4th Presbyt. in Potomac

[Anonymous]

anyone know anything good/bad, etc. about this school? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

There us another small thread on this forum about that school.
Basically, the reason that I was turned off is the physical plant, the heavy emphasis on religion, and the exclusion of non-Christians.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't call it 'exclusion', it's a Presbyterian school for God's sake! Who do you expect to attend???? Is as though I said these words (as a Catholic) about Jewish Primary Day excluding me and being overly religious. Doesn't make sense. Or perhaps "non-Christians"/Jews don't understand what Presbyterian means?

[Anonymous]

But 4th Presbyterian is the only school I've run across - Episcopal, Jewish, Catholic, etc. - which requires that you submit a letter from your pastor stating that you are an active member of a Christian church. Most of the religiously oriented schools in this area make a huge point that they welcome members of other faiths.

Not to say that 4th Presb. is right or wrong - it's their decision - just that it's very different.

[Anonymous]

Beth Shalom preschool in Potomac does not allow non-Jews.
That said, I also find schools that have those kinds of policies to be a bit odd in these days.

[Anonymous]

Why? What's wrong with schools catering to parents/ families who want their kids brought up completely in a particular faith, even in the school that they attend?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why? What's wrong with schools catering to parents/ families who want their kids brought up completely in a particular faith, even in the school that they attend?

I am assuming that you are asking why it is odd. I wrote that because it is not common. In the DC area, we rarely see schools like that.
I suppose that there is nothing wrong with it in a legal sense, but from a Christian standpoint, it might be wrong. From a Jewish standpoint, it might be OK.
I disagree with it, my half Jewish kids aren't going to any school that does not accept all faiths.

[Anonymous]

I think the reason that most schools now accept students of all faiths is that some of them experienced declining enrollment (ie, Catholic schools) so they need to get their enrollment back up.

[Anonymous]

That might be a reason that Fourth Pres. might have to change its policy.
Even after a policy change, it can take years for people who would have either stayed away or been excluded to apply.
I have heard that the school has heard a lot of complaints from people within the school, and some want to change the policy.

[Anonymous]

4th Presbyterian is part of the Evangelical Presbyterian group of churches, which differs from most main-line Presbyterian churches. Most Presbyterian churches are part of PCUSA, which has a substantially less conservative point of view. If you are considering sending your child to 4th Presbyterian (and these issues are important to you), you might wish to ask 4th Presbyterian whether they believe in the ordination of women, gay marriage, etc.

[Anonymous]

I understand the schools religious background, and I understand the history of the Presbyterian faith, but I also do not believe that exclusion is a Christian thing to do.

"If you love only them that love you, what good does it do you"