A Catholic school has decided not to allow a pre-school child to enrol next year because her parents are lesbians.
Now the community has rallied to protest at the school's decision to uphold a policy not to let children of same sex parents attend.
The child already attends the school's preschool programme but it was recently decided not to allow her to move up to kindergarten next year.Father William Breslin talked about the decision of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School in Colorado in a recent sermon and also on his 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," he writes. "We don't want to put any child in that tough position."
However, the school's stance has provoked protests from the community. "It's clear if they only accept students with perfect parents, they would have almost nobody," Beth Osnes, a protest organiser said. "I know they have the right to, but why would they want to?"
Spokeswoman for the archdiocese, Jeanette DeMelo, told the Denver Post the student is in the school's preschool program and will be allowed to finish the year.
She added it became a matter of policy after school officials, who didn't ask questions about sexual orientation during enrolment, found out about the parents.
"We're not trying to weed out people," she told the Post. "But when they can't agree with our Catholic philosophy, it really makes it difficult to be a strong part of the school community; it's a difficult situation."
But the issue doesn't appear a difficult one for the protestors.
"It's not the teachings of Jesus. We are all created equal," Joellen Raderstorf of Boulder tells the Post.
The child and her family have obviously coped with the school's teachings during her time as a preschooler so it seems a bit pointless and quite cruel making her leave now.
If the sexual orientation of pupils' parents is that important perhaps the school should make it a point to ask during the enrolment process.
© http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2010/03/11/ ... enrolling/
How ridiculous. Who on earth decides what constitutes a *normal* family anyhow. And will they decide not to allow children from single parent families to attend either becasue there isn't a mum and dad at home? What about unmarried parents?
Surely what should be important - even in the eyes of God - is that a child is loved and nurtured, and supported in becoming a well rounded individual and a part of the community as a whole.
My daughter is baptised catholic (my hubby is catholic) and we decided to send her to a catholic school believing that their education and morals to be of a high standard. We are having second thoughts tonight.
