Religious Schools v. Children's Rights

by James G. Dwyer

Despair over the reported inadequacies of public education leads many people to consider religious schools as an alternative. James G. Dwyer demonstrates, however, that religious schooling is almost completely unregulated and that common pedagogical practices in fundamentalist Christian and Catholic schools may be damaging to children. He presents evidence of excessive restriction of children's basic liberties, stifling of intellectual development, the instilling of dogmatic and intolerant attitudes, as well as the infliction of psychological and emotional harms, including excessive guilt and repression and, especially among girls, diminished self-esteem. Courts, legal and political theorists, and the public typically argue that families and religious communities are entitled to raise their children as they see fit and that the state must remain neutral on religious matters. Dwyer proposes an alternative framework for state policy regarding religious schooling and other child-rearing practices, urging that the focus always be on what is best, from a secular perspective, for the affected children. He argues that the children who attend religious schools have a right to adequate state regulation and oversight of their education. States are obligated to ensure that such schools do not engage in harmful practices and that they provide their students with the training necessary for pursuit of a broad range of careers and for full citizenship in a pluralistic, democratic society.

216 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1998

Reviews

[Jeremy Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gets 5 stars, but not because of it's wonderful content. It gets 5 stars because the author is very clear about what he wants. Simply put: "The morality of the majority is right and the rest of society must conform or be penalized, specifically they should have their children taken from them. Or, if the majority disagrees with the author on matters of morality the society must be reeducated so they agree with him." Basically, his whole premise is that no one has a right to push their beliefs on their children. He does believe however that his beliefs should be pushed on parents, by force if necessary, and then the children should be taught his beliefs concerning morality. ---- In short Christianity is evil. --- Read this book in order to get a glimpse into the mind of someone that hates Christianity. Very rarely does an author write so candidly about his hatred of Christianity and God's Law. ---- It amounts to this give up God's law and do what I think is right, or I will work to use the power of the state to steal your children away from you. A Very eye opening book.

[Aaron Slack]

Atrocious. Horribly anti-Christian, and amazingly the author got more arrogant and belittling as the book went on. The book was not aimed at Christian readers, but instead Mr. Dwyer's intent was to take to task the liberals who have not done enough (in his eyes) to strip religious parents of their parenting rights. A very revealing look into the hearts and minds of the intellectual enemies of Christianity.