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FALL 1999
Beginning last November in a called threshing session at the Arch Street Meeting House, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting has explored ways to strengthen Quaker commitment to education. A pilot project for the next three to five years has already emerged from this process; it will provide funding for Friends' children in Quaker schools. Grants for Quaker teachers in public education, at least one of which has been given to a Salem Quarter attender, have been awarded.
Underlying this effort is the Covenant on Education, reproduced here as approved at the Saturday evening session of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting at Allentown College of St. Francis de Sales. In addition to Friends' and public schools, other sources of education such as home schooling will be supported as Way opens.
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
COVENANT on EDUCATIONOut of a continuing concern for the education of all children, the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends calls on all families, meetings, and schools within the Yearly Meeting to support and embrace the following goals:
To encourage and support the young people of our Yearly Meeting in getting a right education, whether it be in public schools, Friends schools, or in some other setting;
To encourage and support our local public schools and teachers and parents in their efforts to provide an education of great value to the children of our communities, through participation as teachers, members of school boards, advisory councils, advocacy groups, as volunteers, and as advocates for public funding for public education;
To affirm our commitment to our Friends schools and their spiritual basis through service as teachers, school committee members, parents and students;
To develop the resources to ensure that no Philadelphia Yearly Meeting family seeking an education in a Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Friends school for their child be denied that opportunity for financial reason;
To support Friends who work in Quaker education, and to create a climate that encourages Friends to go into teaching in Friends schools.
As Friends, we should work to strengthen both Friends schools and public education because through both of them we strengthen our community and society.
Approved by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
in annual session, 24 July 1999RETURN TO TABLE OF CONTENTS
Last modified:
Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 08:19 AM
