There's a bit of a battle brewing in Ontario, Canada, over what Catholic schools should and shouldn't be forced to do in contravention of authentic Catholicism.
Presumably governments fund Catholic schools because the cost of converting all those children to the public sector were the Catholic schools to fail (ie go bankrupt) would be very expensive and a logistical nightmare.
The threat of withdrawing money, however likely that would be, does seem to apply a varying amount of pressure on Catholic schools to cave in degrees to secular society. Far better to call society's bluff, and if heaven forbid, the money is withdrawn, then let them close. Better that they close, rather just be Catholic schools in name only. Otherwise, what good are they?
Meanwhile, here in New Zealand ...
I was certainly wondering what good Catholic schools are last night, after the meeting I attended. What is the difference between a government school teaching "positive puberty" and a Catholic school teaching the same thing? As far as I can make out, when I asked if they'd tell the children that they'd need to go to Confession if they masturbated, after spluttering a bit, the principal replied that moral issues were up to the parents! Personally I think that if Catholic schools are going to mention things like masturbation, the moral dimension should be included with it. Obviously I'm just strange expecting morality to be taught in a Catholic school in New Zealand.
Related link: Catholic schools’ opposition to gay clubs revives public-funding debate ~ Holy Post
The Ontario government’s decision forcing Catholic schools to host anti-bullying groups called “gay-straight alliances” has brought to the fore a deep divide between Roman Catholic teaching and secular society, even calling into question whether public funding for Catholic schools should continue.
At the root of the issue is a polarizing debate about whether public money should be used to support a religious education system that says homosexuals deserve love and respect but that gay sex is a mortal sin.
“The question as to whether Catholic schools should be required to support gay-straight alliances has been satisfactorily answered,” Justin Trottier, spokesman for the Toronto-based Centre for Inquiry, an atheist group, said. “The real question now is whether Ontario should be required to continue to support Catholic schools. The elephant in the room — public funding of Catholic schools — has become so destructive to fundamental rights and equality it’s impossible to ignore.”
Presumably governments fund Catholic schools because the cost of converting all those children to the public sector were the Catholic schools to fail (ie go bankrupt) would be very expensive and a logistical nightmare.
The threat of withdrawing money, however likely that would be, does seem to apply a varying amount of pressure on Catholic schools to cave in degrees to secular society. Far better to call society's bluff, and if heaven forbid, the money is withdrawn, then let them close. Better that they close, rather just be Catholic schools in name only. Otherwise, what good are they?
Meanwhile, here in New Zealand ...
I was certainly wondering what good Catholic schools are last night, after the meeting I attended. What is the difference between a government school teaching "positive puberty" and a Catholic school teaching the same thing? As far as I can make out, when I asked if they'd tell the children that they'd need to go to Confession if they masturbated, after spluttering a bit, the principal replied that moral issues were up to the parents! Personally I think that if Catholic schools are going to mention things like masturbation, the moral dimension should be included with it. Obviously I'm just strange expecting morality to be taught in a Catholic school in New Zealand.
Related link: Catholic schools’ opposition to gay clubs revives public-funding debate ~ Holy Post
I'm not so sure that you can count on Catholic schools to keep to Catholic teaching in this area Lucia.
ReplyDeleteI've been told they fit condoms to broomsticks just like they do in State schools, which should be an anathema to the school.
The whole sex ed thing is a hijack - this is something that should be taught at home by the kids parents. The excuse used to impose secular morals and standards on our kids is that "some homes don't do it" or some parents "don't do it properly".
And so like every socialistic scheme instead of raising people to higher standards everybody is dragged down into the mire.
Up in Hamilton I'm told that there are two teachers for this topic at the local Catholic Girls High School. According to one of my friends whose daughter is going through, one of the teachers is full on condom on broomstick, whilst the other is much better.
ReplyDeleteI just hope it all gets a little better for when my daughter (toddler) gets to that age.
This is disturbing. I send my children to a catholic school for the precise reason that I don't want them taught the sexual depravity that the state schools indoctrinate. I have no children at school at the moment, the older two have left, but my younger ones will be starting soon. I will definitely be asking some questions when the time comes.
ReplyDeleteI think it will only get better if more parents demand that it improves and in the meantime, withdraw their children from the programme if they are not happy with it.
ReplyDeleteMost of the parents the other night wanted, at the very least, the children separated by gender for the lessons. Trying to articulate why this was important to people who didn't think it mattered, or thought that it would aid in empathy for each others problems by boys hearing about periods or girls hearing about erections, felt like banging your head against a brick wall.
Well if it becomes all too difficult to fund religious schools then there may come a time when we also find the Godless schools so destructive to fundamental rights and equality it’s impossible to ignore our funding of them.
ReplyDelete