Volume 7, Number 1
September 2003
Table of Contents
Editors' Comments (p. 5)
Ronald J. Nuzzi, Thomas C. Hunt
Letter of Welcome (pp. 6-7)
Timothy R. Scully, CSC
Articles
Public and Private Education: Conceptualizing the Distinction
Charles E. Bidwell & Robert Dreeben
The University of Chicago
(pp. 8-33)
Common wisdom and public discourse seem to suggest that there are two types of schools, private and public. Policy debates, media outlets, and comparisons of outcomes on standardized tests and interscholastic athletic competitions make use of the distinction. This essay argues that while such a distinction can be helpful, it also tends to obscure differences in the social organization of schools. Employing a sociological analysis and providing a historical overview of educational developments, the authors focus on centralization versus decentralization of school controls and discuss the ramifications of a broad versus a narrow market niche for schools.
Catholic School Counseling: From Guidance to Pastoral Care
Robert Murray, OSA, Kristy Suriano, & Judith Madden
Villanove University
(pp. 34-52)
Those ministering to youth increasingly find themselves having to address numerous issues and complexities, which extend beyond the scope of the school setting. Catholic school students are not immune to these issues, and to address the needs of their students, Catholic school counselors must embrace aspects of the social sciences that affirm and elevate the message of the Gospel. The intent of this article is to present a Christian perspective of guidance counseling and to highlight those orientations and therapies that uphold
Christian values.
Sexuality Education and the Catholic Teenager: A Report
Gail S. Risch & Michael G. Lawler
Creighton University
(pp. 53-74)
This article reports on findings of a study of sexuality education in a Catholic diocese. The sample included seniors enrolled in either Catholic high schools or parish religious education programs. The range of findings include data about students’ knowledge of sexuality, their understanding of Catholic Church teaching about sexuality, their attitudes and values in regard to sexuality, who and what influences their attitudes and values, their sexual behaviors, and their experience of sexuality education. Recommendations for parents and formal sexuality education programs are offered.
Focus Section
Presentations of the Vatican Document: Consecrated Persons and Their Mission in Schools
Zenon Cardinal Grocholewski
Archbishop Guiseppe Pittau, SJ
Congregation for Catholic Education
(pp. 75-87)
In releasing the document Consecrated Persons and Their Mission in Schools, the leadership of the Congregation for Catholic Education offered introductory remarks to contextualize the official publication.
Consecrated Persons and Their Mission in Schools: Reflections and Guidelines (pp. 88-116)
Congregation for Catholic Education
Responses to the Vatican Document: Consecrated Persons and Their Mission in Schools
Sr. Mary Peter Traviss, OP
Director, Institute for Catholic Educational Leadership, University of San Francisco
Dale R. Hoyt
Supterintendent of Schools, Archdiocese of San Antonio
Timothy P. Green
Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Chicago, Illinois
Jennifer A. Koweiski
Director of LU-CHOICE Program, Loyola University Chicago
(pp. 117-130)
To advance the discussion and study of this most recent document, the editors invited select Catholic educators to offer reflections, observations, and critiques of Consecrated Persons and Their Mission in Schools. While each contributor responds from an individual background and a unique set of experiences, the following essays help us to appreciate how the document is being received and interpreted in different educational settings.
Review of Research
Historical and Contemporary Trends in Spirituality Leadership
Christy L. Magnusen
Belleville Area Special Services Cooperative
(pp. 131-137)
A good society relies on the education of its citizenry. Following the 1983 publication of A Nation at Risk (National Commission on Excellence in Education), America turned a skeptical eye toward its educational institutions. Specifically targeting the leadership of its schools, our country called for a closer examination of the characteristics of school administrators and what factors predicted an effective school. Influenced by the parallel findings in business and organizational management, the habits, beliefs, practices, personalities, and styles of leaders were closely assessed for their ability to instill a sense of community and good will in their respective organization. Toward the end of the 20th century, social scientists suggested that effective leadership was more than profit margins, effective offices and power. Revealing a persuasive nexus between leadership and spirituality, theorists such as Parker J. Palmer and others set the stage for a new standard by which leaders would be judged. The morality and integrity of leaders became more important than ever. This essay will explore the concept of spirituality and its influence in leadership throughout history. Although this dimension has been overlooked until recently, it is a critical component to a leader’s effectiveness, particularly
in education.
Book Reviews
Teachers of the Faith: Speeches and Lectures by Catholic Bishops (pp. 138-139)
Edited by Thomas Horwood
Reviewed by Oliver Brennan
A History of Christian Education: Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox Perspectives (pp. 140-142)
By J. L. Elias
Reviewed by Stephen J. Denig