Intersectionality of the Church and Public Education

There is evidenced based research that suggest that there is increased success of African American children in public schools when the church is involved. Research shows when there is an increased support of black churches and public schools who partner together for the good of the community, young people are more successful. It is my belief that the church has an important role to play in how young people in our communities achieve and have access to higher education. Historically the role of the church has been a place where both spiritual and character formation was not totally separate from literacy development.

In our postmodern society the church has two challenges that they face. This doesn’t just apply to urban churches. This statistic is universal in all evangelical churches. There is an increased need for money and young faces. It is my belief that when we can find the sweet spot between church and education and where each partner’s role is, we can solve the problem that the church faces and as a result solve the problems that are underperforming public institutions face as well.

Historically the church has served as a change agent of transformation for the black community. During the Reconstruction era of the mid 1800’s political leaders made concessions for African Americans who were former slaves and allowed them to vote and participate in civic society. Black clergy during this period used their sermons, theology, and relationships to influence their congregants about the importance of political activism. What we began to see during this period was an influx of African American voters who helped to elect the first two black congressman (Lincoln & Mamiya, 1990).

However, in 1877, the removal of federal protection of African American’s newly gained rights ended the Reconstruction era and gave way to the ratification of Jim Crow segregation in the early 20th century that was anchored in racist separatist doctrines used to deny African Americans civic participation and access to quality public facilities such as well-resourced public schools (Lincoln & Mamiya, 1990).

Upon the Civil Rights Era of the 50’s & 60’s, black church goers and its leaders became the central point of the movement. Black clergy became the face of the movement which help to inspire the fight for rights and non-violent resistance. In the mid 19th and 20th century black churches funded and built private schools as a result of being denied access to superior services for our public institutions, while at the same time advocating for public improvement. This is why it was inappropriate in the eyes of many in the African American community to hear Betsy Devos say that HBCU’s were the pioneers of school choice. The fact is that they had no choice so they had to create their own.

I believe that our churches and faith-based institutions remain an untapped source of educational empowerment for student learning. The church has the ability to equip, empower and release a new generation of leaders for the public good. If there was a solid relationship between churches in our neighborhoods and the local public school, I believe we would find that students in our community would perform much better as well as have a better sense of self when faced with both social and academic challenges.

The influence of religion and faith is overlooked in much of the literature concerning students’ learning, school curricula, educational motivation, and academic performance (Toldson & Anderson, 2010), yet many youth’s actions and motivations are heavily influenced by their spiritual beliefs and participation in religious fellowship (Barrett, 2010; Green-Powell, Hilton, & Joseph, 2011).

It was not too long ago that I sat in a Sunday school classroom reading the stories of David and Goliath using “close reading” strategies in order to understand the depths of those stories. I still remember memorizing scripture for an upcoming Easter program so that I would be prepared to speak in front of 300 adults that would be present the following Sunday. I still remember hearing the preacher say that “You are somebody in God’s eyes.” These are things that can’t be measured on school data dashboards but have huge implications and impacts on public school classrooms.

One of the most important things a church can do for the people in their community is to be part of creating the next generation leaders. We need leaders who understand their calling and also is formed in Christ-like character. Martin Luther King Jr said, “The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. But education which stops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals.”  

Education is still the Civil Rights issue of our day. While educators bare the responsibility of providing quality and equity in our public schools, the reality is that sustained educational justice requires the involvement of all the stakeholders of our community including churches and faith-based organizations. Churches need schools and schools need churches if we are going to see transformation in communities across this country.

Works Cited

Lincoln, E. C., & Mamiya, L. H. (1990). The black church in the African American experience. Durham, NC: Duke University Press

Toldson, I., & Anderson, K. A. (2010). Editor’s comments: The role of religion in promoting academic success for black students. Journal of Negro Education, 79, 205-213.