schools and Religion

by Archbishop Elden Francis Curtiss

Our Public Schools and Religion

The lowest common denominator determines policy

ublic opinion, following violence in several high schools across the nation, seems to be overwhelmingly affirmative concerning a few moments of prayer every day in public schools. But a network of people who are a distinct minority in this country oppose any kind of prayer in schools. Because of court decisions against religious expression in the public forum, they are able to prevent even private prayer in our public schools everywhere in the nation.

Michael Novak, in an Op Ed piece in the New York Times (June 18, 1999) complains that we have become a pluralistic society, except in our public schools. He wrote, "In practically every area imaginable — politics, ethics, the arts, history, philosophy, social ideology — citizens in pluralistic cultures disagree. Usually we seek out pragmatic means of mutual adjustment, so that no one totalizing world view is imposed on all." However, we have let a handful of agnostics and secularists impose their views on the rest of us when it comes to our public schools.

Why do a few moments of prayer to help focus young people and calm them present such a threat to nonbelievers? No one has to actually pray during the moments of silence — no one's rights are being violated. Even if a few agnostics or atheists consider prayer a useless waste of time, what is wrong with a short period of reflection or rest — surely they are not opposed to reflection. Why would they feel left out simply because they do not believe in the effectiveness of prayer?

Concerns of secularists

Prayer in schools seems to alarm those who prefer the establishment of a totally secular frame of reference, no matter what the majority wishes or deserves. Somehow they fear the imposition of religious values on their children by allowing the large majority of children some quiet time to pray if they wish to do so. Pluralism is the order of the day in our society so long as it does not include religion as part of the pluralism. We are allowing secularists in high positions to make our schools over totally in their secular image — so public opinion be damned.

Novak points out that "John Adams predicted almost two centuries ago that one day atheists would try to impose views on others exactly as factions of believers had done in earlier times." There was a time not so long ago when public prayers in public schools were distinctly Protestant and the atmosphere, in Novak's terms, "was genteelly anti-Catholic." When nonbelievers and secularists can prevent quiet non-sectarian periods of private prayer in our schools, then Adam's prediction is manifestly fulfilled.

Need for Catholic schools

The secularization of public schools is the reason, here in the archdiocese, that we are struggling to maintain our Catholic school system, and even to expand it for the sake of our children. I am encouraging our pastors and people to develop endowments for all our schools so that we can provide financial assistance to families who cannot afford full tuition costs. We need more grade schools in places where the Catholic population can sustain them. We need more high schools in areas where the Catholic population warrants them. Formation in religion and morality is an essential part of the educational process. Catholic parents need to make sacrifices to have their children in Catholic schools if at all possible. Catholic educators need to do everything possible to make sure education in religion and morality meet the standards of the Church and the legitimate expectations of parents and students.

When Catholic parents send their children to public schools which are becoming increasingly more secular, they have a serious obligation to make sure their young people are grounded in Catholic teaching in faith and morality in their homes and parishes. Catholic children in public school need more attention from parents and their parishes, not less. When I see the statistics about the relatively small number of public high school students in our cities who are receiving Catholic instruction, I know that too many Catholic parents are neglecting to provide the religious grounding their children need for their faith to survive in our secular society. Religious illiteracy and indifference are far worse for children and young adults than educational illiteracy and social ineptness. At stake is fidelity to Jesus and his mission and their eternal salvation.

Responsibility of parents

The bottom line is that Catholic parents should have their children in Catholic schools if it is at all possible geographically and economically, and if our parishes can provide adequate facilities and programs. Catholics who have their children in public schools have an obligation before God to make up for the lack of religious content and moral training in these schools. Our parishes have to support parents in this essential task. But the primary obligation rests with the parents.

e are fortunate in this archdiocese to have so many good Catholic high schools and grade schools. We are fortunate to have so many good public schools that are struggling to provide quality education in everything but religion and morality. We have an archdiocesan Office of Religious Formation which is making every effort to support our parishes in providing adequate religious education programs and youth ministry for public school students.

But our efforts to provide adequate religious formation for our youth depend on our parents. Unless parents make religious formation a priority in the lives of their children, too many of them will be drawn into our secular culture without reference to Jesus and his call to them to live as his disciples. And to that extent their education will have been a failure. Unless we live good moral lives based on our faith convictions, then our salvation is jeopardized and our human achievements are brought to nothing.

Avoiding a moral vacuum

To be educated without religion and the basis it provides for moral living is to create a vacuum in the lives of young people that will be filled with dangerous substitutes and inappropriate behaviors. Catholic schools are becoming increasingly important for the religious formation of students. Parents and parishes have to cooperate in providing adequate religious and moral formation for students in public schools. All baptized Catholics have a right to be fully grounded in the revelation of God that is theirs through the teaching of Jesus and his Church. Without this foundation, it is most difficult for them to live their heritage, which is life in Christ, now and hereafter.

© The Catholic Voice, The Catholic Voice Publishing Company, P.O. Box 4010, Omaha, Neb. 68104-0010.

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