Schools rooted in a biblical worldview are seeing an increase in enrollment in Virginia, while public schools are in decline.
According to a recent report, Catholic schools in northern Virginia have seen a 10% decline increase in registrations since 2019.
The Catholic Diocese of Arlington covers all of Northern Virginia, including Loudoun County, which has been at the center of controversy over gender ideology in schools. The diocese is home to 50 schools, ranging from kindergarten to high school. Collectively, these schools have 18,488 students this year, a jump of nearly 2,000 since fall 2019.
Arlington Bishop Michael Burbidge told The Washington Stand, “One of the reasons for this change is that parents appreciate the underlying philosophy of Catholic education, that parents are the first and foremost. educators of their children and that teachers and administrators are there to support them. this trip.
He continued, “Parents recognize that young people hear so many untruths and lies in our world today. Thus, they seek to enroll their children in schools which, in addition to excellence in education, help them in the spiritual formation of their children and teach them the truth in love.
Meg Kilgannon, senior researcher in educational studies at the Family Research Council, further pointed to school closures as a key issue for parents.
“Catholic schools were among the first to reopen for in-person learning,” she told The Washington Stand. “Parents remember it well, Catholics or not. One of the reasons Governor Glenn Youngkin (right) was elected was disappointment with school closures in progressive counties that were too long and COVID protocols that were onerous and unsupported by research or even ” Science “.
“The gender identity debate in Loudoun County has added a very real insult and hurt,” she added. “The Diocese of Arlington has been faithful to the teachings (of the Catholic Church) on sex and gender, so that parents feel that their children will be safe from the indoctrination of queer theory, in addition to knowing that we can count on the schools.”
As of 2020, the Loudoun County Public School Board has been a hotbed of controversy surrounding gender ideology policies in schools.
Gym teacher at Leesburg Elementary School Tanner’s Cross was suspended in 2020 after citing his Christian faith and complaining to the school board about a policy requiring teachers to refer to students by “preferred” pronouns different from the students’ biological sex.
West Point High School teacher Peter Vlaming was fired later that year, also for refusing to use the “preferred” pronouns of a transgender-identifying student. Another teacher was rod to include a Bible verse in their electronic signature.
The Loudoun County Public School Board ordained teachers keep students’ gender transitions and “preferred” pronouns secret from parents and students. stocked school library shelves with LGBTQ+ propaganda and pornographic material.
Other teachers complained hostile and toxic work environments created by school board policies on gender ideology, critical race theoryand COVID-19, including threats to fire teachers for not wearing face masks.
Outrage against the Loudoun County Public Schools Board peaked after the board tried to cover up the rape and sexual assault of female students by another student.
In May 2021, a male student identifying as “gender fluid” sodomized a 12-year-old girl in the women’s restroom at Stone Bridge High School. School officials reported the incident to local authorities, which resulted in criminal charges. The perpetrator was transferred to Broad Run High School in the same school district.
Shortly after, the Loudoun County Public Schools Board voted in favor of a new policy allowing students to use restrooms and locker rooms that do not match their biological sex.
When confronted by the Stone Bridge victim’s father, who argued that such a policy would only allow more sexual assaults, the school board told him there was no record of the assault sexual.
In October 2021, the same “gender fluid” student sexually assaulted another student at Broad Run High School. A later state grand jury declared that the Loudoun County Public Schools Board “failed at all times” to protect the two female students from the rape and sexual assault, and that Superintendent Scott Ziegler has been charged with covering up the rape and sexual assault. sexual assault, even going so far as to hide the information from the school board.
Earlier this year, Youngkin mandated students use restrooms and play on sports teams that match their biological sex and instructed teachers to notify parents of students’ gender transitions or “preferred” pronouns.
“It’s about doing what’s best for the child,” he explained.
Loudoun County is just one example of the gender ideology that dominates school districts. Kilgannon commented: “The demand for alternatives to public school shows that parents want the best for their children, and they are increasingly skeptical about the ability of public schools to deliver. »
Catholic schools are not the only evidence of this trend. Other Bible schools in the area have also seen increased interest and enrollment.
Cornerstone Christian Academy in Middleburg, Va., opened on Tuesday, welcoming 545 students in kindergarten through 8th grade, with plans to add grades in high school each year, according to Cornerstone Chapel senior pastor Gary Hamrick. The faith- and family-oriented school received 2,000 applications the week the church’s plans were announced to the public.
According to his websiteCornerstone Christian Academy focuses on “inculcating a biblical worldview (in students) and forging a culture of excellence grounded in the truth of God’s Word.” »
Kilgannon stressed the importance of these educational institutions and the importance of upholding the values they teach.
We should pray that all denominational schools will remain true to their doctrines and values, while growing to meet the needs of the community. Our denominational schools must not turn into progressive, church-subsidized, less expensive private schools. This is an opportunity to teach and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, without conforming to the whims of a world gone mad.
The increase in faith-based school enrollment comes as neighboring public schools are experiencing declining enrollment. Between fall 2019 and spring 2023, public school enrollment in Fairfax County, the state’s largest school district, abandoned by nearly 10,000 students.
Originally posted on WashingtonStand.com
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