“In the Catholic tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue and participation in political life is a moral obligation.”Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship 2024
As the school year begins, the nation is in the process of conducting another presidential election campaign. Presidential elections present special opportunities for educators to engage students in meaningful exercises of civic engagement. For Catholic school and parish educators, the presidential election process is an opportunity to help students and their families understand the importance of engaging in the political process that reflects their commitment to their faith, justice and social responsibility.
Properly focused and well-run school-based or classroom activities integrated into social studies and other curricular offerings are excellent venues for cultivating civic discourse habits that may influence the future political behaviors of students and their families. In the long tradition of holding mock campaigns as part of civics education, schools have a responsibility to help students articulate ideas and positions in a climate of civility while avoiding electioneering and observing tax-exempt status regulations.
Given the current fractured political climate in the country, it may be more difficult—and more necessary—to do so this year. However, it is incumbent upon school personnel to do so in a manner that rejects false narratives and talking points as students present and assess political platforms and campaign rhetoric derived from the online resources students might use. Insisting upon civility should be the starting point—teaching students how to disagree with respect for each other and how to evaluate biases and deceptive rhetoric while being careful to do so without appearing partisan.
For institutions engaging in public political discourse, there are distinctions between advocating for policy positions and support/opposition for political candidates. All Catholic institutions may engage in activities that seek to influence the formation of public policy issues supported by the church, and to a limited extent, actively lobbying for specific legislation. This type of civic participation is different from campaigning for or against candidates. Individuals representing themselves may engage in campaign politics, but for tax-exempt institutions, election campaign activities are subject to restraints that do not apply to personal, individual actions.
For Catholic schools and parishes, partisan political activity is restricted by section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and the directives of the local bishop. While some actions may be permissible under IRS rulings, such as inviting all candidates to speak at church venues, a bishop may choose to disallow the practice in his diocese. Churches, schools and other non-profit tax-exempt organizations are prohibited from participating or intervening in political campaigns on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. This prohibition is absolute, and its violation can result in forfeiture of tax-exempt status
These are some permissible activities that schools and parishes may sponsor to help members form their consciences and take politically responsible positions during the election cycle:
Church organizations can encourage members to participate in the electoral process and become active in the political life of the community by sponsoring non-partisan voter registration drives on church property.
Schools and parishes may educate students and parishioners about policy issues in light of the church’s teachings and the gospel imperatives for social justice. If voter education activities are sponsored and campaign literature is distributed by the organization, all the candidates’ materials must be accessible equally to all. Individual campaign workers are not permitted to distribute partisan campaign flyers on church property or on cars in the parking lots.
Schools may educate voters about candidates’ positions with materials that must be unbiased in content, format and context. The candidates may not be rated, labeled or coded in any way that would infer or indicate that the institution is endorsing or opposing their candidacy.
Educating candidates and political parties about issues to which an organization is committed to persuade them to endorse or agree with the organization’s position, is permitted.
If the local bishop has not decreed otherwise, Catholic schools and parishes may sponsor unbiased public debates, candidate nights and similar activities in which candidates explain their views to the public. However, there are strict rules governing the conduct of such events. All qualified candidates must be invited and have an equal opportunity to present views on the issues discussed. If the bishop has forbade the invitation of a specific candidate, then none of the candidates may be invited. The sponsoring organization may not indicate its views while issues are being discussed, comment on candidates’ responses or indicate bias for or against a particular candidate or party. Moderator questions should not reveal bias and the candidates may not be asked to agree or disagree with the positions of the sponsoring organization.
Many schools permit student debates and mock elections as part of an educational program. These are allowable as long as the school/teacher does not influence the debate or mock election outcome. Administrators should be careful about how results of such mock elections are announced and publicized so they are not construed as the school’s endorsement or preference for the winning candidate.
Specific issues of importance to the Catholic school community to educate the candidates can be raised with them. For instance, support of legislation that promotes parental choice of schooling is an advocacy issue that can and should be actively promoted to candidates. Likewise advocating for federal legislation that provides equitable participation of private school students and teachers in programs available to their public school counterparts is allowable, as is expressing the opinion that prohibitions in legislation or state constitutions that discriminate against faith-based institutions should be repealed.
Each election cycle, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issues a document, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship addressing the importance of civic engagement that can “bring moral principles to the debate and decisions about candidates and issues.” It can be obtained on the USCCB website at www.usccb.org/faithfulcitizenship.
Catholic school and parish educators are encouraged to use this presidential election process as a teachable moment to help students and families engage in the political process in a manner that promotes civility in action, reflecting a commitment to faith, justice and social responsibility that may last beyond this one election cycle.
Sister Dale McDonald, PBVM, Ph.D. is the vice president of public policy for NCEA.McDonald@ncea.org
