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News & ArtsSaturday, March 6, 2010
Homo / Religion Catholic School Expels Girl For Having Two Moms
Posted by Dan Savage on Sat, Mar 6, 2010 at 9:42 AM
It took decades—centuries—to put a stop to the rampant rape of thousands of Catholic children by Catholic priests. But it only took a year to put a stop to the education of one Catholic school girl.
A Catholic school in Colorado is kicking out a preschooler because the child's parents are lesbians. The child also will not be allowed to re-enroll next year at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School. The Denver Archdiocese posted a statement Friday saying the parents are "living in open discord with Catholic teaching." The statement says students in Catholic schools are expected to have parents who abide by church and school policies. The archdiocese said students with gay parents in Catholic schools would become confused.
No doubt the school has already kicked out all the kids whose straight parents are "living in discord with Catholic teaching" by having divorced and remarried or who've used birth control or who haven't been to mass lately. Right? Hello?
2
While all of this is playing out in the church, the courts, etc., if I was the mothers of this child and I absolutely wanted my child to continue with this church and this school, I would find a well respected gay male couple, pair up with them on "paper and principle only", re-enroll the girl at the school and list 2 sets of parents.
Suck that Denver Archdiocese.
Suck that Denver Archdiocese.
3
Dan, Dan, Dan...being gay is like being fat. Everyone can "see" it (at least if you're part of a gay couple, they can.) But the church can't see your NuvaRing, and you can always claim you went to Mass at another parish, right? It's the stuff people can see about you that gets you in trouble.
4
My partner was treated like crap by his nuns back in the '60's because his mother was divorced.
I think the bigger question is why anyone would send their child to Catholic school. My sister went to six years of it, can't spell to save her life and has absolutely no grasp of math. Luckily, my parents took a look at that and decided not to waste their money anymore.
I think the bigger question is why anyone would send their child to Catholic school. My sister went to six years of it, can't spell to save her life and has absolutely no grasp of math. Luckily, my parents took a look at that and decided not to waste their money anymore.
5
@4, good thing no priests or brothers at the school decided your future partner needed their special brand of male influence.
6
yes, we all see how well the catholic church has abided by their own dogma given the current gay sex scandal roiling through the vatican and the cenuties of child sex abuse by those cloest to god. the hypocrisy is mindboggling.
I agree with #2. get married and reenroll.
I agree with #2. get married and reenroll.
7
that doesn't make sense, there are jewish and non-catholic christians that go to catholic schools. Jews and Protestants, according to the Vatican and catholic dogma, are already living in open discord with catholic teaching.
8
This is America, where we have religious freedom. The Catholics are perfectly w/in their rights to exclude anyone for whatever fucked reason they like. It's a private school!
OMG! Catholics are sexual hypocrites! Stop the presses!
This is no big news, your Gay Drama button is working overtime on this one.
OMG! Catholics are sexual hypocrites! Stop the presses!
This is no big news, your Gay Drama button is working overtime on this one.
9
from the link on The Morning News :
""No person shall be admitted as a student in any Catholic school unless that person and his/her parent(s) subscribe to the school's philosophy and agree to abide by the educational policies and regulations of the school and Archdiocese," the statement said."
================================
So... it looks like you you have to AGREE TO ABIDE by the teachings & regulations, but you don't actually have to abide by them. Presumably all those pedophile priests also agreed to abide by Catholic teachings & policies.
So there's really no inconsistency at all there.
""No person shall be admitted as a student in any Catholic school unless that person and his/her parent(s) subscribe to the school's philosophy and agree to abide by the educational policies and regulations of the school and Archdiocese," the statement said."
================================
So... it looks like you you have to AGREE TO ABIDE by the teachings & regulations, but you don't actually have to abide by them. Presumably all those pedophile priests also agreed to abide by Catholic teachings & policies.
So there's really no inconsistency at all there.
10
Yes, pull your kids outta there and put them somewhere they're wanted. It doesn't make the Church any less a bunch of lying, hypocritical assholes, though.
11
1. Catholics don't get divorced or remarried, they merely acknowledge that they were never married in the first place.
2. Catholics don't take birth control pills, they take a prescription medication which their doctor has recommended to alleviate their frequently painful and/or unpredictable periods.
3. Five Hail Marys takes care of that.
2. Catholics don't take birth control pills, they take a prescription medication which their doctor has recommended to alleviate their frequently painful and/or unpredictable periods.
3. Five Hail Marys takes care of that.
12
This is fucked up. But it's also equatable to a conservative private school in the South refusing to allow a kid to attend their school b/c their parent's 1st or 2nd spouse is another race citing quotes from the Bible or that it'll draw too much attention. Anyway, I hope the parents sue the Catholic school and archdiocese for discrimination.
13
Denver is full of other parental-outsourcing resources that the lesbians could use for the poor tot.
14
robi, my partner wasn't an altar boy, and that's usually where the trouble was.
However, I must say that, although I was the longest running Altar Boy at our parish (Everyone thought I was going to be a priest, but I mostly did it because it was much more interesting than sitting in the audience, plus you would get paid for doing weddings and funerals, and the outfits were sort of fun) no priest ever laid a hand on me in anything approaching an inappropriate way. All of our parish priests at that time were good, decent men, and even though I think the church is a ridiculously corrupt institution, I acknowledge their dedication to their calling.
The one who took over later, however, was arrested for shoplifting gay porn, and the current one is just a ninny - although he was with us when my father died, and was quite a comfort. But then again, almost anyone would be.
However, I must say that, although I was the longest running Altar Boy at our parish (Everyone thought I was going to be a priest, but I mostly did it because it was much more interesting than sitting in the audience, plus you would get paid for doing weddings and funerals, and the outfits were sort of fun) no priest ever laid a hand on me in anything approaching an inappropriate way. All of our parish priests at that time were good, decent men, and even though I think the church is a ridiculously corrupt institution, I acknowledge their dedication to their calling.
The one who took over later, however, was arrested for shoplifting gay porn, and the current one is just a ninny - although he was with us when my father died, and was quite a comfort. But then again, almost anyone would be.
15
I went to catholic schools all my life and we had the occasional jew (occasionally we had jews. I'm not remarking on the jewish person's religious tendencies) in our classes. WTF?
20
Yeah I'm still stuck on what the hell her moms were thinking sending her to catholic school to begin with. Surely there are other preschools in Boulder.
21
They teach you how to not think, not question, not reason and not observe the way the world works. If you did you would very quickly realise that Catholicism is a giant load of bull!
23
This is disgusting. That said, private schools almost always have a contract that must be signed upon a child's admittance to the school which state the requirements that both the children and parents must abide by in order to attend there. I'm not condoning it in any way, shape, or form, but it is the reality of most religious private schools.
I, for instance, attended a hyper-conservative christian school for two years in middle school, and not only did it suck massive donkey balls, but, during the two years I was there:
Two girls were expelled for having sex
One guy was expelled for telling one of his friends that he is gay
A friend of mine was suspended for two weeks when school officials searched his locker and found a note from a girl that mentioned oral sex, because his response included the word "shit", and the girl who wrote the note was suspended for the rest of the semester.
These schools are fucked up. But their insane rules are rarely a secret.
I, for instance, attended a hyper-conservative christian school for two years in middle school, and not only did it suck massive donkey balls, but, during the two years I was there:
Two girls were expelled for having sex
One guy was expelled for telling one of his friends that he is gay
A friend of mine was suspended for two weeks when school officials searched his locker and found a note from a girl that mentioned oral sex, because his response included the word "shit", and the girl who wrote the note was suspended for the rest of the semester.
These schools are fucked up. But their insane rules are rarely a secret.
24
The parents should be happy. I certainly wouldn't want my children going to any school run by the official patrons of child molesters and pedophiles.
25
At my house, the Catholic Church was called the great whore and the den of Satan.
So, this is a surprise?
As an aside Catholic boys are great in bed, they are repressed and when they let go, it is total good time animal.
Of course, leave before the guilt sets in.
So, this is a surprise?
As an aside Catholic boys are great in bed, they are repressed and when they let go, it is total good time animal.
Of course, leave before the guilt sets in.
27
As someone else said - the real question is why two Lesbians sent their child to a school affiliated with a church that believes their relationship is "intrinsically evil" (The current pope wrote those words). What is that girl going to hear when the topic of homosexuality comes up in class?
What the school did is screwed up, but ironically that little girl is way better off somewhere else.
What the school did is screwed up, but ironically that little girl is way better off somewhere else.
28
Also, I would dispute the claim that there is any such thing as a "Catholic child." Children don't have the capacity to make decisions like those: that's why we don't let them drive or vote or drink.
31
8
perhaps you've been away-
in the Qunited States of Amerigay all religions must submit their beliefs to the Homosexual Thought Police for approval.
perhaps you've been away-
in the Qunited States of Amerigay all religions must submit their beliefs to the Homosexual Thought Police for approval.
32
Does anyone know if the Archbishop of Denver is gay? Our Archbishop in DC, who is getting up to this kind of crazy shit, was reportedly called 'Donna' Wuerl when he was Bishop.
I tend to think that the child of Lesbian parents will be better off away from Catholic teaching.
I tend to think that the child of Lesbian parents will be better off away from Catholic teaching.
34
Naw, Matt, I think he's in New Mexico (if I remember correctly). Besides, you ought to know that there aren't any pawn shops on Colfax. Well, East Colfax anyway.
36
They shouldn't have kicked her out. But really, in the long run, they're doing her a favor. In fact, they should extend that favor to all of their students, and stop indoctrinating our youth.
37
@ 34, not even in Aurora? It's been a long time since I've been anywhere east of Colo. Blvd on Colfax. (IIRC there are pawn shops on West Colfax, west of Federal...)
38
So, first off, there is a difference between saying "I think the Catholic Church is wrong, corrupt and hypocritical in the way it enforces its 'rules' " and saying "the Catholic Church should be forced to let this girl stay." The latter is not only wrong, but also illegal. As private institutions which do not cater to the public, religious organizations do not have to allow anyone in their school if they don't want to. They can say "we don't like you because you're black/white/purple/blue/tall/short/other random stupid reason" and the government has no right to step in because equal opportunity laws do not apply. The public, however, can vote with their money and attendance.
39
I'd like to know why these two moms decided to fight this fight? There has to be other preschools nearby and it seams to me that preschoolers generally are not taught about sexuality or gender identity issues (or at they shouldn't be).
40
I love it when the Church expels its own followers. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face...
The girl will be better off in public school anyway. This is a happy ending.
The girl will be better off in public school anyway. This is a happy ending.
41
I think its worth noting that this decision was made by the archdiocese and that the staff of the school not only had nothing to do with it but have expressed their disgust with the decision, despite being ordered not to discuss the matter with the press.
Is it morally bankrupt and laughably hypocritical? Yes. Is it their legal right? Yes. Hopefully this childs parents can find her a school where she won't be inculcated with shame about her family and fear of hellfire.
Is it morally bankrupt and laughably hypocritical? Yes. Is it their legal right? Yes. Hopefully this childs parents can find her a school where she won't be inculcated with shame about her family and fear of hellfire.
43
@20 Not to be cynical, but maybe the fact that this has made the news is the reason why the girl was sent to this school by her parents. I mean, looking at the other side of this, is it possible that one or both of the parents is trying to grab some headlines 'for the cause'?
44
Geez, are you saying that somebody in Colorado might have done it "for the show?" Nah, I have a hard time believing that.
45
And Matty, yeah, there's a big pawn shop at West Colfax at about Federal; not aware of anything on the east side of town, though. But I don't make it out that way much more than you do.
46
There are plenty of other schools for the girl to go to - don't like Catholic teachings? You are feel to go somewhere else.
47
Oh for fuck sake, who cares? It's a private school -- they reserve the right to refuse service to anyone. Don't like it? Don't go to school there. And if their actions are actually offensive to the moral sensibilities of their customers, organize a boycott. If their actions aren't offensive to the moral sensibilities of their customers, then the two lesbians who sent their daughter into that place were basically committing child abuse. It'd be like two black parents sending their racially ambiguous child to an Aryan Nation school; if racism exists, you deal with it. But forcing your kid to try to learn in an environment where everyone -- not just the administrators but the students and the other parents -- is hostile to you and to your child as a mater of dogma is abusive and shitty.
And that example is particularly apt in that, as a protected class, black parents would actually be legally entitled to FORCE the Aryan Nation school to take their kid. What would we think of black parents who used their kid as a political football like that? We'd think they were assholes. What the lesbian parents don't have here is a legal mechanism for making their daughter miserable. Bummer. Let's make sure they get that.
And that example is particularly apt in that, as a protected class, black parents would actually be legally entitled to FORCE the Aryan Nation school to take their kid. What would we think of black parents who used their kid as a political football like that? We'd think they were assholes. What the lesbian parents don't have here is a legal mechanism for making their daughter miserable. Bummer. Let's make sure they get that.
48
My mother went to Catholic school, and the best thing that she came out with was stories about brawls she got into with nuns. They're the best stories she has. Maybe it's the same in this family, and the mothers don't want to deprive their grandchildren of the same great stories that their daughter gets to hear now.
49
I think this is personally slightly racist. Even though it goes against the "catholic religion", I still don't think that they should have expelled the kid. Let the mothers talk it out with the head of the school, maybe even go to the court and make a trail out of it. That would have been a better choice than taking out a huge chunk of the child's education.
~Cal
~Cal
50
Hey, at least they aren't trying to "cure" the moms like some other churches try to do (i.e. that poor boy who got outed at school, and kicked out by school AND his parents).
51
I'm not ready to condemn the parents for sending her to Catholic school in the first place. I don't know a ton about the public schools that are available in their part of Denver, but the truth is that Catholic schools are much more affordable than other private schools. The high school in my district was utter crap; my parents - my quasi-socialist, non-practicing-Muslim parents - would have sent me to Catholic school had I not been admitted to a magnet program that was run out of another public high school. So let's withhold judgment, shall we?
52
One less child attending that private school means one less child being indoctrinated with that superstitious hoodoo nonsense and one less tuition's worth of money flowing into the Church's legal defense fund every year. Win/ win.
53
Haven't read all the comments, but if Catholic schools kicked out every kid whose parents' are living in "open discord with Catholic teaching," every single one of them would close tomorrow. Lots of divorce, lots of artificial birth control, lots of custodial parents living with someone they aren't married to, lots of parents who haven't darkened the doors of the church in years. The difference? Those parents are straight.
This is why I quit teaching in a Catholic school. I couldn't take the hypocracy. Also, I couldn't live with being a hypocrite myself - my district had a clause in our contract that we were supposed to turn in anyone not living according to Catholic morality, and specifically called out homosexuality. One of my friends who taught in another Catholic school came out to me when I caught him in a lie. He didn't want to come out because he didn't want to lose his job. I didn't turn him in, which could have jeopardized my job, and I wouldn't have. And the more I thought about it, I couldn't work for an organization that would expect me to.
This is why I quit teaching in a Catholic school. I couldn't take the hypocracy. Also, I couldn't live with being a hypocrite myself - my district had a clause in our contract that we were supposed to turn in anyone not living according to Catholic morality, and specifically called out homosexuality. One of my friends who taught in another Catholic school came out to me when I caught him in a lie. He didn't want to come out because he didn't want to lose his job. I didn't turn him in, which could have jeopardized my job, and I wouldn't have. And the more I thought about it, I couldn't work for an organization that would expect me to.
54
It's really hard to find a quality pre-school. In Seattle you face two year waits on most of the ones you'd actually want your kid to go to, I imagine it's the same in most big cities. If the kid was happy there for one year, it'll be hard for parents to have to find another one.
That said, I still think the kid is better off outside of the school, cause once they tell you to leave because of who your parents are, there's no going back.
That said, I still think the kid is better off outside of the school, cause once they tell you to leave because of who your parents are, there's no going back.
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