Fighting to not attend Catholic classes at Catholic school - Ontario

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by psicodude

That's not the issue here as anyone can go to Catholic school if they want to, even in Calgary.

The issue is that if you choose to go to a Catholic school, can you be exempt from taking religion class? This sounds like a father with too much time on his hands.

The exemption was included as a condition of being funded by taxpayers. A Catholic school that is being publicly funded is, in my opinion, a public school with a cross on the wall. The exemption is a fair compromise that allows children of all taxpayers to attend, but not be served their daily dose of religion on a publicly funded platter.

An alternate solution is to refuse public funding and become a private school.

[LChoy]

Originally Posted by Sainters7

Yup that's true. I get why you'd send your kids to one if its the only school around you, or even the closest. Otherwise, its just a head-scratcher.

I went to Grandin and one of my best friends there wasn't Catholic. And he lived in Shawnessy, so the public E.P. Scarlett was closer, and Wise Wood's just down the street. Why go to a Catholic school then??

I can't speak for other parents, but I have Asian parents and the Catholic school was perceived to be the better school. However, I still went to the public one since that was where my friends went.

Maybe there is a perceived idea that a Catholic school might be better than the closer public ones?

[MarchHare]

The issue is that if you choose to go to a Catholic school, can you be exempt from taking religion class?

Yes.

If you read the article, it says that the Catholic school granted the student an exemption from the religious aspects of the curriculum, but it forced him to stay home during that time. The father wants his son to be able to study privately in the school library instead.

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by Lchoy

Maybe there is a perceived idea that a Catholic school might be better than the closer public ones?

The school in question is perceived to be the better one in the area, and it is also the closest one to their home.

[Sainters7]

At least from my own experience going through a Catholic HS, I find it kinda silly he doesn't want them taking religious courses. At least for us, H.S. were the years when you mostly learned about other religions, it was pretty much an SS/History class. It was really interesting, I enjoyed those classes. Its not like its just some "Hooray for Jesus!" class every day.

If it truly is their only option, fair enough. And even if you have ample other public school options but just perceive the Catholic one to be the best and want to send your kids there, that's fine. BUT, if you have such strong views against even learning about world religions to the point where you demand your kids be withdrawn from those courses, how bout just send them to one of the many public schools in the area?

Just seems silly to me to make the school bend over backwards for you when the whole thing could be easily avoided. And religious studies at the H.S. level is not what the dad assumes it is, methinks..

[Minnie]

The religious classes can be a PITA for scheduling, depending on the size of the school. I was reading some commentary about this elsewhere and one father, who is Catholic, wanted his daughter to be able to opt out because she needed some specific classes for uni, and needed those far more than she needed the religion classes, to get into her specific field of study. Yet you need the religion class to graduate. I think making the religion class a requirement for graduation is dumb. It's already a religious school - the religion permeates every other aspect. Morning prayer, in school masses and/or walk to nearest parish for mass on holy days, etc. Religion class should be an options course, not a requirement.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by Sainters7

At least from my own experience going through a Catholic HS, I find it kinda silly he doesn't want them taking religious courses. At least for us, H.S. were the years when you mostly learned about other religions, it was pretty much an SS/History class. It was really interesting, I enjoyed those classes. Its not like its just some "Hooray for Jesus!" class every day.

If it truly is their only option, fair enough. And even if you have ample other public school options but just perceive the Catholic one to be the best and want to send your kids there, that's fine. BUT, if you have such strong views against even learning about world religions to the point where you demand your kids be withdrawn from those courses, how bout just send them to one of the many public schools in the area?

Just seems silly to me to make the school bend over backwards for you when the whole thing could be easily avoided. And religious studies at the H.S. level is not what the dad assumes it is, methinks..

From the article:

The board told him Jonathan could stay home from school during morning liturgies and return upon the program’s completion, but Erazo wants his son to be able to work in the school library or office with supervision during such events.

Emphasis added.

It sounds like he wants his son exempt from the daily religious services practiced at the school.

[Sainters7]

Ah, didn't see that part. That's a lot more hardcore than the Catholic schools I went to growing up.

Only time we had to do stuff like that was leading up to religious holidays (Jesusmas, Easter, etc)

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by JD

Growing up in the Catholic system here in Calgary, I can say this kind of stuff happens all the time.

I remember one girl in my class who couldn't take part in phys-ed because "wearing the gym strip was against her religion". Uh, what religion is that? Cause we're all Catholic, or so I thought!

I went to a Catholic school until grade 11. There were a few kids in the school that weren't Catholic and their parents sent them there because of the impression that the school was more strict or safer (something I am not 100% sold on).

I remember 2 girls who were actually Menonite, but didn't have any other Christian based schools in the area to choose from.

[polak]

Originally Posted by MelBridgeman

I went to Catholic school in Calgary - religion/church all that stuff was a great way to get away from regular class - to day dream, nap ect...

Don't see the harm - it does't brainwash you

In Junior High, I made my religion teacher cry because on my religion final I answered the long answer question with an explanation on why I don't believe in God (I think the question was "what does God mean to you" or something like that).

She took me aside the next year and told me "how disappointed" she was with my answer and literally started to full out cry. I was still able to get above 80% on religion throughout all of Jr. High and High School despite being a little athiest smartass though.

[CaptainCrunch]

There's only one reason to go to a catholic school

Catholic High School Girls in trouble

(I'd post the trailer from the Kentucky Fried movie but its entirely NSFW

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

From the article:

I added my own emphasis there. Sounds like the father wants the school to have to make staffing arrangements to accomodate his wishes.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by ken0042

I added my own emphasis there. Sounds like the father wants the school to have to make staffing arrangements to accomodate his wishes.

It sounds to me like the father thinks the school should be a babysitter for his kids.

If the parents want exemptions for their kids, they should be the ones arranging for supervision for their kids during that time.

[Jimmy Stang]

Splitting hairs here, but I read it is as option 1: the library, and option 2: the office, with supervision.

I'm not familiar with how morning mass and all of that stuff works, but does the entire school congregate in the gym, including administrators and staff? Or do some front-line staff continue to work in the office? I don't think that a high school student requires supervision to study in the library.

On the flip side, since the student is already exempt from all of that stuff anyway, why not do a bit of studying over breakfast at home, or sleep in a little bit and study in the evening?

[valo403]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

It sounds to me like the father thinks the school should be a babysitter for his kids.

If the parents want exemptions for their kids, they should be the ones arranging for supervision for their kids during that time.

Is the office/library completely unstaffed during these periods? If not, all he's asking for is a desk and a chair for a kid to sit in.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

I could understand this if the family was in a small, rural community that had only one school that just happened to be run by the Catholic board.

But Brampton? No sympathy for the father here. He has the choice to send his kid to a public school that doesn't include religious-based classes. Instead, he would rather be a d-bag wasting everyone's time and money.

I'm not sure how he's being a d-bag. He's entitled to send his children to the school of his choice, we don't know the specifics but I can think of a number of reasons he may have chosen the catholic school over a public option, and he's also entitled to have his child opt out of the religious components.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

Splitting hairs here, but I read it is as option 1: the library, and option 2: the office, with supervision.

I'm not familiar with how morning mass and all of that stuff works, but does the entire school congregate in the gym, including administrators and staff? Or do some front-line staff continue to work in the office? I don't think that a high school student requires supervision to study in the library.

On the flip side, since the student is already exempt from all of that stuff anyway, why not do a bit of studying over breakfast at home, or sleep in a little bit and study in the evening?

Transportation issues?

[photon]

Yeah the only way this makes sense is if the entire school is basically shut down during the service, and having a student in the library without supervision is probably against school policy (though I used to do that all the time, I'd show up at school like 1.5 hours early when the doors were just being opened so I could use the quite time in the library to try and find nude pics in the books do homework).

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by photon

Yeah the only way this makes sense is if the entire school is basically shut down during the service, and having a student in the library without supervision is probably against school policy (though I used to do that all the time, I'd show up at school like 1.5 hours early when the doors were just being opened so I could use the quite time in the library to try and find nude pics in the books do homework).

The only thing I can think of is that they don't want some kids running loose in the school when the other kids are forced to sit through something they would all most likely rather not be participating in.

Still, not a very good reason.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Temporary_User

So is gun ownership in the U.S. constitution. Doesn't mean there are many people out that that think it is crazy and want to rid of it.

Sure, but that is a separate issue from the question "why are religious schools still publicly funded" and the answer "because it is constitutionally protected".

Whether or not we should is not the same question as to why we do.