Overture 04-62. On Improved Education for African American and Other Students Placed At-Risk for an Excellent Education—From the Presbytery of National Capital.

The Presbytery of National Capital overtures the 216th General Assembly (2004) to do the following:

1. That the General Assembly approve a ten-year emphasis on the education of students placed at risk for excellence in education for any reason with a plan of action for tutoring and mentoring a minimum of 10,000 students per year.

2. That a study packet calling attention to problems faced by children and youth in their attempts to acquire an education (and including suggested strategies for action, including working with parents) be developed and distributed to every congregation.

3. That every congregation be called upon to accept responsibility for improving educational opportunities for students in their geographic areas by developing, supporting, or participating in a tutoring/mentoring program.

4. That every effort be made to ensure the excellence in education for culturally and linguistically diverse children that will eliminate their disproportionate representation in special education, disciplinary problems, suspensions, expulsions, and incarcerations.

5. That the primary focus be on young children (birth to fourth grade) to ensure that they have the basic foundation needed to become creative and responsible persons in the common life.

6. That the emphasis be on improving higher education as well as birth-12 education in order to provide the number of quality educators needed in schools and school systems today.

7. That Presbyterians answer the call to involvement in the support of public education as evidenced by church documents. (See Appendix B.)

8. That the General Assembly request names and addresses of educators at all levels from each congregation in order to provide the means for constructive two-way communications designed to provide national assistance to congregations and to allow for the sharing of ideas, strategies, and successes.

9. That the General Assembly request an annual report from each congregation detailing efforts made and successes achieved, as well as problems encountered.

10. That a national conference on Presbyterians involved in education be planned for two, three, or five years into the decade in order to evaluate the progress of the ten-year emphasis, to demonstrate to other churches what can be done in the missional area, and to inform the nation of the continuation of the historic effort of Presbyterians to be involved in the education of all children, especially those who are culturally and linguistically diverse.

Rationale

The Presbyterian church has, since the days of slavery, been known to be passionately interested in improving education for the descendants of slaves and other groups and has established and supported schools for this purpose.

In today’s world, many children are reported to be at-risk for a quality education.

Culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) children are the most at-risk because of their being most frequently referred out of the general education classroom for special education placement even when they have no inborn disability, but need good teaching and/or good discipline.

Recent research has led to the conclusion that these unjustified early referrals to and placement in special education frequently lead to later suspensions, dropouts, expulsions, and incarcerations, thus making early referral a prime reason that African American males are considered an endangered educational species.

Many administrators, teachers, and other educators are Presbyterians and individually and collectively have it in their power to significantly improve education for all children and to reduce at-risk factors in the lives of the children in their care. (Documentation exists of students who encountered stumbling blocks, but who, because of a person or persons who cared, became successful [Ben Carson, Albert Einstein, and others].

The Presbyterian church has consistently stated its resolve to contribute to improved education for all students of any group and has issued a “call to involvement in the support of public education.”

The next ten years in the church calendar have been designated “The Decade of the Child.”