
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, July 30, 1995                   TAG: 9507280058
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: F-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: EDWIN RAY FRAZIER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

CHRISTIANS SHOULDN'T BASH SCHOOLS

PUBLIC education for all children is a wonderful concept of which Americans should be proud and grateful. However, it requires the support and involvement of parents and church people.

As schools' opening day draws near, we need to take note of the widespread trashing and bashing of public education in our country. How shall we respond?

We church people often think of ourselves as lights in the darkness, salt that preserves. We're supposed to make a difference at school-board meetings, Parent-Teacher-Student Association meetings and school gatherings, and in administrative decisions. But if we drain away our support and involvement with local schools, what can we expect? If we keep draining the lake, who do we blame when it goes dry?

Church people are responsible for standing with parents, teachers, administrators and students to make public education work. Parental involvement is essential; community support is necessary. Formal and informal talks must cope with the issues and challenges always with the aim of sustaining and strengthening public schools.

Go to PTSA meetings and ball games. Take pride in the good qualities you see and experience, and find ways to encourage students and faculty toward good values and priorities. Confront problems in a Christian, American "can do" attitude. Take the teacher a birthday card and a present, or send administrators a thank you after a good community event at school. Go to school-board meetings, and share concerns rather than bad-mouthing them from a distance. Help; don't hurt. Get involved; don't withdraw. Encourage; don't trash and bash. Build up; don't tear down.

Some of us in the Christian community need to muster up some courage. We need to say out loud that we don't share the radical and self-serving nature of the emerging "religious right." We need to distance ourselves from them. Current public-education issues are a marvelous opportunity for us to speak and act. Public schools should have the strongest support among those whose ideology teaches its followers to be lights in the darkness, salt that preserves society.

When you think about it, it's strange. The people whose divine calling is the care of all individuals are the very ones who are withdrawing in a blatant, selfish effort to establish a better educational system for themselves.

To put it negatively, if we want public education to feature rampant drugs, absence of discipline and lack of character development, leave local school issues to those who don't care about public education. But if you care, support your local schools.

Edwin Ray Frazier of Roanoke is pastor of Troutville Baptist Church.

by CNB