Thursday, June 17, 2010

Education should not be subject to sexual orientation

(O, PSN)
"Glossing over our differences on essential matters, and pretending that crucial issues are irrelevant, is not tolerance," said the parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School on his blog (fatherbillsblog.com).
The Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School recently disallowed a child from readmitting to the school because his/her parents are lesbians.
The Archdiocese was quoted as saying that the parents' sexual preference went against the school's beliefs and teachings.
However, is it right to discriminate against a child due to his or her parents' lifestyle? Religious discrimination against LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender) members has been going on for centuries, sometimes escalating to a point of violence and killing. Now, this prejudice has come to a point of hurting people who are close to them.
Sacred Heart needs to realize that the child who is trying to attend the school and follow the Catholic faith, is almost entirely separate from his or her parents and he/she himself is not violating the rules.
And as if open discrimination against LGBTs wasn't enough, depriving a child because of what his/her parents believe, is crossing the line.
I agree that if a religion teaches that something is "wrong," then let people believe that. However, when it comes to the point of deprivation of something as crucial as education, that is when religion needs to take a rest on its preaching.
Granted, as stated on the parish's blog, "If a child of gay parents comes to our school, and we teach that gay marriage is against the will of God, then the child will think that we are saying their parents are bad."
However, why wouldn't the school jump at the chance to teach a child who lives in this kind of environment? It is a chance for the church to "turn him the right way," "teach him the will of God..." help him see the light.
Yes, the parents probably knew the feel Catholic doctrine sends toward gay couples. however, that teaching should not diminish the desire to follow a certain faith. Yes, maybe he/she will be taught that the way his parents live is "wrong," and yes, maybe he/she will grow up in the mindset that homosexuality is "wrong." But, isn't it better that the child is exposed to different views and ideas?
We, as a collective American people, complain about the close-mindedness of the people around us. Yet, when an opportunity such as this arises, an opportunity for a child living in the midst of contradictions to experience both sides of the story, we shun it. This unique situation has provided us with an opportunity to raise an open-minded person- a person who is Catholic, but accepts the things that his faith cannot. And as they continue to grow and learn about the world, they will then see that, it may be against the will of God, but if their parents are happy, and they are not hurting anyone, then maybe, it is okay.
Maybe mommy loving mommy isn't the end of the world.
As the parish said, "Glossing over differences... is not tolerance." However, realizing that there are different people in the world, who lead different lifestyles, and believe different things, is.

1 comment:

  1. I think we americans tend to whine about our problems and then turn our backs when it is time to stand up and do something. It was very odd that they did not accept the child and teach against the parents' life style. I would expect them to jump at the opportunity. I like your style of writing, it is very proffessional.

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