THE CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHES THAT PARENTS ARE THE PRIMARY EDUCATORS of their children and have both the right and responsibility to direct their child’s education,” said Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Catholic Education. Bishop O’Connell offered the following comments in response to the Executive Order signed by President Trump, “Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families.”
“I welcome President Trump’s Executive Order, which takes meaningful steps to expand educational freedom for families across the country. This Order rightly recognizes that parents are the primary educators of their children. As the Church proclaimed in Gravissimum Educationis, since parents have given children their life, they are bound by the most serious obligation to educate them and therefore must be recognized as the primary and principal educators of their own children.
AS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS FOR THE DIOCESE OF TRENTON, I am honored to represent our many excellent and Christ-centered Catholic schools.
Our Diocese covers a wide-reaching swath of the State of New Jersey with four counties that, together, reach from the Pennsylvania line all the way to the beaches. Each of these counties has a different flavor and make-up, but the Catholic schools in all of these counties have one thing in common … they are living the Gospel values that represent the mission of Catholic education each and every day.
Our Catholic schools are so very special because of the faith-filled communities that support our programs. Every parent, educator and student contribute to their success. Our schools’ leaders never lose sight of their three most important responsibilities:Making sure our schools are living the Catholic mission, are promotors of real academic student achievement and are safe for all that attend and work in our buildings.