This is a time of far-reaching change and debate in American education
and social policy, spurred in part by a rediscovery that civil-society
institutions are often better than government at meeting human needs. As
Charles Glenn shows in this book, faith-based schools and social
agencies have been particularly effective, especially in meeting the
needs of the most vulnerable. However, many oppose providing public
funds for religious institutions, either on the grounds that it would
threaten the constitutional separation of church and state or from
concern it might dilute or secularize the distinctive character of the
institutions themselves. Glenn tackles these arguments head on. He
builds a uniquely comprehensive and persuasive case for faith-based
organizations playing a far more active role in American schools and
social agencies. And, most importantly, he shows that they could do so
both while receiving public funds and while striking a workable balance
between accountability and autonomy.
Glenn is ideally placed to make this argument. A leading expert on
international education policies, he was for many years the director of
urban education and civil rights for the Massachusetts Department of
Education, and also serves as an Associate Minister of inner-city
churches in Boston. Glenn draws on all his varied experience here as he
reviews the policies and practices of governments in the United States
and Europe as they have worked with faith-based schools and also with
such social agencies as the Salvation Army and Teen Challenge. He seeks
to answer key theoretical and practical questions: Why should government
make greater use of faith-based providers? How could they do so without
violating First Amendment limits? What working relationships protect the
goals and standards both of government and of the organizations that the
government funds? Glenn shows that, with appropriate forms of
accountability and a strong commitment to a distinctive vision of
service, faith-based organizations can collaborate safely with
government, to their mutual benefit and that of those they serve. This
is a major contribution to one of the most important topics in political
and social debate today.
