The Pluralism Project at Harvard University

Rev. Mary Katherine Allman

St. Mary's Episcopal School
A Study of Religious Diversity in Episcopal Schools

 

Survey Results and Numerical Analysis

The denominational schools in the United States that are affiliated with the Episcopal Church reflect a wide variety of characteristics that identify them as church schools. Consequently, it would be difficult to adequately describe the religious life of Episcopal schools in any generalized way. Each school represents a unique evolution from historical roots in the Episcopal Church to a response to the contemporary setting and opportunities of an independent school at the end of the 1990s. The story of the development of each school's life can be found in the historical records and memories of the students, faculty, and administrators who have worked and studied there. The outcome of that story can be experienced upon arrival at any Episcopal school in the country, regardless, of the current manifestation and variety of relationships to the church.

The following is a discussion of observations made while visiting Episcopal schools in the past year. The purpose of the observations was to learn something about the response that Episcopal schools are making to the participation of so many students of faiths other than Christian in our school communities. This narrative will also clarify and build on the outcome of the numerical assessment of this religious diversity which was collected in the Spring of 1999 from a survey of schools belonging to the National Association of Episcopal Schools. The information is intended both to document as well as to critique. The critique and analysis of these findings will follow in a later chapter. A further use of this information will be an assessment of the current mission of Episcopal Church schools based upon this context of increasing religious diversity.

Therefore, the work at hand is both for the purpose of description and documentation as well as evaluation of the response being made to the presence of students of other faiths by Episcopal Church schools. It is the hope of this researcher that this study will provide an initial "sounding" of how this change in our school populations reflects the larger change which is taking place in the religious life of our country. Once a society that saw itself as made up of participants in two religious groups, Christian and Jewish, the United States today is a multi-religious nation.

This part of the study is intended to highlight a unique opportunity for Episcopal schools wherein the presence of students of so many faith backgrounds has given rise to a very "teachable moment" in our collective history. The question remains, however, as to how this religious diversity will be appropriated. Encounters with God not withstanding, an Episcopal education provides an excellent matrix for encountering the issues of learning to live in a world where differences are multiple and complex. If the Episcopal schools that reflect the above changes in American society plan to move from a mere presence of a religiously diverse student body to the cultivation of a truly pluralistic model of education and worship, the problems and challenges of this diversity must be reflected in all aspects of school life. It is the purpose of this present study, therefore, to point towards both the "problems and the promise" of these changes.

I. The Survey

The survey that formed the basis of this study was sent to the 364 Episcopal schools recorded as members of the National Association of Episcopal Schools for the 1997-1998 school year. Although there are 1150 Episcopal schools in the country at this time, approximately 680 of these schools are freestanding parish preschools in which the matters of religious diversity are not critical. Of the remaining, 364 schools were members of NAES that year, and out of that number, 85 schools responded to the survey, and 5 schools wrote to decline participation either because of the number of similar surveys received or for other reasons not stated. Although it is impossible to know, it is assumed that due to the very large number of preschools which do participate in NAES, at least some of those schools which did not send responses to the survey may have been schools where issues of religious diversity are simply not present.

The 85 schools from which surveys were received represent the wide variety of Episcopal schools, including preschools, parish day, independent, diocesan and cathedral schools, all inclusive of kindergarten through twelfth grades. Out of the 85 schools that form the basis of this current study, this researcher was able to visit seven schools. These visits afforded the opportunity to converse with students, chaplains, several parents and heads of school. In the role of a participant observer, this researcher also attended chapel and classes in all of the schools and was able to review catalogues and school publications of each school visited. Taped interviews with two school chaplains, one student who is the president of the Islamic Society of his school, and one taped interview with a head of school also contributed to the development of this study.

II. Numerical Analysis of Religious Diversity in Episcopal Schools

Of the 85 responses to the survey, 79 provided sufficient information to include in the following numerical analysis of religious diversity in Episcopal schools. Of those 79 schools, 50, or 63%, have religious diversity, and 29, or 37%, have no significant religious diversity. For the purposes of this study, the schools were divided into three different categories for analysis: Significant Diversity, Diversity, and No Significant Diversity. These categories, the first two of which have subcategories, are defined below. Tables 1-5, on pages 15-19, offer a graphic analysis of the survey results.

II.1. Significant Diversity

Schools which have student populations of more than 6% New Immigrant Religions (i.e. Buddhist, Muslim or Hindu). In this category, 28.29% of the students were identified as either Jewish or of New Immigrant Religions, and 71.71% of students in this category were identified as either Christian or having no specific religious affiliation. According to the responses given to the survey, eleven of the Episcopal schools that participated in this study can be classified in this category.

A subcategory of Significant Diversity comprised schools which had less than 6% New Immigrant Religions, but more than 15% of the students were Jewish. In this category, 38.5% of the students were identified as either Jewish or of New Immigrant Religions and 61.5% were either Christian or of no specific religious affiliation. According to the survey response, five schools that participated in this study can be classified in this category.

II.2. Diversity

Schools in which the student body could be identified as between 1% and 5% of New Immigrant Religions. In this category, 7.82% of the students were either Jewish or of New Immigrant Religions, and 92.18% of the students were either Christian or of no specific religious affiliation. Of the schools participating in this study, 29 schools could be classified in this category. A subcategory of the category of Diversity were those schools in which 3-14% of the population was Jewish. Of the Episcopal schools participating in this study, five schools could be classified in this category.

II.3. No Significant Diversity

This category comprised those schools in which less than 1% of the school population could be identified as belonging to a New Immigrant Religion and less than 3% of the population is Jewish. In this category, 1.1% of the students were identified as either Jewish or of a New Immigrant Religion and 98.89% were identified as either Christian or as having no specific religious affiliation. Of the schools that participated in this study, 29 could be classified in this category.

More than 6% New Immigrant Religions	11
Less than 6% New Immigrant Religions, More than 15% Jewish	5
1%­5% New Immigrant Religions	29
3%­14% Jewish	5
No Significant Diversity	29

These figures have been compiled from data received from chaplains and heads of schools. Some of the schools which participated in this study acquired information about religious affiliation from families at the time of enrollment or by survey. In some cases, their figures are estimates.