Religious conservatives sometimes oppose practices that many educators favor, such as whole language or the teaching of thinking skills. How should educators accommodate the wishes of parents when they conflict with their own professional judgment?
We must remember that members of religious conservative groups have as much right to be concerned about educational practices as any other group. Our task, as educators, is first to listen to those who express dissatisfaction with any aspect of the curriculum. When an honest exchange is carried on between parents and teachers, and when questions about subject matter are addressed in a nonthreatening and noncondescending way, a win/win situation can be created.Parents have a right to review series of texts, curriculum guides, and other district-mandated materials so that they can become informed personally. Too many protesters are relying on what they have been told by others. They need to know that we, as educators, have nothing to hide.If parents, after becoming informed, request a different curriculum arrangement for a small part of the teacher's yearly plan, they should be accommodated on an individual basis. However, when parents question an entire program that has been selected as the curriculum of choice, they need to be reminded of their right to choose a private school that may more closely suit their religious beliefs.—Donna Goldammer is assistant professor of education at Sioux Falls College in Sioux Falls, S. Dak.
Not surprisingly, parents object to being identified by derogatory labels and treated as if they do not know what is best for their children. Broad generalizations about religious conservatives stigmatize parents and make them feel that they are not valued—or worse.Many parents—religious conservatives included—believe that their children are their responsibility and that the schools act in loco parentis. Many educators, however, believe that the child's education belongs to them and that parents should support the teacher's program in every way possible. The stage is set for conflict.I was a public school teacher and administrator for many years and found tremendous satisfaction working with parents to improve the school. As education professionals, of course we bring our own best judgment and expertise to how we do our jobs. But we also must serve our clients. In this case, the paying customers are parents.If educators encourage, listen to, and accept parents' views, the outcome can be positive. Maybe that means establishing two-track sex education programs instead of the take-it-or-leave-it approach most schools use today. Or providing both whole language instruction and phonics.Parents do respect teachers as professionals, but when educators assert that only they know what is best, they alienate parents.—Linda Page is education policy manager at Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Administrators and teachers need ongoing education and training to be sensitive to the religious convictions of students and parents. Too often school leaders are comfortable and familiar with only one religious tradition—usually the dominant one and probably their own. Today's multicultural society demands that all school personnel develop and continually nurture a broad tolerance and a welcoming acceptance of religious, cultural, and ethnic diversity. The climate of the school should reflect a wide, spirited diversity in all things. The richness of that diversity would ideally permeate classrooms and animate teachers.Educators should not, however, be held hostage by a vocal minority who espouse a marginal religious conviction. Only a confused logic coupled with a reactionary reading of the Bible allows religious conservatives to label highly successful teaching strategies such as whole language instruction and the teaching of thinking skills as morally repugnant. This is a conclusion born out of fear and ignorance.Educators should be well trained in any model of instruction and informed about the research studies supporting the various teaching styles they employ. Religious zealots will always be with us, but truly professional educators will manifest and embody a sensitivity that commands respect—and will stand firmly on hard data that validate their choices.—Rev. Ronald Nuzzi is a Ph.D. candidate in the Catholic School Leadership Program at the University of Dayton (Ohio).
Educators can make some adjustments for religious conservatives and other parents, whether they agree with them or not, and without undermining the integrity of the curriculum or injecting religion into it. Children can receive alternate assignments, especially in cases where parental objections are clearly religious.Teachers using whole language should seek parental involvement in choosing books to read and encourage children to write pieces that would reflect their family values. Similarly, teachers can encourage students to choose topics for critical thinking and analysis that will meet with the approval of their parents.Being sensitive to the beliefs of students' parents does not mean succumbing to pressure groups—it is a matter of accommodation and cooperation. Rigidity may be a trait of religious conservatives, but it need not characterize school leadership as well. If we are to be a genuinely pluralistic society, our schools must mirror that diversity and adjust to children of deeply religious families as well.Parent involvement should be encouraged by school authorities; it can help correct inaccurate impressions on both sides. Religious conservatives, like any other group of parents, should not be made to feel that they are outsiders and that public schools are hostile ground for them and their children.—Sarla Ramayya teaches social studies at Fort Clarke Middle School in Gainesville, Fla.