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 28 of 35)
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In this chapter, the Commission on Catholic Education
encourages the reader to reclaim Catholic schools by making a commitment to stand
in solidarity. Suggested next steps and action items are included.
Historically, the state of Catholic education in the Black community has been extremely positive, and the same is true today. Catholic schools are greatly valued for their instructional integrity, academic strength, student discipline, and evangelization outreach to the communities they serve. However, the increasing tendency to view “Catholic education” as being limited to elementary school ultimately will be detrimental to the success of Catholic education in the Black community. We must regard Catholic education in a broader scope to include not only the elementary school in our neighborhood, but also the diocesan high school and Catholic colleges and universities operating in and for the Black community.
This new vision of Catholic schools must be global and inclusive. Catholic education today must provide instruction at all levels of academic need, so that from preschool to graduate school, our students are prepared to compete and participate in a diverse and rapidly changing world. As the case studies in this book demonstrate, sustaining Catholic education in and for the Black community is achievable. The NBCC Commission on Catholic Education has been successful in providing information and consultative resources in support of this principle of global inclusiveness.
As previously discussed, limited financial resources continue to be a major obstacle to providing sustained and competent education to Catholic schools in Black communities. Operational costs have increased beyond the ability of individual communities to fund and maintain their schools. The decline in numbers of priests and religious as teachers and administrators has a negative financial impact on Catholic schools universally. However, in spite of these difficulties, Catholic education in our communities must continue. We can not afford to lose our schools, because they provide the invaluable gifts of hope, human development, and personal dignity to each of our students.
The Commission on Catholic Education asks you to stand in solidarity with us as we encourage the utilization of new ways to save, improve, and maintain Catholic schools in our communities across the country. Although the task will not be easy, we must work together to accomplish it.
Many Catholic schools in Black communities are closing or facing cutbacks due to a lack of financial resources. The Commission on Catholic Education has presented in this book several innovative financial strategies that have helped to maintain local Catholic schools. Additionally, the Commission has described several strategies for hiring and retaining competent educators, who are essential to producing academically competent students, prepared for a diverse world.
Thus working together, this call for solidarity in Catholic education can provide many opportunities for active participation and involvement by the people of God in the financial, economic, and academic reconstruction of Catholic schools in the Black community. Several lists of action items follow.
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