There’s a difference between public, Catholic schools

By Dr. Jim Hattabaugh
Special to Arkansas Catholic

After 30 years in public education and three in a Catholic school I am often asked if there is a difference between them. The answer is easy.

Academic excellence can be found in both Catholic and public education. Talent in the arts, band, athletic effort and success can be found in both. However, in Catholic schools we can and do pray, celebrate Mass, sing Christmas carols and praise God as a community.

Public schools have recently included character education in their curriculum initiatives. While this is not new, character education has always been a significant part of Catholic education. We teach the Christian values of love of God and love of neighbor.

Public schools have also begun to realize the importance of community service projects for their students. Service to community and outreach has a long history in Catholic schools. Missions located all over the world help increase our knowledge and understanding of our responsibility as Catholics and global citizens. We are a part of this rich milieu of service to mankind.

We have in common with public schools highly qualified teachers licensed by the Arkansas Department of Education. Like public school teachers, our teachers engage in ongoing professional development and our students take national standards-based assessments.

We have a lot in common with public schools, but it is the differences that make a Catholic education unique. Prayer is an important part of our school day. Students, teachers and staff are free to talk about God’s blessings, love and the power of prayer. Students do, with guidance from a capable and supportive staff, grow in their relationship with God each day. Issues dealing with discipline are handled to educate a student about the challenges and resulting decisions in light of the Gospel message. Catholic schools can and do address the mental, physical and, unencumbered by legislation, the spiritual needs of our students.

The French 19th century sociologist Emile Durkheim coined a phrase that applies to Catholic school education: collective effervescence. He determined that groups of people sharing a common cause were healthier mentally and physically. Groups give each other strength. There is an energy coming off groups of people such as at a football game, church service, or school. This energy creates a sense that the group amounts to more than its parts. Each one on their own would not be able to accomplish much, but living out our beliefs takes a different form in a Catholic school than in a crowd at a rock concert.

Catholic schools help form our relationships with others. They can even help determine our physical well-being, according to psychologist Stephen Reicher of the University of St. Andrews in the United Kingdom. A shared identity is created where students think in terms of “we” rather than “I,” which in turn alters your relationship to other people. What happens is a fundamental shift from seeing people as other to seeing them as part of the community. Support is given and received, competition turns to cooperation and people are able to realize their goals in a way they wouldn’t be able to alone. This elicits positive emotions that make them not only more resilient to hardship but also healthier. Attending a Catholic school can change the way you see the world.

Holocaust survivor and neurologist Viktor Frankl said, “Our greatest motivation in life is not to gain pleasure or to avoid pain but rather to see a meaning.”

According to Frankl, we are all searching for meaning in our lives. Catholic schools provide an opportunity for our students to explore and build a meaning for their lives and the lives of others.

Dr. Jim Hattabaugh is the principal of Trinity Junior High School in Fort Smith.

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