| The Ambiguous Embrace Subjects: Church schools; Church schools; Church charities; Church charities; Church and state; Church and state; Civil society; Civil society; Human services; Human services; This is a time of far-reaching change and debate in American education and social policy, spurred in part by a rediscovery that civil-society institutions are often better than government at meeting human needs. As Charles Glenn shows in this book, faith-based schools and social agencies have been particularly effective, especially in meeting the needs of the most vulnerable. However, many oppose providing public funds for religious institutions, either on the grounds that it would threaten the constitutional separation of church and state or from concern it might dilute or secularize the distinctive character of the institutions themselves. Glenn tackles these arguments head on. He builds a uniquely comprehensive and persuasive case for faith-based organizations playing a far more active role in American schools and social agencies. And, most importantly, he shows that they could do so both while receiving public funds and while striking a workable balance between accountability and autonomy. Charles L. Glenn is Professor and Chairman of Administration, Training, and Policy Studies at Boston University School of Education. His previous books include The Myth of the Common School, Choice of School in Six Nations, Educational Freedom in Eastern Europe, and Educating Immigrant Children: Schools and Language Minorities in Twelve Nations. |