Monday, May 15, 2006
Schools: Public versus Catholic in Los Angeles
Until very recently I have been a strong proponent of a Catholic primary and high school education for Catholic children in Los Angeles. Although the jury of my mind is still out on high schools, the decision renedred for primary schools is "no more" due to the introduction of the Virtus program in the schools. Rather than adopt a program to deal with improper touching and molestation in the wake of the sex-abuse scandals in the Church, the USCCB has adopted the Virtus progam that has sprung forth from groups and individuals with ties to organizations that are directly hostile to the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Two priests in Minnesota has gone so far as to publicly denounce the program and to refuse to implement in their parish. Their reward for standing up for the teachings of the Roman Church has been to be punished by the Bishop.
It should come as no shock that Cardinal Mahony has foisted this wolf upon the unsuspecting flock of Los Angeles along with the Good Touch/ Bad Touch program that has been explicitly rejected byBishop Vasa of Oregon for not being in line with Catholic teaching although he is in the minority.
What it comes down to is that the Church's explicit teaching on letting children be children in the early stages of life (as mentioned in one of the links above) is being ignored. A program of thinly veiled sex education is being foisted on Catholic children in Catholic schools.
So, why might a public school be better? Certainly many have similar programs in place. The difference is that parents have an easier time of opting out of said programs in a public school. Even when that might be difficult, it is much easier to explain to a child (although by no means easy overall) that a public school does not speak with the authority of the Pope or the Church. However, it is very confusing and damaging for a child to hear that same argument when the school is a Catholic one. Thus, "deprogramming" and/or protecting your child's innocence may actually be easier in some public school systems.
This appears to be true in the area in which my family now resides. Unfortunately, this is not the only theological abuse found in Catholic schools in Los Angeles today, but it is one of the more serious ones. Parents who think that the Catholic schools have their best interests in mind need to think again.
Two priests in Minnesota has gone so far as to publicly denounce the program and to refuse to implement in their parish. Their reward for standing up for the teachings of the Roman Church has been to be punished by the Bishop.
It should come as no shock that Cardinal Mahony has foisted this wolf upon the unsuspecting flock of Los Angeles along with the Good Touch/ Bad Touch program that has been explicitly rejected byBishop Vasa of Oregon for not being in line with Catholic teaching although he is in the minority.
What it comes down to is that the Church's explicit teaching on letting children be children in the early stages of life (as mentioned in one of the links above) is being ignored. A program of thinly veiled sex education is being foisted on Catholic children in Catholic schools.
So, why might a public school be better? Certainly many have similar programs in place. The difference is that parents have an easier time of opting out of said programs in a public school. Even when that might be difficult, it is much easier to explain to a child (although by no means easy overall) that a public school does not speak with the authority of the Pope or the Church. However, it is very confusing and damaging for a child to hear that same argument when the school is a Catholic one. Thus, "deprogramming" and/or protecting your child's innocence may actually be easier in some public school systems.
This appears to be true in the area in which my family now resides. Unfortunately, this is not the only theological abuse found in Catholic schools in Los Angeles today, but it is one of the more serious ones. Parents who think that the Catholic schools have their best interests in mind need to think again.
