Religion & Spirituality >
Christianity (Other)
Get a Widget for this title
RSS FeedShould faith schools admit children on the basis of points scored by parents?
Results so far:
| Yes | 17% | 9 votes | Total: 52 votes | |
| No | 83% | 43 votes |
Yes
Write now
Print
Invite a writer™
Add to FavoritesI believe that a point system to determine acceptance to a faith based school can be a useful tool. I also believe that if it is the only tool used to select children, then it is a waste the Biblical principles of love and acceptance. Faith schools in my area do not use a point system to my knowledge in the application process for a potential family. That said, this is a new concept for me and when I heard this, I had to investigate.
My daughter attends a Christian school that is equipped to teach children from infancy through graduation. Choosing our school was not as difficult as it could have been, since I had previously attended as a child and knew what it afforded me. However, I did not go certainly with that school as my only choice. I looked around and weighed the options, and our family decided on it over time. I liked that they went to graduation when most other schools only went up to the 8th grade. I also wanted to keep her at a non-denominational Christian based school, so that our home and church experiences could supplement her Biblical education on a personal level. I wanted control of some of what was going into her brain regarding God. More so, I wanted her to be able to choose things for herself with a good informational background as opposed to having something drilled into her until she refused to believe it. Ultimately, I do believe that religion is a personal choice and it is more likely to positively affect our morals and future choices when we have come to God on our own.
The application for admission was lengthy, but the process was not painful or humiliating. We filled out an 8 page application and had a meeting with the finance director. The application did ask our beliefs, discipline method and church habits. We filled out the information honestly and figured if they had any questions, they would ask. They never did. Our main hurdle was overcoming limited space in the classes. We were officially number two on the waiting list for a mid year application of the 3-year-old program. Within 2 weeks, a child had moved out of town, the first in wait had found another school and we were in.
My daughter is now in second grade there. In our 4+ years, I have learned a lot about the workings of a faith based school. I have had to call meetings with the principle and the Headmaster on a couple of occasions to bring things to their attention and have problems addressed. I tend to be a very involved parent. Their doors are open to families like ours where we want to have input in the education our daughter is getting. I believe that is why most people want to send their children to a faith based school. You really do have more say in how things go down. (Or, for the tuition costs, you should.)
As a Christian, we are taught not to be judgmental, although typically we are the most judgmental groups out there. Hypocrisy aside, we are to care for our neighbors, and trust that God loves them just as equally as He loves each of us, in spite of ourselves, because we are as He made us. So to say that a child cannot attend a particular school for any reason that can be counted is a difficult standard. To then use the parents behaviors to hold against that child, well, now we are pushing it. Let's look at the pros and cons
In our school, anyone is welcome if they can pay tuition and the school has the staff and resources to support another student. It was a shock to me to find out that some of our high-school students are children who are on their last limb from society. A few have been expelled from public school and have no educational options other than adult education. If the parents can afford to pay, the child is welcome. I am all for bringing everyone to Christ in whatever method God has planned for them. If it means bringing them in under expulsion and enlightening them, I'll be the first one in line cheering them on. Sadly, from most of those families, these kids are being pawned off, short of being sent to military school, they come into our school, with limited knowledge of the Bible or God and many times with very little respect for following rules.
Under new direction, our school is cracking down on disrespectful behaviors, but the kids are still directly influencing other children with much more than we have intended. At what point can parents who've attended the school for many years complain about what our kids are being exposed to? My $6,000 is the same as the next guy's. And for that money, I do expect to keep my child in a certain moral environment for her educational hours. I recognize that sheltering her will do nothing to prepare her for the real world, but that's not what I am going for. My daughter gets plenty of outside experiences. I pay tuition to ensure the quality of her education and the sanctity of her environment for the hours she is devoting to school.
Many people have pointed out that the quality of a faith based education is better and everyone should be entitled to that same quality. I agree. I also agree that those folks who want to take part in the quality education, should be willing to embrace certain moral code of conduct within their home as well. Cash can't buy you everything, a moral compass should count as well. The school cannot be responsible for instilling a respect for authority and conscience, when those same things are not reinforced at home. This is where I feel that the point system can be a beneficial part of an application process. If there is a strong moral code within the family and the church based teachings are carried throughout more than just the school hours of a child's life, I do feel that it is a higher asset to that school to educate that child. Why should the criteria be solely whether or not the parents can pay for the education? Part of the education that makes it better than others in so many opinions is the level of structure and discipline that is instilled within the children. Often, the same discipline can be instilled at home without the Biblical reference if the parents wanted to put in the work to help the teachers. Instead, some parents pay tuition, send their kids to the "good" school and hope it looks better on their transcript than "adult ed." If these parents cared about giving their children the Biblical discipline, then they would be starting it at home in the first place.
If a family does not go to church, participate in community service, or take part in any activities that would lend itself to enhancing character in the children, then why should they have a spot over top of a family that does? Wouldn't it be a smarter concept to add to the school a family that is all ready adopting the principles that the school is working so hard to instill? That student is going to become a much stronger part of the school community and impact the other students in a more positive way than a child who has not been exposed to those principles at home.
From an evangelical stand point, we do need to spread the word of God into every heart that comes close to us. We need to plant the seeds and pray that each child will come to know Christ as their personal savior. So who are we to say that just because the family does not church, the child should not be allowed to attend our school? Maybe, it is the first step in saving that child's life. As Christians, can we judge a family and condemn a child because they don't church with us? No!
Bottom line is I do think that points can be a useful part of acceptance to a faith school if it is only a part of the process. If there are too many applicants and it is used to determine the last few spaces available, then I am for it. I think a school has the right to look into who comes in because each child will have an impact on the educational community of that school. Each child there may or may not be directly affected by the new family and if that family is one of a similar moral background, it would be more conducive to the overall environment that the school is looking to achieve for their students. I don't want to pay thousands of dollars for my daughter to sit next to someone who was just kicked out of public school for selling drugs, just because his mommy can pay the bills too. That's why I pay for school, so I have a little more control over what my kid is exposed to.
However, I do not believe that points and parent involvement should be the only factor in determining acceptance. If there are open spots available, we need to open our hearts as well. Those children are coming to us for one reason or another. They should not be turned away solely because they do not attend church. If they are turned away at all, it should be based on a multitude of issues, not just a point system.
Learn more about this author, Alicia Slansky.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
No
I had to write this article, as I am feeling overwhelmed with disbelief after finding out this weekend that the two top secondary (High) schools in my area, both of which are Christian faith schools, operate a system of 'point scoring' as a way of deciding which pupils to admit.
The way I found this out was in discussion with some new friends I have made on recently finding my way back to church after an overly long absence. Feeling better than I ever have, and filled with peace after a beautiful sung mass service, I got into conversation with an elderly member of the congregation about my kids.
"So", he said, "You have two children. Where do they go to school?"
Feeling flattered that he was making the effort to find out about my two 'little angels'(!), I replied that they both attend a private school a few miles from our home, which takes children from age 3 all the way to age 18.
"How will they feel about leaving at 11, when most of their friends will probably stay on there?", he enquired.
"I'm sorry", I answered, "I'm not sure I follow you".
"Well", he explained, looking slightly puzzled, "You are new here, and you have children. Most people in that category are only here to score points to gain admission to St. Aidan's" (the Church of England faith school in our town).
I was aware that St. Aidan's, and St. John Fisher, the C of E and Catholic High Schools in my town are among the best state schools in the county, but I still had no idea what he was talking about. On probing a little more however, I learned that most young members of the congregation had joined a few years before their children were due to turn 11, in order to score 'church going points', to gain access to a good school. Looking around the congregation, I saw with new eyes the shiny faced, well turned out young families with their carefully dressed children, and I felt dismayed. I had stumbled across the church in a quest for a new 'spiritual home', and had been attending as I gain precious peace and time for reflection in the wonderful services, and in the beautiful historic building that our church is blessed to have. I had been totally unaware of 'the system', and on venturing to attend a service had simply been pleased to see so many young families worshipping there!
In fact, I had told another friend that here was no sign of religion dying out in our area, if my new church was anything to go by. Now I discovered that many of the middle class families in the area were simply attending to store up points to gain a great school place.
I feel really very cross, not only with these families for so shamelessly using the system to their own ends (apparently most of them stop attending altogether once the children are 'in'), but also with the schools and the local authority for allowing this farce to continue. The upshot is that many children who do come from faithful families are deprived a place simply because their parents don't know how the 'work the system' to score enough points, or perhaps because they are unable to attend church as regularly as others. In the meantime, these faith schools are full of children from every kind of background, including those who apparently refuse to attend religious services or school assemblies as they consider the Christian faith 'dangerous' and 'wrong'.
I spoke to an acquaintance about this situation today; she has a 10 year old who has managed to gay a place at one of these 'top' schools, and I was interested to gain her perspective. She told me you gain points for attending church, points for helping with rota duties, like providing flowers or making tea and coffee, and for assisting with Sunday school. Laughing, she said, "There is a standing joke among my friends, that the way to score the most points is to offer to drive the minibus that carries local people with disabilities to the church services". Can this be right? I am all for people offering a little of their time to help the church and the community, but this time should be willingly offered, and given (In my opinion anyway) without seeking something in return.
I have to conclude also that the pews in my church are half full of people who, far from enjoying the choir, the sermon or the mass, are probably thinking about work, whether they remembered to lock the door, or whether the dinner will burn if the service over runs.
As far as I am concerned, this is just another case of Christianity being sidelined. You would surely never see Muslim children refused places at an over performing Islamic faith school, in favour of children from other backgrounds (indeed, why should they be?) I feel shocked and frankly disappointed to discover that the church in my area is 'in on the act', and mortified to learn that some of the older members of my congregation may think that I am only worshipping with them for 'what I can get' - a reduction in school fees in my case.
I don't know of any other country where this system exists, but just in case any member of St. Wilfrid's, Harrogate chances to read this - that family in the front pew who always manage to arrive just in the nick of time - we're in it for the long haul!
Learn more about this author, Heidi Farrar.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
