The Many Benefits Offered By An Urban Christian Education

By Frances Richardson


Schools and educational systems that are based upon the principles of a specific religion is nothing new. From the earliest days churches strived to provide schooling to the masses. Of course, part of this schooling involved studying the principles and teachings of the church. Later on, missionaries established schools wherever they went. This allowed them to reach more people for religious purposes. To this day, and for many reasons, many families prefer their children to receive an urban Christian education.

Many parents do not want their children to be exposed to other cultures, religions and faith systems. They want the schooling that their children get to be based firmly upon their own belief system. This sentiment is not exclusive to Christians. Moslem parents, Jewish parents and those from other faiths often also want their children to be educated according to the principles of their religion.

It is not only Christians that want their children to receive religious schooling in conjunction with the official curriculum. Jewish and Moslem parents, as well as people from other faiths have also established private schools to fulfill their particular needs. These schools are privately owned and they base their curricula upon the principles of their faith. Parents that enroll their children in these schools must accept that fact.

Religious schools have become immensely popular, even with families that are not particularly religious. This is because most of these schools produce better results than government schools. They have strict rules and discipline is maintained at all times. Classes are generally smaller and only top teachers are employed. Many parents believe that this is the ideal environment for their children to learn and to become responsible adults.

One really cannot blame parents for looking at alternatives to government schools. These schools are underfunded, under staffed, they have very little resources and they are plagued by violence, drug abuse and bully behavior. Teachers have to make do with precious few resources and they must teach very large classes. Discipline is often almost impossible to maintain. As a result, the majority of government schools do not perform very well.

Critics say that religious schools are too exclusive and that they stifle the creativity of their learners because they are so strict about what learners are exposed to. They say that healthy, balanced individuals need to be exposed to different cultures and religions and that religious schools prevent children from becoming true citizens of a society where there is inevitable people from many different backgrounds. This is discriminatory, they argue.

Naturally, supporters of religious schools do not concur with the critics. They say that it is their right to determine the faith and principles according to which their children are educated. In a free society one does not have to agree but one has to accept the rights of others. Parents of children in religious schools generally want their kids to learn in a well ordered, professional environment with a reputation of producing good results.

It would be wrong to think that private religious schools are totally independent. They are not. They have to comply with all the many laws and regulations overseen by the educational authorities. They have to adhere to the prescribed curriculum but when it comes to religious instruction, they act according to their beliefs.




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