Without adequate information, we can not defend public education and the democratic heritage that it supports. Without full knowledge of our religious and democratic traditions we cannot ensure that those elected to school boards are strongly committed to both public education and religious liberty.

Churches can and should emphasize-through sermons, programs, and by example-the importance of education and of public schools. They can support education by:

• encouraging innovative and carefully monitored reform efforts in the public schools, paying particular attention to governance, funding, assessment, and selection of students;
  structuring class size to the best advantage of all children, paying particular attention to reducing class size in elementary grades;
• honoring teachers as role models for young people; 
  
• emphasizing books and literacy; speaking out for the academic freedom of teachers and librarians; calling for the broad availability of all age-appropriate materials and books in public school libraries; and encouraging schools to include information which will broaden students' understanding of human life all over the world;
  
• initiating programs in cooperation with the public schools to provide after-school and vacation help, enrichment and adopt-a-school programs, and literacy and reading emphases;
  supporting free and open inquiry in science as well as all aspects of the curriculum;
  providing parenting classes to emphasize the special responsibilities of families to schools and school-aged children;
  
• encouraging the use of curricula in all schools that reflect the role of the many racial and ethnic groups in the history and culture of the United States;
  
• advocating for quality, age-appropriate Comprehensive Health Education in the public schools;
  advocating for the inclusion of differently-abled students in our classrooms, and ensuring that teachers have the special training needed to meet these children's needs;
  supporting thoughtful reform and innovation in local schools to improve teaching and learning at all levels; and by
  
• advocating at the state level for adequate school funding and equitable distribution of state funds and encouraging education about local funding ballot issues.
  

As Christians, we must make real our commitment to children and to the welfare of all our neighbors and our communities.  We call on communities of faith to bring their resources, public concern, and moral authority to support not only the public schools, but also the teachers, the administrators, and, most particularly, the children in those schools.

We have said repeatedly that we care about children and schools; now we must undergird our words with actions.