Friday, May 4, 2012
European Catholic Schools Urge Students to Oppose Gay Marriage
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/25/catholic-church-schools-gay-marriage
In England and Wales, state-funded Catholic schools are encouraging students to sign a petition against Gay Marriage. This command comes all the way from the top; it was decreed by the Catholic Church itself. More than 385 Catholic secondary schools have been asked to do this. One London school even gave a presentation to encourage its students to sign the petition. Catholic schools have the right to teach religious views, but this practice may violage the Education Act of 1996, part of which states that no school can politically indoctrinate its students.
I think that the kicker here is the fact that these schools are funded by taxpayer money. The political manipulation of adolescents is a serious violation of ethics and law. I am disgusted with the Catholic Church for their actions regarding this issue. Furthermore, while the Church's immediate reason for their anti-gay stance is religious rather than bigoted, this course of action will encourage outright bigotry. Encouraging teenagers to sign such a petition paints homosexuals as deeply flawed individuals. I hope that the Catholic Church itself is heavily penalized for this atrocity.
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disgusted but not surprised, right?
ReplyDeleteReally, not suprising. Religious schools really do influence their student's opinions despite what people may think. I don't know if any action, judicial or otherwise, will come out of this, but I hope one parent will at least have the common sense to realize that this is wrong.
ReplyDeletethis isn't right at all, i also hope that someone or parents step up to the plate to do something.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Not surprised at all. I can't imagine being a student in a school with such ridiculous demands. Even though the catholic religion does not allow gay marriage, which is a right it has, this has gone way to far. If you do not believe in gay marriage, fine but there is no need to go so far as to have hundreds of school children ,who most likely don't know much about it, sign a petition against it.
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