WASHINGTON (EWTN News)—A research synthesis paper released by the Family Research Council indicates that students from intact biological families experience greater academic success than those from disrupted families.
“We cannot ignore the fact that the vast majority of American youth grow up today without both their biological mother and father,” said Patrick Fagan, director of the Marriage and Religion Research Institute at the Family Research Council. “This has significant, weakening effects on the educational attainment of our students.”
“If we want to turn America’s educational system around, we must encourage America’s parents to remain together in a committed relationship,” he said.
The paper was released on Sept. 19, just after the publication of reports by the College Board that showed SAT reading scores are at a 40-year low. The paper, “Marriage, Family Structure and Children’s Educational Attainment,” examines the connection between children’s educational achievement and the marital status of their parents.
The research found that adolescents from intact biological families have higher math, science, history and reading test scores than their counterparts in disrupted families. Furthermore, such adolescents report that their parents have higher educational expectations for them, are more involved in their education, and are more likely to supervise their schoolwork and social activities.
Children from intact biological families are also more likely to graduate from high school, enter college and complete a four-year college education than those from disrupted families. Students from uninterrupted backgrounds are also more likely to care about doing well in school and less likely to be suspended or expelled from school.
“Policymakers and candidates who are serious about reversing these lower SAT scores should start by advancing policies that encourage, and not hinder, family formation and marriage,” Fagan said. “Strengthening the family is fundamental to bringing up the next generation to be competitive in this ever-evolving world.”
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It’s absolutely true and more.. Families are more intact during periods of economic stability and tend to break up during economic downturns. I guess it’s where the principle comes to play; families that are influenced on material stimulants would obviously struggle during economic hardship. Religious famiies therefore should sustain difficult times..? The question is, are they..
Well, of course a child will benefit from a “Traditional” mom-dad upbringing. The children will be more appropriately exposed to proper gender roles, a proper sense of family and morality plus a life with more encouragement and help with their growth.
Thinking a single mother on the dole or two gay dads bringing up a child will enrich a child’s life are out of their minds. It will only lead to a confusing and demented view of life=possible attempted suicide, drug use, STDs and repeating the nonsense behaviors their parent(s) have engaged in.
All these liberals with their diluted view of “family” (single mom with the father not in sight or impregnated by a doner, two gay guys adopting children) is doing nothing but putting children into danger and is destroying the thread of society as a whole.
Do you have a link to the actual research? Thank you.
The findings make perfect sense to me. My husband and I are very involved with our children’s education and school (School Board member, Hot Lunch Lady, Home & School Association past pres). We are committed to each other and to our faith (we attend Church regularly and sacrafice greatly to give to the Church and to send our children to Catholic Schools). However, I take offense at the term “biological”. Both my children are adopted. We thank the Lord everyday for their birth-parents and the decision they made to have an adoption plan. The word “biological” doesn’t even need to be in the paragragh. Use of the word “biological” makes children/people who have become a family through adoption feel second-rate or less of a family than those who share the same DNA. This kind of ignorant, backwards thinking has no business in an educated, Christian culture.
Posted by Patricio Acevedo on Monday, Sep 26, 2011 5:48 PM (EDT):Do you have a link to the actual research? Thank you.
HERE’S SOME LINKS BELOW:
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/children_with_same-sex_parents_prone_to_suicide_study_reveals/
http://www.ewtn.com/library/ISSUES/ZSSADOPT.HTM
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