Christian school
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Christian School is a school run on Christian principles or by a Christian organization.
The nature of Christian schools varies enormously from country to country according to the religious, educational, and political culture. In some countries, there is a established church whose teachings form an integral part of the state-operated educational system; in others, the state subsidizes religious schools of various denominations; in others, there is a principle of separation of church and state, interpreted in various ways.
Historically, religious instruction was seen as an integral part of education in the Christian world. With the movement to disestablish religion starting in the late 18th century in the United States, and the mid-19th century in Europe, and the increasing strength of the separation of church and state from the late 19th through the 20th century, some Christians have felt the need for specifically Christian schools.
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[edit] United States
In the United States, religion is generally not taught by the state-funded educational system, though schools must allow students wanting to study religion to do so as an extracurricular activity, as they would any other such activity.
Over 4 million students, about 1 child in 12, attend religious schools, most of them Christian.[1]
There is great variety in the educational and religious philosophies of these schools, as might be expected from the large number of religious denominations in the United States. While concerns have been raised that some Christian primary and secondary schools provide little or poor science education due to Christian fundamentalist interpretations of the Bible and belief in creationism,[2] such claims may just as easily arise from bias as from legitimate concern.
[edit] Catholic
The largest system of Christian education in the United States is operated by the Catholic Church, with 8,500 schools, often called parochial schools enrolling 2.7 million students.[3] Most are administered by individual dioceses and parishes.
[edit] Conservative Protestant
Many conservative Protestants reserve the term "Christian school" for schools affiliated with conservative Protestant denominations, excluding Catholic schools in particular.[4]
These conservative Protestant Christian schools are privately run, often in conjunction with a church or a denomination. Parents who want their children taught according to their church's principles can choose to send their children to such schools, but unless the school is subsidized by their church, or is part of a school choice or education voucher program funded by the government, they must pay tuition. Some American Christian schools are large and well-funded, while others are small and rely on volunteers from the community.
Some Christian schools, especially those sponsored by fundamentalist churches, do not accept government funding and subsides because they can put their school (and potentially their church) operations under more government scrutiny and legislation, which can lead to the government dictating their school's operation. An example of this would be a requirement to adhere to a state Civil Rights law, in exchange for the subsidy, this would conflict with a Christian school that has mandatory race, ethnic, or religion requirements for admission, or does not allow its students to opt out of attending religious services. Even though a school may accept no government money, it still must adhere to state education curriculum, student academic performance standards, and state mandated standardized testing scores (if any). It is also subject to standard inspection by government regulators in the aspect of its in-classroom teaching quality, teacher qualifications. Depending on government regulation, this can go as far as government inspectors sitting in on a class of students with teacher giving the lesson. Overall, not accepting government money, does prevent government management of a Christian school, but does not remove governmental oversight.
The largest Protestant Christian school system is the Seventh-day Adventist educational system. The Seventh-day Adventist Church has a total of 6,966 educational institutions operating in over 100 countries around the world with over 1.3 million students world-wide. The North American Division Office of Education (Adventist Education) oversees 1049 schools with 65,000 students in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda.
Another large association of Protestant Christian schools in the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). ACSI serves 5,300 member schools in approximately 100 countries with an enrollment of nearly 1.2 million students.
Another, smaller, association of Protestant Christian schools is Christian Schools International, with approximately 500 schools and 100,000 students.[5]
One movement among Christian schools in the US is the return to the traditional subjects and form of education known as classical education. This growing movement is known as the Classical Christian School movement, represented by the Association of Classical & Christian Schools, with 70 schools and 8700 students.
[edit] Other
The Orthodox church also operates Christian schools.
[edit] Canada
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Unlike the US, in Canada public funding of religious education is not only permitted, it is sometimes required.
Historically, schools in Canada were run by private, Christian organizations, either Protestant or Catholic. As the concept of public education developed, the faith of the majority of the community was represented by the public school, and the minority faith (usually Catholic) was represented by a "separate" school. Initially, both of these schools retained their religious basis. However, over time, the public schools became increasingly secularized as Canadian society became increasingly pluralistic.
The historical pattern has been incorporated into the Canadian constitution and the organizing documents of various provinces so that presently those of the minority faith, typically Catholic, can have their children educated in Catholic schools, and to have such education paid for by the state. Such provinces therefore have at least two major parallel school boards, one for Catholic education (known as Separate Catholic) and one for Public (or secular) education. In some cases there may also be Separate Protestant school boards. The combination of this right and the right of linguistic minority education means, in some provinces, like Alberta and Ontario, there can be at least four school boards operating in parallel, in the same location (e.g. English-Public, French-Public, English-Separate, French-Separate). Some provinces have moved away from this, obtaining constitutional amendements to allow them to organize strictly on linguistic lines, without a Separate system for any religious group.
Many non-Catholics, send their children to Separate Catholic schools, preferring the values and standards, despite not supporting the Catholic faith. Typically, such students are exempt from specific religious instruction classes, but Catholic values are still represented to them in all subjects and aspects of such schools.
Private Christian schools on the American model, usually run by Protestant denominations, also exist throughout Canada. Like private American Christian schools, these private schools normally charge tuition. Often, these schools (directly or indirectly) will receive some provincial grant money, though generally far less than a government run school. Each province is free to decide what if any funding they give to private religious schools.
While Public (as opposed to Separate) Canadian school districts in Canada, normally have no religious affiliation in modern times, they may still accommodate religious instruction for Christians within their community. They may do this by creating an individual special purpose Christian school, or they may offer religious instruction within an otherwise secular school. Indeed, this practice has become so prevalent in Alberta that many private, Christian schools have been absorbed by their local public districts as "alternative Christian programs" within the public system. As such they are presently permitted to retain their philosophy, curriculum, and staffing while operating as fully funded public schools. In this regard they have achieved some equality with Catholic schools.
See also: separate schools
[edit] United Kingdom
The Church of England was historically a provider of many schools throughout the UK. Such schools (called 'Church of England schools') were partially absorbed into the state education system, with the church retaining an influence on the schools in return for its support in funding and staffing. Such schools are required to accept pupils regardless of religious background, though if they are oversubscribed they can, and often do, give preference to applicants of the relevant faith. The curriculum taught is virtually identical to that taught in state funded schools.
Because of the availability of church-run schools and the tolerance for religious activity in state schools, private Christian schools are a relative rarity.
[edit] Australia
Church schools were established in Australia by both Roman Catholic and Protestant churches during the 19th century. Many of these schools, often with long traditions, continue to form the bulk of the private or independent school sector in Australia.
The modern Protestant Christian school movement began in Australia through the efforts of Dutch migrants who had enjoyed Christian schools for many decades in their home country. Most belonged to the Reformed Churches of Australia (now Christian Reformed Churches of Australia or the Free Reformed Churches of Australia, and sometimes incorrectly called the Dutch Reformed Church, which is a name only correctly used of South African Reformed churches). During the 1950s these migrants founded associations of parents who wanted to start Christian schools, and the first schools opened, at first without any government assistance, in the late 1950's and early 1960s. The Free Reformed started the John Calvin School at Armadale, Western Australia which opened its doors on 2 December 1957 with 70 students. It was followed by schools in Albany, Western Australia (1962) and Launceston, Tasmania (1965).
The Reformed Churches of Australia opened their first school at Kingston, Tasmania in 1962. Their first schools were affiliated with a national body known at that time as the National Union of Christian Parent-Controlled Schools, which later became Christian Parent Controlled Schools Ltd. (CPCS)
This first model of Australian Christian school was operated not by churches, but by associations of parents who individually belonged to churches but worked collectively for their common aim. These schools were established not because of innate dissatisfaction with government schools, but because these parents wanted schools which would actively integrate their Christian faith into the whole school curriculum. The schools were operated by parent bodies apart from supervision of the ecclesiastical church bodies. In the case of schools started by the people belonging to the Reformed Churches of Australia, those from churches other than the Reformed Churches were welcomed and able to join the work of these schools. This was not the case in regard to the schools established by the Free Reformed.
From the late 1970s, Christians from many other churches became increasingly concerned about standards and social change in government schools and started establishing Christian schools to provide an alternative education option. In this phase, many such schools were commenced not by parent associations but by churches themselves, although several parent groups from outside the Reformed Churches studied and adopted the parent-controlled model and have commenced schools which, while they have no Dutch or Reformed Church connections, have still affiliated themselves nationally with many schools which do.
In 2006 the leading umbrella organizations include Christian Schools Australia, Christian Parent Controlled Schools Ltd., and the Australian Association of Christian Schools.
[edit] The Netherlands
In the Netherlands the question whether or not public schools should be Christian and in what way was subject of much debate between 1806 and 1917. During the second half of the 19th century this "School-struggle" reached its summit and dominated politics along with voting rights and the district system. In 1917 most of these 3 matters were resolved by the Pacification of 1917. From now on both confessional (religious) and public schools would get equal funding.
In the second half of 2006 there are 6318 Christian schools in the Netherlands; 4955 primary schools, 1054 high schools and 309 colleges and universities.
[edit] Russia
Through out Russia there are several Christian schools. Two are the International Academy of St. Petersburg, Russia and Hinkson Christian Academy in Moscow.
[edit] Africa
In many parts of Africa Christian missionary organisations have founded schools, often in places where no other schooling is available. Such schools generally provide a complete education in a Christian context.
[edit] Associations
- American Association of Christian Schools
- Association of Christian Schools International
- Association of Classical Christian Schools
- Christian Schools International
[edit] See also
- Parochial school
- Catholic school
- Adventist Schools
- Liberal arts college
- Lutheran school
- Nazarene International Education Association
- Biblical Life Institute
[edit] References
- ^ Boston.com / News / Boston Globe / Opinion / Op-ed / Making the case for parochial schools
- ^ Example Lawsuit Note that the Creation-evolution debate generates controversy and this single source hardly does it justice.
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ David Sikkink, "Diversity in Christian Schools", Education Next, Summer 2001.
- ^ http://csi.gospelcom.net/cgi-csi/getschools.pl?name=&state=&keywords=
[edit] External links
- Christian College Consortium
- Council for Christian Colleges & Universities
- Private Biblical Homeschooling
- Christian School versus Public School
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