TRI In The News

Delaware Schools: Ministers Want to Play a Role

From delawareonline
Original article available here.


A group of ministers wants to make unannounced visits to Wilmington's public schools to make sure students are getting the education they need to avoid lives of crime.

Members of Interdenominational Ministers Action Council said they will be speaking to principals in the coming weeks to develop plans that would give them access to classrooms so they can monitor teachers, administrators and overall school performance.

"We can't interrupt. We can't go in there and teach the lesson," said the Rev. Christopher T. Curry, chair of the council's education unit. "But we come in unannounced, we sit, we listen. We watch how the classroom discipline is, how the instructors are motivating our young people ...

"If we see that it is not happening, we certainly would want to have this conversation with the principals who are involved. But if there is a rejection at that point, then we need to talk to the Department of Education."

The plan, made public this week, is part of the council's efforts to take more aggressive steps to deal with the city's street violence. The council, made up of about 60 ministers, has been meeting privately to find ways to deal with the causes of violence, including social justice, access to health care and education.

Under its action plan, council pastors would "adopt" schools near their churches. At the pastor's discretion, at least three people would be sent to monitor the school and its progress, including state evaluation test results.

But Widener University School of Law professor Alan E. Garfield said the mere presence of ministers in public schools would give the appearance the state is surrendering its authority to the church.

"It doesn't sound like the best way to go about it," Garfield said.

Failing schools is a genuine problem that needs to be fixed, he said. But if they form collaborations with churches and have church members monitor teachers to report on how well they are doing, it could be seen as though government is endorsing religion.

"That sounds like a very dangerous message to be saying," he said. "It's as if saying the school answers to the church."

A more conventional and secular model would be for ministers to inspire and motivate parents to work with their children, as well as become engaged in their education.

"That's their job within the church," he said.

The Delaware State Education Association also said it is not appropriate for ministers to make judgments on teachers' performance, said Pam Nichols, association spokeswoman.

"The state already has an evaluation system in place, based on what makes an effective teacher," Nichols said. "In fact, we're now working to make it better: Next year, teachers must show 'student growth' in order to be rated effective."

Community members can set up appointments to visit classrooms, she said, adding the department is appreciative that the ministers care about the quality of education in Wilmington.

"That's a discussion we'd welcome having with them," she said. "This just isn't the way to go about it."

Some parents don't object

But parents interviewed by The News Journal said they are fine with council members visiting schools their children attend.

Maria Cabrera, who operates Cafe Bohemia in Wilmington's Cool Spring/ Tilton Park area, said parents should be involved. But that doesn't happen often in the city, said Cabrera, whose youngest son attends Highland Elementary School on Wilmington's north side.

Having council members in schools could help with children who are less willing to tell their parents about problems they might be having with teachers, Cabrera said.

"I welcome it," she said. "Not every teacher should be teaching. They're there biding their time and if they're miserable and they can't teach children the same ... they shouldn't be there."

Jennifer Jones, whose son and daughter attend Bancroft Elementary School, doesn't believe schools will permit council members to preach in classrooms.

"Look at the Pledge of Allegiance," she said. "They took that out because of [the word] God."

Jones said the council would be more of a community activist group in schools, especially those that are failing.

No ministering

The proposal to monitor public school performance is something parents, schools and the districts will have to discuss before it can actually happen, but state education Secretary Lillian M. Lowery doesn't have a problem with it -- as long as the group is not ministering.

"It sounds right on," Lowery said. "These are good people with good intentions."

She said she worked with the council when she was Christiana School District's superintendent and found members were not about pastoralism.

"They have always gone in as role models," she said. "People who have distinguished themselves as leaders in the community, who want to come in and assist as strong positive role models.

"I have never, ever had an instance where I've dealt with them or any school that I've dealt with has had to deal with pastoralizing or co-mingling of church and state," she said.

Others agree, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Delaware and the Rutherford Institute, a Charlottesville, Va., conservative civil rights group. Both said there should be no problem as long as council representatives are not ministering.

"Their mere status as religious people doesn't raise any issues -- none at all," said John W. Whitehead, president and founder of the Rutherford Institute. "Just because he's in there, it doesn't make anyone feel different. If I go in as a lawyer, does that make anybody feel different?"

Evaluation is only mission

Curry, the council's education chair, said the group would not be there to teach religion but to evaluate the schools.

But even though Curry said this would be an "unofficial" evaluation, they would go to the district and education department if they find the school is not performing within the parameters they've set up.

"When the people are informed, the people tend to be more cognizant of what they are doing," Curry said. "The biggest issue is not the guns ... the biggest issue is the lack of education."

Curry admitted there might be conflicts with their going into schools but hoped that could be ironed out with school officials.

"We are willing to sit and talk with any group that wants to help our children succeed," said Red Clay Superintendent Merv Daugherty. "We can tell them what efforts we are making in our schools and hear what they see as the issues in our schools. Working together, we may find a way to give additional supports to children, especially in our high-poverty schools."