Busting stereotypes

One of the early allegations about Christian schools when they were beginning to proliferate in the 1970’s and 1980’s was that they were covers for segregation academies, and no doubt some of them were. Unfortunately, the stereotype has lingered far beyond the reality.

Recently, I was able to do a professional observation at a local Christian school which is truly a stereotype-buster. To begin with, this fourth grade class had a healthy distribution of Hispanic, Caucasian, and African-American students. All were participatory, and all are getting a great education. Ironically, the history lesson was on the Civil War, and it was being taught by an (excellent!) African-American teacher. After reviewing the role of Lincoln in issuing the Emancipation Proclamation, the teacher went on to discuss the two great generals, Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee. She was able to name the strengths of each of the generals in a fair and balanced presentation.

Students are always interested in who the “good guys” and “bad guys” are. Although nothing in the teacher’s presentation prompted this, it was clear from the discussion which followed that they identified more with the Union cause. At one point a student asked, “Are we friends with the South, now?” The teacher wisely smiled and answered, “Why, yes. You know, I moved to Arizona from Alabama!” Seeing the students needed some perspective on how long ago all of this took place, the teacher used as an illustration the fact that her great-great-grandmother, who was alive during the teacher’s childhood, was born free, but her mother had been a slave.

Did I mention this was at First Southern (Baptist) Christian School?

A Tale of Two World Views

A couple of education-related demonstrations occurred at the State Capitol in recent weeks. They represent contrasting views of not only education in Arizona, but contrasting world views, as well.

On February 10, a crowd estimated between five and eight hundred gathered on the lawn of the House of Representatives to hear musical presentations from a variety of private schools from Phoenix, Tucson, and outlying areas as they awaited a visit from Governor Jan Brewer and members of the legislature. The occasion was School Choice Day, and hundreds of well-behaved school children sported happy yellow T shirts that declared "Thank you, State Legislature." Some of the shirts were worn over "parochial school plaid" jumpers, and some of the T shirts were worn by head-covered girls from a Muslim school, who also entertained the crowd with Arabic folk songs when it was their turn to be on stage. Sitting near the stage, front and center, were yarmulka-capped boys from a Hebrew academy. Organizations supporting school choice and quality education had display tables with fun activities for the children as they waited for the governor's appearance.

Twice in January and once in March groups numbering from hundreds to, in one case, 4000, have assembled also at the state capitol to protest budget cuts to public schools in the state legislature. In one rally they wore red shirts (for blood, according to one informant) and in another they wore black, for "death" according to an ASU web site. On that same site a video of one of the events show scowling faces, and raised fists as they chant "Save Our Schools" over and over. Many of the participants are identified as teachers.

One group is being thankful that the legislature allows donors to voluntarily redirect their state income tax to school tuition scholarships (and public school extra-curricular activities). The other groups are demanding more and more funds from involuntarily conscripted taxes.

The confusion over numbers of dollars is a complicated subject that I will try to address in a future article. Just remember this: the average scholarship award from tax credit organizations is about half or less than typical private school tuition, which is almost always less (sometimes by half) of what the public schools are getting from publicly taxed funds. This means that the thankful people are paying both taxes and out-of-pocket funds for school tuition. And the ungrateful people are just paying their taxes.

I find that contrast pretty interesting, and thought you would, as well.