Recently, a friend asked, “How did you become Presbyterian?” I shared that I joined a Presbyterian church at 17. I’d been invited to the church’s youth group by a newfound friend in my first year of high school. I thought that Presbyterian was a funny name for a church. At the time, the pastor (now one of my mentors) invited me to consider joining. Knowing I would have to explain all of this to my mother, I asked the pastor to “tell me, in one word, what Presbyterians are about.” His answer was swift and profound — “Alonzo, Presbyterians are about education.” Over 30 years later, as an ordained pastor working in the national ministries of this “church with a funny name,’’ I carry his words in my heart deeply and I am still empowered by them.
Presbyterians are about education, and education is about growth and empowerment. Support of public education is also an attestation of possibilities of growth and empowerment for all children. Jesus’ radical hospitality and his invitation to all children should remind us as people of faith, that all children are created in God’s image and included in God’s life. Supporting public education shows our commitment to living in God’s life by meeting the needs of all children. Access to quality education plays an integral role in building the fullness of life for which God created them. Recent attacks on public education threaten this fullness by impeding access to vast educational opportunities for children, especially those in vulnerable and marginalized communities (children are the most poverty-stricken group in the U.S.).
Here are four ways that we as Presbyterians can covenant to live into supporting and defending public education. You can find this education covenant in its entirety here: pcusa.org/sites/default/files/2025-01/EaC-Covenant.pdf.
- Be involved in direct service. This means that we can create ministries and early childhood programs within our churches to address impediments to children’s academic, developmental and social needs. We can walk with families, listen to communities and invest in organizations and programs that meet the needs of young people and their families.
- Create opportunities to engage in raising consciousness about these issues. Here, we become aware of the lack of access to education as one of the root causes of poverty. Effectively ending poverty in this country means that children must have the basic skills that will allow them to live lives of self-determination. Schools cannot accomplish this alone. It is also here that we can better familiarize ourselves with our historical commitment to education and commitment to advocacy and call to engage in justice and public life.
- Engage in systemic change, which allows us to partake in a deeper engagement in advocacy and public witness. One quick way to do this is by signing up for Action Alerts from the Office of Public Witness. Attend school board, city council and campaign town hall meetings and advocate for legislation and safety net programs that benefit children and their families.
- Practice Christian disciplines by including children, families, teachers, administrators, and all who work with children in the church’s worship and spiritual life. We should be intentional about connecting Scripture to what is happening in public life. We should integrate the concerns of educators, children and families in spiritual practices like prayer, worship and Bible study. Congregations can take up a collection for teachers to offset out-of-pocket school supply expenses.
In Matthew’s Gospel, Christ warns against those who place “stumbling blocks” in the way of children (18:6). As people of faith, we are called to commit ourselves to the missional work of removing stumbling blocks from children and young people by supporting and defending public education. In doing so, I am inspired by Lucy Craft Laney (1854–1933), the pioneering Black Presbyterian educator and civil rights advocate who was born in slavery and in 1883 organized a school for Black children in the basement of Christ Presbyterian Church in Augusta, Georgia. Fighting segregation, racial animus, terror and poverty, Laney believed that education was also integral to survival. Education equips all of us. Thriving communities (and democracies!) benefit from access to quality education. For many children in our country, access to public education is integral for their survival.
Here are some links that I believe you will find helpful in learning more about how you can be involved in the work of supporting public education and its intersectional issues.
Educate a Child website: pcusa.org/about-pcusa/agencies-entities/interim-unified-agency/ministry-areas/self-development-people/educate-child-transform-world
PC(USA) Policy on public education: pcusa.org/resource/loving-our-neighbors-equity-and-quality-public-education-k-12
PC(USA) Poverty Page: pcusa.org/how-we-serve/justice-peace/poverty
More on Lucy Craft Laney: pcusa.org/news-storytelling/blogs/historical-society-blog/lucy-craft-laney-and-haines-institute
Rev. Dr. Alonzo T. Johnson, Manager of the Presbyterian Committee on the Self Development of People and Convener of the Education Roundtable
Let us join in prayer for:
Laura Wampler, Operations & Accounting Associate, Presbyterian Publishing Corporation
Sallie Watson, Associate Director, Mid Council Relations, Interim Unified Agency
Let us pray:
Holy God, teacher of all, show us how to have courage in removing stumbling blocks and taking care of the least of these. Loving God, teach us again the lessons Christ taught us in welcoming and caring for all children. Remind us in our sacraments that we are called to love, accept, provide, advocate, strengthen, protect and include all children. In Christ the teacher we pray. Amen.
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