Parents Rights to Educate Their Children

Who has the right to educate children: the state, or parents? The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: “The right and duty of parents to educate their children are primordial and inalienable… Parents have the right to choose a school which corresponds with their convictions. Public authorities have the duty of guaranteeing this right and ensuring the concrete conditions for its exercise.” (articles 2221 and 2229)

In the United States, from about 1820-1840, the movement for taxpayer-funded, state-controlled education gained momentum. Many people, understandably, wanted all children to have access to education. But those who favored state-controlled education didn’t agitate for tuition grants to poor children so that they could attend a private school. For them, state-control was all important. They believed that people were born naturally good, and that the evil in people was the result of their social environment, biology, or mis-education at the hands of “religionists.” Therefore, they wanted to exclude religious instruction.

One activist, Robert Owen, wrote: “…the religion of the world is the sole cause of all disunion, hatred, uncharitableness and crime… as long as… ignorant… religion… shall be taught… it will be utterly impracticable to train men to love one another.”  Freethinker Frances Wright stated that the object of National Education was “the salvation and regeneration of humankind.” Another proponent, Horace Mann, shared their salvific vision. He wrote: “The common (public) school is the greatest discovery ever made… Let (it) be expanded to its capabilities, and nine-tenths of the crimes in the penal code would become obsolete; men would walk more safely by day; every pillow would be more inviolable by night; property, life and character held by a longer tenure…”

Orestes Brownson, however, who at first advocated state-controlled schools, later wrote, “The great objective was to get rid of Christianity…to establish a system of state schools… from which all religion was to be excluded… and to which all parents were compelled by law to send their children.”      

Opponents of state-controlled schools foresaw three major problems: 1) the state was usurping the right of parents “to mould the religious, moral and political views of (their) children…” 2) this goal eclipsed “diffusing elementary knowledge,” and 3) forcing schools “upon one model, would destroy all competition… and… the spirit of improvement...” 

Recent news vindicates the opponents: Only about half of Americans “believe in God as described in the Bible” (Pew Research). Comprehensive sex education is taught. At UMichigan, Ann Arbor, 241 employees have “diversity,” “equity,” or “inclusion” in their job titles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) indicates that in 2022 only 31% of America’s eighth graders were proficient in reading, and only 27% were proficient in math. Student assaults against teachers have increased. Police stationed at schools discredits the dream that “men would walk more safely by day.”

What about Minnesota public schools? In Minnesota, fewer than half of the students are proficient in reading and math. Yet, Minnesota has no state retention (holding back students) policies based on proficiency results! During the 2021-2022 school year, zero students demonstrated proficiency in math in 19 Minnesota schools!  New benchmarks require third-grade teachers to teach their students how to use non-binary pronouns in writing sentences.  Teacher candidates wanting licensing “must have a foundational understanding of how race and racism are embedded in our institutions…” and of “…how ethnocentrism, eurocentrism, deficit-based teaching and white supremacy undermine pedagogical equity.”

Authentically Catholic schools and home educators, in contrast, impart a Christian philosophy of life. That philosophy is that God loves all and created us for eternal happiness. We return His love by conforming our lives to His Commandments and admonitions, such as “Love your neighbor--- no matter his ethnicity, race, religion, appearance, or handicap; bear wrongs patiently; forgive; do not steal, lie, detract, or lust; practice humility, be a peacemaker…” By teaching this, Catholic schools cultivate habits and virtues that benefit the student, and the common good. Academically, Catholic schools nationwide often spend about ½ of public schools per student, but outrank public schools in math and reading, according to the 2024 NAEP report.

If public money is to go towards education, it should go to parents. Normally, they are best positioned to know what is best for their child. How can a student understand Western literature with little or no exposure to the Bible? What if parents want their child to learn cursive (handwriting), a more rigorous curriculum, or a safer environment than what’s available in their local public school? Parents and students deserve this choice. Home educators and Catholic schools deserve our support. Instead of a forced academic and moral monoculture that portrays itself as “diversity,” we need true diversity by way of educational freedom.

More information on this issue is available through the Child Protection League, and articles by Catrin Wigfall at the Center of the American Experiment. To explore home education, visit the Minnesota Catholic Home Education Conference and Curriculum Fair on May 30-31 at St. Paul College.

The book, Is Public Education Necessary, by Samuel Blumenfeld, was a key resource for this article.

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