# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1969_S365
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

PARISH EDUCATION AND SERVICES 365

of Parish Education, the Board for Higher Educa-
tion, the Board for Missions, the Board of Social
Ministry, and the Wheat Ridge Foundation, and that
the synodical Districts be invited to cosponsor the
program in the individual District.

3. That a series of 25 workshops for pastors, approxi-
mately 40 in each, be conducted during these 4
years.

4. That the workshops be under professional leader-
ship.

5. That a budget of approximately $130,000 over a 4-
year period be authorized to be included in the
operating budgets of the participating boards in
addition to the $100,000 which will be assumed by
the participants and their parishes.

6. That a Committee on Pastoral Care for Families,
which would include representation from the par-
ticipating boards, be set up to assist in the develop-
ment and execution of this program. The Board of
Parish Education is to be responsible for the imple-
mentation and administration of this program.

7. That the Board of Parish Education be authorized
to engage a full-time director for 4 years to direct
the project and to train the staff for the workshops
for the cooperating boards.

8. That congregations be encouraged to make it pos-
sible, so far as time and financial assistance are con-
cerned, for the pastors to participate in this project.

9. That the project director provide annual progress
reports to the cooperating boards.

10. That biennial reports be made to the Synod through
the Board of Parish Education.
BoarpD oF ParisH EDUCATION
ARTHUR L, Mier, Executive Secretary
Boarp For HIGHER EDUCATION
ARTHUR M. AHLSCHWEDE, Executive Secretary
Boarp For Missions
Wm. H. Konn, Executive Secretary
Boarp For SociaL MINIstRyY
LESLIE WEBER, Executive Secretary
Boarp oF Directors, WHEAT Rice FounpaTiIon
Epwarp May, Executive Director

(7-07)
To Encourage Proposals for
Tax Rebates or Tuition Grants for
Non-State-School Students

Wuereas, We recognize that, while in principle par-
ents are guaranteed the right to control the education
of their children by enrolling them in the school of their
choice, parents of students enrolled in nonstate schools
pay twice for the education of their children, once to
the state and once to the nonstate school, and that this
dual payment militates against this freedom of choice;
and

Wuereas, By law the state requires every child to
meet the minimum educational requirements which it

establishes, we find that only those students who attend
the schools supported by the state receive financial as-
sistance from tax moneys for meeting these educational
requirements, and that the dual payment imposed on
parents who by conscience enroll their children in non-
state schools constitutes a form of religious discrimina-
tion; and

Wuereas, The elimination of this freedom of choice
would:

1) impose a serious economic hardship on state-

supported education;

2) deprive the nation of a source of moral and spiri-
tual strength; and

3) erect a monolithic educational philosophy which
would be injurious to the workings of our demo-
cratic society; and

Wuereas, It is imperative that the important public
welfare benefit of state support for education must not
be claimed by any specific church or school, but the
child, through his parents, must always be the bene-
ficiary of equitable financial assistance from govern-
ment; and

WHEREAS, Since equitable financial assistance to par-
ents of students in nonstate schools permits the parents,
under the law, to choose where their children shall be
educated, we do not find the principle of separation of
church and state to be compromised; and

WHEREAS, Special action groups in Connecticut, IIli-
nois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and other states are
currently working to persuade state government to offer
tuition grants or tax rebates to non-state-school pupils;
therefore be it

Resolved, That the Boards of Education of the syn-
odical Districts be urged to influence state and local
government to award tuition grants or tax rebates to
the parents of children enrolled in the Lutheran ele-
mentary and secondary schools; and be it further

Resolved, That the Boards of Education of the syn-
odical Districts and the individual parishes develop and
execute a program of information for the parents of the
children enrolled in the Lutheran schools with regard
to possible tuition grants or tax rebates from govern-
ment, and further encourage these parents to form
groups which will actively support this effort; and be it
further

Resolved, That the Boards of Education of the syn-
odical Districts explore the possibility of cooperating
and/or aligning with other groups and agencies which
are striving for the same objectives; and be it finally

Resolved, That the Board of Parish Education of the
Synod be encouraged to continue to inform the Boards
of Education of the synodical Districts and the educa-
tional executives of national trends and congressional
activity in the area of public support for the education
of children in nonstate schools.

FACULTY
Concorpia TEACHERS COLLEGE
River Forest, Ill.