The Dutch always had to seek protection from the sea. Trusting God's providential care did not preclude acting responsibly. After centuries of building mounds of dirt, garbage, and manure, during the Middle Ages they started to build ever better (higher and stronger) dikes for protection. The Scheldt Storm Surge Barrier is a high-tech modern example, which closes for extreme high water only. Dikes are crucial in storms when white-crested waves splash over them, and guards walk their lengths to be sure of the polders' safety seven or eight metres below. As dikes developed, so did windmills, like Goliath: Once used to pump excess polder water to the sea, they are now frequently replaced with more potent diesel or electric pumps. Dikes and pumps and water-tables are maintained by specialized governing bodies. Until recently, one such body had its head office below sea level in Onderdendam and summed up its mission: Dei nait dieken wil, mout wieken – Build dikes or back off.

School Dikes⤒🔗

The Dutch also worked hard to build Reformed schools, which, like their land, needed protective dikes. In the late sixteenth century, Reformed synods pushed hard (with some success) for reformation of the schools. Things looked up when the government-sponsored Synod of Dort (1618-1619) formulated the still-valid Reformed triangle ideal of three-fold catechetical instruction in home, church, and school. Later, however, when people adopted "enlightened" perspectives, the funding magistrates' direction and the supervising churches' character could not guarantee the schools' Reformed identity. By the early 1800s, by law, schools had to teach "all Christian and social virtues," but the Bible was considered too offensive to Jews and Muslims to be listed as an approved school book. Teachers caught using or even having a copy in their classrooms faced serious disciplinary action. After the Secession of 1834, and again around 1886, attempts to establish independent Schools with the Bible often shipwrecked on the rocks of unfavourable laws, enforcement agencies, and prohibitive costs. Even though there were dikes, they did not always handle the storms well, or there may have been few schools to protect.

In 1920, Schools with the Bible received full funding if they met quality standards, and Synod Leeuwarden stated that establishing Christian schools and seeking government recognition was the parents' responsibility. Synod also maintained that consistories should encourage the parents to establish such schools and also have supervision over the Reformed character of the teachers and the curriculum. It cited three reasons for this supervision. First, school societies are based on the Word of God and the Three Forms of Unity, and the churches have a calling to see to it that the schools hold to that basis; next, parents promise in church to teach their children in the doctrine of salvation and to have them taught in it, and the church must ascertain that this actually happens; and, finally, parents and teachers, as members of the church, are always and everywhere subject to the supervision and discipline of the church. Church supervision remained a dike of protection for the Reformed character of the schools for several decades. It certainly fit with the triangle model for solid Reformed education: There was a strong confessional unity of understanding and purpose between home, church, and school.

Upon immigration, our (grand)parents came to find a nominally Christian publicly funded school system, and soon discovered its deficiencies. As of 1955, they started schools to better align with the promises made at baptism. Their schools' protective dikes took shape in such things as stated purposes and constitutions, restricted membership and voting rights, hiring and admission policies, selections of curriculum content, and close involvement of parents with the school.

Church members were often encouraged to join the school society. Reformed teachers were recruited from the church federation or from sister churches. These were solid dikes of protection, but did not always affect classroom practice as intended. In time, four Markers of Reformed Education were formulated to define our schools' common purpose and basis, or, one may say, to describe the schools' operational world view. Development continues on teaching Christianly, creating school cultures conducive to teaching the Lord's Way, explicitly Reformed curriculum, professional growth and collegial support for teachers and principals, and ongoing active involvement (in prayer and otherwise) of committed parents and community members. While dynamic, we like to think that our protective dikes remain effective, that our checks and balances will catch digressions of any kind, and that we are getting better at translating being reformed into classroom practice.

Changes←⤒🔗

Things are changing in Holland as well. In the churches, different voices and perspectives clamour for attention, and, despite full government funding and protective measures similar to our own, Reformed schools are also faced with definite challenges. Constitutions and governance models had to be adjusted to ascertain recognition, funding, and continued existence. In some ways, parental commitment and involvement has dwindled. There is no guarantee that Reformed people will commit to "their" school: Some parents choose school-proximity or perceived quality above Reformed identity, and schools must develop unique and appealing programs to compete with others. Membership meetings sometimes attract some board members, and few others. In such situations, what happens to the dikes that protect the schools' Reformed identity?

Schools seek to remain reformed in various ways, as exemplified by Gomarus College Highschool in Groningen http://www.gomaruscollege.nl/breed.aspx?steID=10&itmID=12974. Over eighty percent of the pupils of this 3000-student multi-campus school hails from the Reformed churches in the northern three provinces of The Netherlands. Others come from some thirty different denominations. To enroll their first child in the school, regardless of church membership, parents must have an admission-interview and sign a declaration of agreement with what the school stands for: http://www.gomaruscollege.nl/breed.aspx?steID=10&catID=2126. Hiring policies remain restricted to members of the Reformed churches and those in ecclesiastical fellowship. New teachers are supported by a pre-service and in-service Reformed induction program, and they are encouraged (with administrative and collegial support) to develop their ability to deliver reformed perspective and maintain a Christian atmosphere in their classes.

Jelte Verbree lives in Onderdendam, below sea-level, teaches at Gomarus College, and is preparing a Master's study relating to school identity. Better than static 1000-year dikes for protection, he likes the storm surge barrier as a metaphor for protecting students as they prepare to function as Christians in the workplace or post-secondary education. He observes that many Christian schools had their protective dikes fail, losing both the content and the character of being Christian. Reformed schools like Gomarus do not want to follow suit. Verbree's focus is on curriculum content, on what the schools' leaders can contribute to maintaining the Reformed character, and on how all staff can be involved in finding the best avenues to secure a Reformed culture. Answers to these questions require a significant investment, including in-depth consideration of curriculum, staff coaching, performance reviews, regular identity focus days, and team meetings. Verbree believes that performance reviews are especially suitable to evaluate whether all these investments pay off.

Stories exemplify how this works out in practice. One colleague organized a school-wide Day of Love with a biblical perspective. Several aspects of this theme were addressed such as marriage as a gift of God for each other and for enjoyment. Among others, it allowed students to ask and discuss sensitive questions about sexuality. A gay representative of Contrario (http://www.contrario.n1/) was invited to explain his struggle to deal with his orientation in a Christian manner. This helped students to understand and have compassion as dealing with homosexuality requires struggle, conversation, and prayer. Several teachers also make a special effort to give Christian guidance to their students. One music teacher, for instance, listens with the students to their music, and then analyses and evaluates the lyrics (and artists' lifestyles) with them ­to see whether they are in accord with God's will. Some teachers spend recesses with students in prayer for each other and their personal problems. Some business teachers wrote a booklet to get university-level students to think about reformed business ethics, and things like the distribution of wealth and poverty. This booklet was well received in the press. Gomarus graduates also share their experiences at school, and what it might do to make for a better transition into the workforce, college, or university.

Reflections←⤒🔗

The efforts at Gomarus to maintain Reformed identity are impressive. There is an impetus to develop several aspects of this identity to a significant extent: Teacher induction and in-service support to focus on integrating Reformed perspective in all courses and special projects; the admission interview and parental declaration; and the personally supported aim for students to live as Christians. There is something appealing in the dynamic character of their dikes, not because they can change from day to day, but, grounded as they are in a long tradition of Reformed education, and supported by strong leadership, they allow for an application that is current and can effectively face the challenges of the day. Here are ideas we may well wish to emulate.

The presence at the school of students from some thirty denominations may be disconcerting to some, as a step towards a decline of Christian identity. However, opening windows to share the benefit of Reformed education with those who beg for it does not have to be the same as opening doors for all sorts of foreign ideas. On a lesser scale, several of our schools also have or have had similar practices. Nonetheless, it will take an involved and sustained communal commitment and a conscious effort of all to not slide down the path of declining identity. The competitive context in which Gomarus operates can help motivate people to maintain its distinct identity, and the significant and ongoing efforts towards developing it will help make it more explicit and meaningful.

Low attendance at membership meetings is a concern, even if administrative separation is not the same as pedagogical separation. To prevent becoming insular from their communities, schools need pedagogically involved parents (the triangle concept!), which goes beyond making a one-time conscious choice for this school. However, schools also need a process by which informed and committed people can be widely known and selected for leadership. In line with Synod Leeuwarden 1920, there is always a need for involved parents in education.

Finally, traditional dikes have their value, but do not fully guarantee that students really learn what we would hope they will. Over time, dike designs will show shortcomings, and fresh insights are needed to address these – without abandoning their purpose. The 2011 NPC focus on moving from Worldview to Character in Christian education offered one set of valuable insights that can help strengthen our schools' Reformed identity. At all times, but especially in crises, dikes of protection need to be strong and well-guarded. Let's continue to build dikes, working for Reformed education, and pray for God's care over our efforts.