NEW YORK – Common Core will fundamentally change Catholic schools if they implement the standards, according to an article by Paul Moses on Commonweal’s blog.

Moses writes that adopting the standards poses a fundamental problem for Catholic schools: “The problem is that if the Gates Foundation and its allies take Catholic schools along the same path where they have led public education…that will fundamentally change Catholic schools and their Catholic identity, no matter how many cues about church teachings are inserted into lesson plans.”

Catholic identity goes much deeper than having tidbits of the Faith inserted into lesson plans. Moses went on to describe the import role Catholic schools play in developing the whole person.  He stated:

The great strength of Catholic schools is their faith-based belief in human dignity. Studies have quantified how this philosophy of Christian personalism leads to higher levels of faculty engagement and concern not only for what students learn, but the kind of people they become. 

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The nature of Catholic schools is “special” and shouldn’t be something given up too easily says Moses. Instead of treating students as persons with dignity, the standards “treat students like widgets” in an assembly line.

Authored by Kelly Conroy – The Cardinal Newman Society

Originally published by Catholic Education Daily, an online publication of The Cardinal Newman Society.