Sustaining Catholic Education in and for the Black Community
By Lois J. Carson, Sr. Roberta Fulton, S.S.M.N., Dorothy Gupton, Veronica Morgan-Lee, Freida D. McCray, Mary Crowley McDonald, Kathleen A. Merritt, Sr. Jamie T. Phelps, O.P., Ph.D., Brother Gary Sawyer, ECSA, Deacon Marvin Threatt, PhD.
(Article: Page 16 of 35)
Add To Favorites | Print Version

Full Resources Article Index

Sustaining Catholic Education in and for the Black Community Resource List for Youth Ministers In the African American Catholic Community

Curricula

Successful schools have a well defined curriculum based upon a central philosophy. A majority of Catholic schools, from elementary to university levels, are comprehensive and inclusive of a full academic curriculum based upon state or federal guidelines.

Most Catholic schools at the secondary level in California are comprehensive and college preparatory. The curricula at these schools are aligned with the entrance requirements of the University of California College System. Therefore, students who graduate from a Catholic school in inner city Los Angeles or Oakland are prepared to compete with students throughout the state for placement in the California college and university system, as well as to compete on a global level.

In the past, students at a given high school or college in the Black community competed with each other for academic success, job placements, and career advancements. Today, as a result of integration, affirmative action, and continued desegregation in American life, students in the African American community are not necessarily competing with one another for jobs, academic placements, or career opportunities, but are competing with students worldwide.

Curricula programs that prepare students to compete on an international level in a diverse and globally connected world are paramount to student success. As a result of job outsourcing, instant communication technology, and worldwide distance learning opportunities, Black students are competing with students in India, Japan, Australia, Europe, as well as the United States and Canada. Therefore, Catholic schools, especially at the secondary and college level, must define curricula and programs that prepare students for globally interrelated professions. The world has become a global village, and education has become a commodity because it is the key to success in the global economy.

One very effective way Catholic schools are meeting this challenge is via the concept of the “international baccalaureate,” a program that identifies highly motivated students and gives them an opportunity to study and experience other cultures and world views. Students study the language and cultures of selected countries, first learning basic components of the language, then experiencing total immersion in that culture by living in the country of their choice for three to four months during their senior year of high school. This program can be extremely beneficial in exposing Black students to the global world of diversity and interdependence.

Although not all students can take advantage of the international baccalaureate program, Catholic schools can create an environment in which students are exposed to cultural diversity, preparing them for participation in a global community.

to top of page

We believe in Privacy! We will never sell your email address. Period!