UMs should be taking part in public education debate

My View

As United Methodists, we can trace our passion for education to our Wesleyan roots. As Americans, we have long considered public education the foundation of our democracy.
While few would admit to a desire to undermine public education, it is currently under attack from every angle. We can all agree that our educational system has problems. However, some of the “cures” now under discussion on both the state and federal levels could weaken rather than strengthen the system.
Gov. Rick Perry, himself a United Methodist, has declared education the most important issue facing the current session of the Texas Legislature. In coming weeks, our elected officials must make decisions that will shape our lives and the lives of our children. Policy considerations will include:
> What level of education will the state support?
> How will success be measured?
> How will teachers be compensated?
> Should state funds support the education of students in private schools?
While the revision of education policy is of critical importance, the redesign of the school finance system may be of even greater consequence. How will the state produce adequate revenue? Or, more importantly, will the state produce adequate revenue to fund quality education for all? Who will pay? Will the system be fair and equitable, or will poor school districts and poor people bear an unfair burden?
The United Methodist Church 2004 Book of Resolutions states in Resolution 245:
“In each community, the local United Methodist Church is responsible for being a catalyst in helping the entire community become sensitive to the issues of public education. … The continuation of a democratic and pluralistic society in the United States requires a public education system that produces quality education for every student, so that all might contribute to the building of community. We encourage state government to budget adequately for quality education … with special attention given to low income areas, rather than to tie this important function to risky funding such as lotteries.”
The resolution continues:
“Some of the many challenging issues confronting the schools are: financial inadequacies, school vouchers, historic racial attitudes, lack of cultural and language sensitivity, school violence, curriculum, growing professionalism of teachers and administrators, lack of parental involvement and well-informed and sensitive school board members. … We believe that our country must again recommit itself to public education and be willing to pay taxes sufficient to develop quality education and attract and retain quality teachers. … Our theological tradition of holy living reveals clearly our personal accountability to Almighty God in relation to our personal responsibility to and for our fellow human beings.”
We have long taken for granted that both our church and nation shared a commitment to education for all children, but we can no longer take for granted a shared concern for the support of public education.
We may each consider public education issues from our faith perspective and arrive at different conclusions. But it is critical that we take seriously our historic commitment to quality education for all people and our call to be involved as public policies are crafted. Those policies will affect us as taxpayers, parents and people of faith.
We can act on our faith commitment to education in many ways. We can all pray for elected officials as they confront these difficult issues. Other options include:
> Sponsoring or participating in discussions in our local congregation or community.
> Calling, visiting or writing letters to legislators.
> Participating in legislative hearings.
> Writing letters to newspapers.
> Making financial contributions to organizations advocating on behalf of public education.
We may each hear our call to involvement differently, but first we must prayerfully consider the issue and listen to God’s call to us.
Jane McFarland is a member of the Board of Church and Society.