Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, February 15, 1993 TAG: 9302150095
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CAROLYN CLICK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
CHURCHES FEAR LOSING CONTROL OVER TEACHINGS
When officials with Roanoke Valley church-run day-care centers ponder increased regulation, the prospect some fear most is state interference in their Bible curriculum."My concern, and I'm sure it is with others, is that if the state gets to control too much, they can control what your aim is, your teaching of Christian principles," said the Rev. Troy Webb, pastor of the Glad Tidings Assembly of God Church, which runs Glad Day Care.
The Rev. Jim Mustain, business administrator and a pastor of Shenandoah Baptist Church, also worries about state intervention in what, to him, represents simple Christian outreach.
"We look at our day-care ministry as a ministry, just as our Sunday morning worship service and our Sunday morning Sunday school," Mustain said.
"We hold it to standards higher than any state-run day-care center."
But those who support legislation proposed in this year's General Assembly see yearly inspections by state officials as an additional safeguard for parents who seek the best day care for their children.
Some Roanoke area church-run centers who could take "religious-exempt" status have already invited the state in, opting for the more thorough state licensure procedure.
"If anything, it's to our advantage to be licensed," said Beth McKee, director of the Church Court Day Nursery and Kindergarten, which is affiliated with the First Church of God. "It's protection to us as well as the parents."
Arvil Pennington, minister to children at Roanoke's First Baptist Church, said parents have more confidence knowing that the center adheres to all state regulations.
"With it being licensed, it sometimes gives you more credibility with parents. They feel a little more secure," he said. "Probably the decision was made originally to give the center more credibility."
The church's child-development center cares for children of a number of faiths, including Judaism. He has never experienced any problem with state interference in programs or curriculum.
Virginia Pruitt, director of Shepherd's Care Day School, a ministry of First Church of the Nazarene, said her center decided to seek state certification "knowing that we wanted to have a reputable school and to have accreditation with the general public within the city."
"Our only concern is if they would tell us what we have to teach," said Pruitt. "As long as it [the review] is on health and safety . . . we feel it is a plus to everyone."
To qualify as religious-exempt, church centers must adhere to a list of recommended state guidelines on food preparation, building safety and ratio of children to teachers.
The local fire and health departments also make yearly visits to ensure the building is safe and the kitchen is clean.
Many say they are already exceeding the recommendations, using, for instance, disposable rubber gloves for each diaper change.
"We wear rubber gloves," said Marilyn Kemp, director of the Children's Discovery Center of First Wesleyan Church. "We have a procedure if somebody vomits or bleeds."
But advocates say the annual state inspection would put some teeth in those health and safety checks, requiring church-run centers to immediately correct problems spied by inspectors.
Proponents also believe state inspections would prevent the unscrupulous from abusing the religious-exempt status won by legitimate churches.
"There are documented examples of licensed centers that were so grossly out of compliance that their licenses were revoked, and they opened up as religious-exempt," said Mary Ellen Verdu, director of the Virginia Council on Child Day Care and Early Childhood Programs.
But Verdu said convincing Western Virginia lawmakers of the need for strengthened regulations has been one of the greatest stumbling blocks.
In addition to the constitutional church-state questions, many rural lawmakers fear the enhanced rules will put some churches out of the day-care business - and leave parents with even fewer options than before.
Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1993