Is the Church Saving Souls and Losing Students?

Posted Mar 31 2012 by Romal J. Tune with 5 Comments

    Recent data suggest that African American and Hispanic males are the primary victims of the nation’s dropout crises.  According to the Schott Foundation for Public Education, only 41% of Black males graduate from high school in the United States, and the Urban Institute reports that only 51% percent of Black females graduate. During recent trips to LA, Dallas, Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, NY, and Atlanta, conversation with education professionals have centered on how can we best intervene to keep Black and Brown students in school.  Strategies often include developing community partnerships and organizing programs utilizing proven dropout prevention methods.

    In most cases the faith community is absent from the discussion.  Typically when I ask why this is the case, the answer is simple: “We aren’t sure of what they can do.  We know they have a role to play but it’s difficult to define.”  Or, “We always invite the faith community but rarely do they show up.”

    What’s tragic about these responses is the fact that the faith community is often viewed by people as the one place they feel actually cares about their well being, and when the faith community is absent it sends a message to the community that “we only care about our own.”  But, even just caring about “our own” is flawed logic and a poor excuse.  Churches and other communities of faith in cities where the dropout rates is fifty percent or higher must recognize that students in our congregations are not exempt from this crisis.  Statistics show that seven thousand students dropout of school everyday.  Arguably some if not many of these students or their parents, attend church on Sunday morning.   It is very likely that on Sunday morning, as pastors preach about the power of God to change lives, being gifted to do great things, or being created for a great purpose, the message falls on the ears of students that have given up on their education or parents who are ashamed to admit their child has dropped out of school.   A student can choose to walk down the aisle on Sunday morning willing to give their life over to God and then Monday morning decide to walk out of schools because they have given up on their education.

    For years churches have supported back to school drives, by purchasing books, schools uniforms, college tours, and provided other forms of support to their neighborhood schools.  But it is also the case that they have not been quantifying the outcomes of these efforts and their impact on student performance.  They are important and needed contributions but far more must be done if we are going to keep the students that attend churches in the classroom and off the streets.

    So what is the solution? The solution is multifaceted. First, non-religious institutions must treat communities of faith with the same level of respect they give other community partners.  Churches are first about the business of making sure their members have a relationship with God, they are not grassroots organizations created solely for the purpose of community service.   However with proper preaching and teaching members will be compelled to act on the behalf of others, for that is in part the gospel message.  Successful community partnership are based on relationship building which means being willing to take an interest in understanding the church just as much as you want them to take an interest in supporting your organization.

    Secondly, churches must take seriously the need for what we call “Graduation Ministries.”  This is a ministry designed solely for the purpose of making sure that every student in the church is performing on grade level and prepared to graduate on time.  A “Graduation Ministry” makes the church a “no dropout zone.”   Faith for Change has developed a toolkit for Graduation Ministries to guide congregations through building infrastructure and sustainability for a successful dropout prevention program.  The Graduation Ministry Toolkit trainings teach participants how to track student performance, how to find the graduation requirements and drop out rates of each school represented in the church, inform parents of pertinent facts such as overall school attendance, standardized test performance, and the impact of education policy as a barrier or gateway to student performance.  Additionally, the trainings teach ministry leaders on how to support parents, document ministry activities, and quantify their results.

    Our schools are not in crises.  Schools don’t have a pulse.  Our students are in crises and our teachers, parents and caregivers are in need of help.   As communities of faith we are first about the work of making sure people draw closer to God. What we do to help students stay in schools will let young people know that God cares about their future.  “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you plans to give you hope and a future.”  ( Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)

    —-
    Rev. Romal J. Tune is the president & CEO of Clergy Strategic Alliances, LLC and a sought-after speaker by prominent political, religious and grassroots organizations, including the Congressional Black Caucus, Faith and Politics Institute, American Federation of Teachers and the Democratic National Committee.

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      About the Author

      Romal J. Tune

      Romal J. TuneRev. Romal J. Tune is the Founder & Executive Director of Faith for Change, a coalition of religious institutions united by a desire to improve academic outcomes for underperforming public school students. He is the author of the forthcoming book, God's Graffiti: God's Word Written on Your Life due out in April 2013.View all posts by Romal J. Tune →

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      • http://twitter.com/erinvechols Erin Echols

        If you want to work to keep minorities in school we can’t approach it as an individual issue or an issue of effort and motivation as many organizations do. It is not about motivation – research has confirmed that black students have educational goals similar to those of white students. The problem is a school system built on inequality. Schools are funded by property taxes – a deeply unequal system that, coupled with continued residential segregation – results in underfunded minority schools. The problem is a lack of healthcare. Black and brown neighborhoods are more likely to be located around environmental hazards and are located further away from the grocery stores that are needed to provide good nutrition for students. Discrimination in the labor force has to be take care of – how can we expect a child to thrive in school when their parents can’t make adequate wages? School curriculum must be tackled. Textbooks must address history from multiple perspectives – not just that “Columbus came and it was great”, but “Columbus came and here is what European immigration did to the native population.” Not just “the civil rights movement happened and now everything is better” but “the civil rights movement made serious advancements but there is still continued discrimination and institutional raciam that we have to deal with as a nation.”

        http://erinvechols.com/a-beginners-guide-to-racial-inequality

        • Eli

          what Erin said. article seems too focused on addressing symptoms not causes. The church should speak to the cause of problems, that will get the church in trouble but if the message is merely one of providing relief and service to the weak or disadvantaged then we are no better than any other charity.

        • Keith Carr61

          Erin, You are mistaken about taxes and inadequate schools. There are wonderful school systems where these people can take advantage of an education and that is an excuse propigated by the liberal left. To suggest that they must have over the top facilities and steak for lunch is a slap in every minoritys face whom overcame much worse than the current systems in place. Detroit is a cesspool of destroyed schools, government housing and public buildings…Why? Because you arent addressing the root of the problem. They dont CARE. Most of them have absent fathers and the mothers cant control them. The statistics are there and yet everyone wants to blame the ‘lack’ of infrastructure for what is in reality an internal problem within the minority community. We are a nation of whining, easily offended, excuse makers and ‘white’ people have continuosly played the ‘enablers’ because of, what I like to call, the “white guilt complex” You arent doing these people any favors by giving them reasons they cant succeed. My Lord, you mean to tell me that it is so bad that 40+% dont even graduate from HIGH SCHOOL….BULL. Sorry but until you address the real issues and quit pandering to the “excuses” agenda then you will never see any change. Detroit is a great example of how a large minority population DESTROYED most of the facilities that Federal Tax Dollars paid for. They destory one apartment complex and they just build them another….Tell me again what part of “free” is making them so destructive?They dont CARE and every time they hear you or someone like you tell them they have a reason to be mad or why they cant succeed then its  ok to destroy buildings, schools, etc so they an entitlement mentality. How about making them pay for what they destroy and quit pandering to them so that one day they may understand that getting someone pregnant and then disappearing isnt ok? Heal their social issues and you will see the change you seek. Otherwise you are just…..well  #$@% in the wind.

      • http://joelzehring.posterous.com Joel Zehring

        +1 Erin

        I’d add that the current school paradigms are perfectly suited to prepare high school grads for the 19th century. The whole experience is optimized for the convience of adults rather than the success of students. Would love to see more Christians elevating the discourse around education policy.

      • Romal

        I think these are valid point regarding Ed. Policy and I agree. What i’ve also noticed in working with congregations and policy related groups that seek to engage churches is that nothing happens.  For the most part I’ve discovered that lack of activism in churches around policy is that many of the people are disconnected from kids, schools and parents.  Or approach works to get churches and people of faith engaged in schools as well as with students and parents.  When people work with schools they come in contact with the harsh realities you speak of and it becomes more personal.  Once vested through actually doing the work it’s been easier to engage them around Ed. Policy.  What’s important here that each of us do something to make a difference.  There is no Ed Policy movement coming from the church.  We have a few churches here and there doing something but no combined  and consistent effort on broad scale.  Yes, changes policy is critical and I would add that when you go into community and see the urgency of need that exist right in the moment, you can’t simply say we can’t help you right now, wait until the policy changes come.  Both strategies need to work simultaneously. Those helping kids and parents make it today and those working to fight for better Ed. Policy tomorrow.   You can’t just tell people who are living it right now to stop what they are doing and focus on Ed. Policy alone that approach totally disregards the realities of daily life and only shows that we are disconnected from the urgent needs of students and family today. There is no quick fix.  there is a lot of work that needs to be done and what we don’t have time to do is point out what “other people” should be doing, rather we should be doing our part.  Thanks for your comments they are helpful. 

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