Gospel music lifts us. Education should do the same, yet too many children are stuck in school districts that fail to elevate their potential. That’s why, as faith leaders and longtime advocates for children, we supported Congress’s effort to send the Educational Choice for Children Act to the president as part of the budget bill.
It stands to uplift struggling students by offering tax credits for those who donate money for educational scholarships. Families can use these scholarships on things like tuition, books and programming.
It will also empower trusted community institutions — like churches — to help kids discover and walk in their purpose.
When you grow up in under-resourced communities like ours — Harrisburg, Pa., and Gary, Ind. — you know when the school system doesn’t work, the streets step in. And what the street teaches can be deadly. A child who doesn’t finish high school is 3.5 times more likely to be arrested and also more likely to die a violent death. We have both been to those funerals.
For 35 years, I (James) have also served as a foster parent, offering children a safe, loving home and advocating for my foster kids’ unique needs. I have pleaded with their principals for support, only to be met with apologies and excuses from a system that is failing. I have felt trapped by my zip code and frustrated watching my child excluded from alternative learning opportunities.
I have also sat in a courtroom, watching my son face a sentence that could take away most of his life. I thought about that little boy who once dreamed of being a fashion designer and remembered all the times I pleaded with his school to see the gifts in him — and how they just didn’t have what he needed.
If we had educational freedom back then, I believe my son’s story could have been different. I grieve for what he has lost and pray that with the Educational Choice for Children Act in place, we can finally break the cycle.
We are already doing this in Pennsylvania, where pastors are uniting to make “Every Church a School.” From Harrisburg to York to Philadelphia, we’re opening learning centers in churches that combine online education, mentorship, and wraparound support to help students learn and chase their dreams — right where our kids are, before it’s too late.
We know this model works. In the Rock City Learning Center in Harrisburg, for example, not a single child is scoring under 71 percent. Students come to us barely reading, with failing grades, and we help them heal. We have seen what is possible when community institutions step in the gap for our children, and we are just getting started.
Our vision is to help churches nationwide launch their own private schools, academic learning centers, after-school programs and summer enrichment projects that help kids find their calling and succeed in today’s world.
Imagine your church offering quality education paired with an after-school music program — one that offers children a creative refuge where they can sing, direct choirs, play instruments and learn the music business. And it wouldn’t take a dollar away from children who enjoy traditional public schools. With the Educational Choice for Children Act bill in place, we can turn this dream into a reality.
The Educational Choice for Children Act would finally give parents a choice. It would ensure that every child has access to the classroom that truly fits them, and equip church leaders with the resources needed to uplift our communities through education tailored to the needs of our communities.
If we build these schools, more professionals will step up to teach and give back. We have the vision — we just need the flexibility and resources. The Educational Choice for Children Act offers both.
Earlier this summer, more than 1,000 Philadelphians gathered for a townhall led by Black Pastors United for Education, hosted by Meta Washington, and featuring renowned gospel singers at New Covenant Church in Mount Airy. We learned about this topic, sang and prayed for the Educational Choice for Children Act to become a reality. A similar gathering was held in Arizona in May. We preached and sang at both.
Change is coming. It’s on us — as trustees of our children’s futures — to make sure of it.
Rev. Joshua C. Robertson is the Senior Pastor of The Rock Church in Harrisburg, Pa., and CEO and Founder of the Black Pastors United for Education. James Grear is a chart-topping gospel musician and founder of the award-nominated vocal ensemble, James Grear and Company.
