The Glade 4.0

Children of lesbian couple barred from U.S. Catholic school
Agence France-Presse
Published: Wednesday, March 10, 2010

DENVER -- The Catholic Church in Denver, Colorado, has barred two children from enrolling in an area Catholic grade school because their parents are lesbians.

The church has actively campaigned against gay marriage, as it teaches that a valid marriage is only between a man and a woman.

"Parents living in open discord with Catholic teaching in areas of faith and morals unfortunately choose by their actions to disqualify their children from enrollment," the Archdiocese of Denver said in a statement.

The Sacred Heart of Jesus School in nearby Boulder, a town known for its liberal politics, informed the lesbian couple of the ruling. The women were told that their children would be able to finish pre-school, but not attend higher classes.

The controversial decision came to light when teachers complained to local media. Protesters showed up at the Sacred Heart Church on Sunday with signs asking "What would Jesus do?"

While some conservative religious groups in the United States have raged against homosexuality, the Catholic Church has been careful not to demonize gays.

"The church does not claim that people with a homosexual orientation are ‘bad' or that their children are less loved by God ... but what the church does teach is that sexual intimacy by anyone outside marriage is wrong [and] that marriage can only occur between a man and a woman," Archbishop Charles Chaput wrote in a column published on Wednesday in the Denver Catholic Register.

Aicila Lewis, executive director of Boulder Pride, a group that advocates for the gay community, said her organization has been hearing from Catholics.

"They want us to be aware that not everyone in the Catholic Church agrees with this decision. It's a wake-up call that this will cause a public outcry and not go unchallenged," Ms. Lewis said.

The pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church said it would be difficult for a child of gay parents to hear the church's teaching on marriage and then go home and see a different reality.

"We don't want to put any child in that tough position -- nor do we want to put the parents, or the teachers, at odds with the teachings of the Catholic Church," Reverend William Breslin wrote in a blog.

The pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church said it would be difficult for a child of gay parents to hear the church's teaching on marriage and then go home and see a different reality.

"We don't want to put any child in that tough position -- nor do we want to put the parents, or the teachers, at odds with the teachings of the Catholic Church," Reverend William Breslin wrote in a blog.

I'm all for allowing same-sex marriage and giving gay parents the rights to adopt and such, but how dare they use a child as a political tool! It's a child, you're supposed to raise it in as loving and caring and nurturing an environment as possible, and train them for success in the world. Is sending a kindergarten/grade one aged elementary school student into an environment that is openly critical of the love between their parents going to be good for their development?

For once, I agree with a pastor:


Good for him, because that's exactly the point. Why would you ever consider putting a child in such a position? The only difference between the catholic school education and the non-catholic one is the catholic school is going to teach the child that mommy and mommy are sinful and not obeying God and will burn in hell. Why expose your child to that type of bigotry that early in life? Shame on the parents. It's your child, for goodness sakes! Not a **** protest placard!

Good for him, because that's exactly the point. Why would you ever consider putting a child in such a position? The only difference between the catholic school education and the non-catholic one is the catholic school is going to teach the child that mommy and mommy are sinful and not obeying God and will burn in hell. Why expose your child to that type of bigotry that early in life? Shame on the parents. It's your child, for goodness sakes! Not a **** protest placard!

In comic strips the person on the left always speaks first. - George Carlin

Why would they want to send their child there anyway?

Even if it is the best school where they live, I somehow don't think placing the child in an environment where the school system and their parents are actively opposed to each other is going to result in good academic results.

Facism is not a school of thought, it is a racial slur.

I guess it depends on how much time is actively spent on "gay people are going to hell" as part of the curriculum.

... it can be hard to change the political landscape on child issues, without an example cause to champion.

Facism is not a school of thought, it is a racial slur.

To my knowledge, that would be zero, as it's not Catholic doctrine.



What part of the political landscape regarding child issues need changing here?

It's your child, for goodness sakes! Not a **** protest placard!

Well first off I'm not advocating that there is something that needs changing. But it appears that this child's parents feel that they shouldn't be prohibited from sending their child to a Catholic school based on their sexual orientation.

Which, Aizle, goes back to:

I get that. However, my question is this.

If you believe that you should be able to send your child to that school, how do you get that changed without your child becoming the center of that storm? I don't see a way to avoid it.

So you're left with lesser of two evils choice.

Dedolito:

LCD.

I don't think anybody is disputing their feelings, or the strength thereof; what's being disputed is their priorities vis-à-vis caring about their child's well-being.