By Eileen Scott, Senior Writer
RESEARCH: RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS ARE TOP OF THE CLASS Analysis by Dr. William Jeynes Has Surprising Results
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A recent meta-analysis of public, When comparing all three institutions, religious, and charter schools by Jeynes found that students attending reliBROWN Dr. William Jeynes has revealed gious schools outperformed their peers by some bold conclusions. one whole grade level. “If Harvard, Princeton, Regarding behavioral and other Ivy League unimeasures such as school versities want to find some fights, suspensions, and of the best students in the obeying teachers, Jeynes country, a disproportionconcluded that religious ately large percentage of private school students these students are likely to further outperformed pubcome from Christian and lic and charter schools. other private religious “Clearly, there are adschools,” said Jeynes, Harvantages to both teachers vard ’93. and students being able to Jeynes released the reopenly express their faith,” sults of his groundbreaking said Jeynes, who constudy during a speech for ducted the study, in part, Notre Dame University to identify the impact of faculty this spring. A senior Bill Jeynes, Harvard ’93, religious schools upon the fellow at the Witherspoon recently released the educational environment Institute in Princeton, New findings of his study that within the country. Jersey and a professor at compared public schools, “Christian schools have California State University charter schools, and been a major contributor religious schools. Long Beach, Jeynes conto American educational ducted an extensive study of prayer and history. In recent years, it seems that the the Bible in public schools. In 2010, he federal government has chosen to overwrote a book on the topic, A Call for look the role these schools play in helping Character Education and Prayer in the children succeed, particularly in the inner Schools. city,” he said. Jeynes’ recent three-year, meta-analyAccording to Jeynes, the racial and sosis study on education was the first to ancioeconomic achievement gaps are 25 alyze the three educational options. His percent narrower in private religious research also yielded shocking findings schools than they are in public and charregarding the comparison of public and ter schools. His analysis also noted a charter schools. higher level of racial harmony in Chris“I was quite surprised that students tian schools. from charter schools did no better than Some of the advantages of the religious their counterparts in traditional public schools lie in the teaching approach, and schools,” he said. “I really expected public in the higher expectations that teachers in charter school students to outperform those schools have of their students, pupils in traditional public schools.” Jeynes said.
The overall research, according to Jeynes, reveals that “Christian schools should have a place at the table in terms of teaching children.” However, that place is often vacated because of the so-called separation of church and state. “The phrase ‘separation of church and state’ never occurs in the Constitution,” said Jeynes. “Those in the public schools claim to teach that the United States should have diversity. But there is an irony in this assertion, because the public school’s control over K-12 schooling is as close to a monopoly as one finds in the United States. It sure does not seem that most public school educators welcome diversity in schooling that would include religious private schools.” But separating students from the Bible seems to have a negative effect, especially in the academy. According to Jeynes’ prior research on Bible literacy, students could benefit from a core religion course. “The positive relationship between Bible literacy and academic achievement is likely related to the fact that a working knowledge of the Bible is very important if one is to grasp more easily American history, the history of the world, and a large bulk of classical literature. Many authors assume that their readers have a working knowledge of the Bible. Shakespeare alone cites the Bible over 1,300 times,” he said. Ultimately, the research speaks for itself, and according to Jeynes, it’s time for society to listen. “It would appear wise for society to appreciate more fully the benefits of religious knowledge, faith-based practices, and Christian schools,” he said. ■
“Christian schools have been a major contributor to American educational history. In recent years, it seems that the federal government has chosen to overlook the role these schools play in helping children succeed, particularly in the inner city.” Summer 2013 | 21