The Protestant school-to-family pipeline

Much research demonstrates the academic benefits of school choice. But schools don’t just convey academic knowledge to children — they also play a critical role in developing a child’s social and moral life.

In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Patrick Wolf, professor of education policy at the University of Arkansas. They discuss a recent paper Wolf co-authored with AEI visiting scholar and UVA professor Brad Wilcox, exploring how enrollment in public, Catholic, Protestant, and secular private schools shapes children’s family outcomes later in life. The results suggest the moral ecologies of these different school types are powerfully linked to the family lives students will ultimately lead as they grow into adulthood. In other words, private schools — especially Protestant ones — may offer a clear advantage to children when it comes to family life. 

Resources:

The Protestant family ethic | American Enterprise Institute

Private schools outpace public schools in putting kids on the path to marriage | NationalReview.com

Time stamps:

02:00 | Why did Wolf partner with Brad Wilcox to study the intersection of education and family life?

03:10 | Which schools put children at an advantage when it comes to family life?

06:45 | What are “moral ecologies” and why are they important?

10:35 | How do the moral messages Protestant and Catholic schools send to their students differ?

14:20 | What are the implications of these findings for public schools?