Call To Christian Educators

 Educating students with disabilities has never been a high priority for Christian schools. As a matter of fact, research shows that a very small percent of Christian schools in the United States have formal programs that intentionally address the needs of students with disabilities. Interestingly, this appears to be in direct conflict with the emphasis that scripture places on the disabled. However, most Christian educators would probably agree that more needs to be done to address the educational needs of many students through formalized Christian special education programs.
One reason that Christian schools should be more concerned about the needs of disabled students is that many students with “hidden disabilities” like autism, ADHD and learning disabilities are already in the mainstream classrooms. Unfortunately, these students are often not formally identified and face academic, attention, behavioral or social challenges that a mainstream teacher is not equipped to support. With the general education teacher charged with providing the unique emotional and academic support many of these students require, it is clear that administrators at Christian schools must take steps to train and educate their faculty as well as build a systematic plan to address the needs of these students.
Another reason Christian schools should be focused on serving this population of students is that including students with disabilities in general education classrooms to the greatest extent possible is mandated by law. And while this same law does not govern private schools, Christian educators have an even greater responsibility to understand and appreciate the students entrusted to their care. As D.W. Anderson (2003) in the Journal of Education & Christian belief pointed out so eloquently:
Including the excluded—reaching out to those ignored or pushed away by society—was characteristic of Jesus’ ministry, and ought to be the hallmark of Christian educators and churches. Christian churches and Christian teacher training programs must seek to encourage and model an inclusive world view in which individuals with disabilities are recognized as having equal value as bearers of God’s image.
The call to Christian educators is to make a difference in the lives of the young people with whom they come into contact, to treat them with respect, to show them love, and to build in them a sense of confidence. We can be successful in fulfilling this commitment when we seek to serve all the students the Lord brings into our schools.
For more information on special education at the Imago Dei School at Trinity Classical Academy, call 661-296-2601 or visit www.TrinityClassicalAcademy.com.