This essay is dead on target as usual. I would like to clarify Thom's remarks about private schools sponsored by religious groups might leave readers thinking that they are all like Evangelical Christian grooming factories which often seem to reject a liberal education. Thanks to Trump's Education Secretary DeVos, vouchers became a feder…
This essay is dead on target as usual. I would like to clarify Thom's remarks about private schools sponsored by religious groups might leave readers thinking that they are all like Evangelical Christian grooming factories which often seem to reject a liberal education. Thanks to Trump's Education Secretary DeVos, vouchers became a federally promoted movement. As such, many private money-making scams, like Trump U are flourishing. In these schools ideological grooming overshadows liberal education. Many lack state accreditation and hire teachers lacking education credentials.
Back in the day (1952 until 1980), I graduated from a Catholic grammar and prep school, Got a BA and PhD from non-profit universities sponsored by the United Church of Christ, and my MA was from a state university. I cannot recall any courses that were not accredited, nor were textbooks or library books selectively included or excluded on religious grounds. Participation in religious rites or services at school were always optional. I took one comparative religion course for my BA, and not a single religion course for my PhD. I never felt prostheletized. Such schools still dominate and offer exceptional educations.
Despite my considerable educational experience in religion-sponsored schools, I strongly support policies that prohibit state funding of private schools. If you want to go Ivy League, then pay for it.
One side note. I have observed one edge to attending Christian private schools, and many of my academic colleagues agree. Public high school students today appear to lack critical reasoning skills. I doubt that this is unintended as politics have influence on public school curricula.
This essay is dead on target as usual. I would like to clarify Thom's remarks about private schools sponsored by religious groups might leave readers thinking that they are all like Evangelical Christian grooming factories which often seem to reject a liberal education. Thanks to Trump's Education Secretary DeVos, vouchers became a federally promoted movement. As such, many private money-making scams, like Trump U are flourishing. In these schools ideological grooming overshadows liberal education. Many lack state accreditation and hire teachers lacking education credentials.
Back in the day (1952 until 1980), I graduated from a Catholic grammar and prep school, Got a BA and PhD from non-profit universities sponsored by the United Church of Christ, and my MA was from a state university. I cannot recall any courses that were not accredited, nor were textbooks or library books selectively included or excluded on religious grounds. Participation in religious rites or services at school were always optional. I took one comparative religion course for my BA, and not a single religion course for my PhD. I never felt prostheletized. Such schools still dominate and offer exceptional educations.
Despite my considerable educational experience in religion-sponsored schools, I strongly support policies that prohibit state funding of private schools. If you want to go Ivy League, then pay for it.
One side note. I have observed one edge to attending Christian private schools, and many of my academic colleagues agree. Public high school students today appear to lack critical reasoning skills. I doubt that this is unintended as politics have influence on public school curricula.