Classical education is sweeping the U.S. Parents are rejecting the more modern structure of schools that prioritize state standards and DEI policies over the students’ well-being and are exploring alternative options.
One example of this in Michigan is the recent emergence of the Chesterton Academies. Chesterton Academies are classical high schools in the Catholic tradition.
The academies prioritize teaching their students how to think, not what to think.
In Michigan alone, five Chesterton Academies have opened their doors in the last six years.
On the flipside, enrollment in the Michigan Public school system has been steadily declining since 2009.
West Bloomfield School District lost 30% of its students in the last 16 years. Smaller districts, such as Pinckney Community Schools north of Ann Arbor, lost over half of their students in that same time span, according to Crain’s Detroit.
Michigan Enjoyer spoke with Jeff Parlow, headmaster of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Chesterton Academy in Clinton Township, about the emergence of classical education in Michigan.
“I think there is a general sense that education went off the rails a while ago,” Parlow said. “All of this money is being thrown at students who attend regular high schools, and people are beginning to realize that the students do not improve; some even become worse.”
Chesterton Academies takes a different approach.
“We use very few textbooks here,” Parlow said. “Our students go right to the writings of philosophers like Aristotle and Aquinas instead of relying on a textbook’s interpretations of them.”
The school is still authentically Catholic, which causes some healthy competition between diocesan schools.
“We have mass four days a week for the students as well as adoration once a week,” Parlow said. “All of our faculty members are devout Catholics. We recognize that education descends directly from our faith.”
This competition has caused several diocesan-funded schools to re-evaluate their curriculum and make it more like Chesterton Academy’s model. The Diocese of Marquette, for example, has recently committed to establishing a more classical approach to its education system.
“We moved our schools toward this model because it best aligns with our mission as Catholic educators,” Mark Salisbury, Diocese of Marquette superintendent of Catholic schools, told the National Catholic Register. “We know this because it is the model of education the Catholic Church has embraced through its history. It is the best curriculum to have all of the subjects lead our students to Christ.”
According to the Academy’s website, of the 62 Chesterton Academies that currently operate in America, 52 have opened within the last five years.
“The growth is mind-boggling,” Parlow said.
“It has become so robust and quick that schools are having a hard time finding teachers to keep up with the demand,” he added. “Here at Our Lady of Guadalupe, in just two years, our student population has grown from 22 to just over 40.”
The growth and improvement of the students is self-evident at these Chesterton Academies. Students who graduate from Our Lady of Guadalupe are remarkably inquisitive.
“I always joke that we are really educating future litigators,” Parlow said. “They love discussing topics they learn in school with one another.
“At the end of the school day, it’s hard to get the students to leave,” Parlow noted. “We have to kick them out the door! They truly enjoy their fellow students’ company.”
Classical education is becoming an increasingly enticing option to many parents in Michigan.
Instead of sending their children to schools that prioritize DEI policies, Chesterton Academies give a well-rounded approach that not only seeks to improve students’ thinking abilities but also fosters their spiritual growth.
Ray Hilbrich is a minor league baseball player in Utica, Michigan. He is an avid enjoyer of sports, America, and a good cigar.
