Jesus – a Xavier alum?
A provocative if somewhat singular view of church-based independent schools has been posted by Alan Matheson blogging on www.onlineopinion.com.au
Asking the question 'Are church schools really Christian’ Matheson posits that many such schools merely perpetuate social division, that their values are hardly Christian when they offer selective learning to only the few who are privileged or wealthy – or both – and that the proliferation of building and resources – gymnasiums, swimming pools, music centres and sports grounds – reveals their ultimate mission, namely, they serve mammon rather that God.
Everyone in comparative wealthy countries can question such cross comparative issues based on national and/or international inequity.
To what extent does social division exist in Australia?
Should Australians share more of their undoubted opportunity and wealth with poorer nations?
While posing the same rhetorical questions at school level Matheson assumes that church or faith based schools are condemned – partly because of their comparative Christian language – for portraying a series of falsehoods that reveal privileged church-based schools as elitist and outside mainstream demands of most Australian school-aged children.
Matheson claims such school’s glowing statements of inclusion and concern in brochures and their Babel-like pursuit of learning monuments depicted on websites ignores the practical Christian reality to serve the poor and the marginalised.
School leaders may blanch at Matheson’s references to certain school’s international student support towards impoverished countries, especially institutions with supposed strong Christian values.
Matheson asks how digging two toilets and constructing a village tap in PNG can ever equate to one school’s ‘multimillion dollar construction program’ in light of that institution’s claims regarding supportive Christian values?
Independent school leaders could dismissingly reject Matheson’s premise out of hand.
Why listen to the idle chatter of this ideologue babbler? (Acts 17.18)
But perhaps, just perhaps, Matheson’s comments may hit a raw nerve.
National and international comparisons will continually reveal inevitable inequity differences and the widening opportunity chasm that exists in social services and community provisions.
In an Australian education context Matheson’s comments may exemplify a widening community perception that the schooling outcome and resource availability gap between independent and public education continues to widen.
People or government may conclude ‘that enough is enough’.
The equity difference is already too wide and any continuation of this trend is unacceptable.
Governments may dictate that action is required to narrow the school resourcing gap in the same way as inestimable resources are allocated to Australia’s indigenous groups, not merely regarding education but across the spectrum of social, employment, housing and opportunity provisions to disadvantaged communities.
It will be interesting to see if the justification to narrow perceived and actual social inequity could be based on Luke’s Gospel, ‘to whom much is given, much is expected’ (Luke 12.48).
Perhaps independent schools should more closely review their own values and mission in the revealing spotlight of this Christian imperative.
The full On Line Opinion article – Would Mary send Jesus to Xavier? 19 February 2010 – can be read on:
www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=10082
Comments: