Pray that governments would strengthen the ability for parents to direct the education of their children.

Reflect
One of longest running areas of concern for the Catholic Church in the United States has been the right of parents to direct the education of their children. Blaine Amendments—provisions in state laws that prevent religious institutions from receiving public funds—were developed at a time of high anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant sentimentand sought to counter the efforts of Catholics to give their children a Catholic education when the public schools were essentially Protestant. The Catholic Church is clear: parents have the right to direct the education of their children. That may mean something as simple as allowing parents to opt out of instruction that clashes with their religious beliefs. This right may also entail that the government provide parents with the means to educate their children in accordance with their religion. The refusal to provide public economic support to non-public schools that need assistance and that render a service to civil society is to be considered an injustice. “Whenever the State lays claim to an educational monopoly, it oversteps its rights and offends justice. . . . The State cannot without injustice merely tolerate so-called private schools. Such schools render a public service and therefore have a right to financial assistance” (Compendium, 241).

Act
The USCCB Secretariat for Catholic Education is a leader in advocacy for the rights of parents to make authentically free choices regarding the education of their children. In the coming year, the Secretariat will be engaged in efforts to promote robust school choice policies. Get involved by subscribing to Catholic Ed Monthly, the newsletter of the Secretariat for Catholic Education.