LGBT+in+Separate+Schools

Is this even possible? A quick survey of the news over the last year or so might be enough to convince you that this is in fact an impossible task for the Separate School system to accept a curriculum that speaks to LGBT. That is, with out compromising Catholic Values or becoming homophobic. In 2009, the ministry of education announced a plan for Equity and Inclusion. The changes that this would bring to the curriculum caused wide spread outcry by concerned Catholic and parent groups, one quick Google search shows that. Concerned groups saw this directive as indoctrination that will began at a young age. What alarmed the concerned groups, that responded so strongly, where the changes that would be introduced into the health curriculum. The concerned groups feared that the curriculum’s family life section would teach children that Masturbation and anal or oral sex are acceptable sex acts. Furthermore, the groups feared that if implemented the new curriculum would require that Homosexual lifestyle would have to be taught as equal to traditional marriage. Following such curriculum expectations would oppose catholic values. In my own search in the Curriculum for // Grades 1-8: Health and Physical Education, interim Edition, 2010 (revised) //I was not able to find anything to that effect. Although, it seems that the McGuinty’s government shelved that part of the initiative after experience such a strong reaction, but the discussion is far from over.

In the wake of growing awareness and concern of bullying towards homosexual teenagers McGuinty’s government is continuing to support some of the original ideas from the policy for //equity and Inclusive education in Ontario schools.// New Legislation that affects the extra curricular, instead of the actual curriculum, requires school boards to create and support gay-straight alliance groups upon student request. Catholic school boards are only willing to accept this legislation with compromise. The separate schools are willing to support Gay student groups but any such group will have to go by a name that does not so clearly suggest the nature of the group. In the media this compromise was not widely accepted. To some it seems that the separate school board is not doing its part to fight homophobic bullying. In taking a preliminary look at the politics, it seems that if the separate school board is going to maintain Catholics values and beliefs it will not be able to adopt the Ministry of Educations new mandates for equity and inclusion for people of all sexual orientations. Could this situation be exposing homophobic views in the Separate School system and its affiliated church?

To answer this question we will have first understand the Catholic view of sexuality. Also, how do these views shape the Catholic Churches view and understanding of same sex sexuality? As most of us are away the traditional view of marriage in our western culture is a Christian one. The Catholic Church believes that God created man and woman to join together in a comitial fashion, which we call marriage. This formal commitment was always established or sealed with sex. Immediately, in today’s context, the question is raised, why most this be hetero sexual? The response of the Catholic church is that in the design of marriage there are certain characteristics that God intended to be present. For the Catholic Church these elements create the criteria for its belief on marriage and from these beliefs the Catholic church draws its views on sexuality. The first criteria is that in marriage a man and a woman can be united in Love, this love is expressed most strongly the act of sex. In short, the couple need to love each other. Seconded the Church believes that man and woman complement each other physically emotional, psychologically and spiritually. Lastly it is the Catholic Churches view that marriage and sex should be open to procreation.

The above is only a short summary of something that is much more complicated but it will do for our needs. In regards to the first characteristics or criteria of love it is in no way intended to say that love is limited to only those in a heterosexual relationship. Love is and should be between all people in all sorts of relationships. Based on this belief alone Catholics should have nothing against intimate homosexual relationships. The aspect of the complementarity of the sexes and the belief that sex most always be open to procreation, and within marriage, is why the Catholic Church is apposed to Same Sex marriage and sex acts, calling such behaviours a sin.

The Separate School Board is in a difficult place of adapting ministry mandates well avoiding supporting something that is considered sinful by its affiliated religion. Sin is a strong word but an important distinction must be made here. The Catholic Church does not actually consider being homosexual sinful. This is true weather it is a passing desire or a deep inset longing or if it is just the way a person was born. Although, such desires would be considered a concern and amoral for Catholics because if homosexual desires were acted upon that would be a sin. So, there is an important distinction that is being made between the way a person is and their actions. As well, it should be made clear that because the catholic expectation of sex is that it be within marriage and open procreation means that certain sex acts are considered wrong by there nature, even within marriage, not just because they can be preformed by a homosexual couples. I am not writing this to be judgemental I am just explaining the values and beliefs that explain why the Catholic School system is not able to condone Homosexuality. Yet, this is no way means that separate schools should not be open accepting safe places. In fact, if a Catholic school is not an accepting open and safe place, where homophobic bullying, or any type of bullying for that manner, is thriving then that school is not condoning other Catholic values. So, the separate school system should be a safe and accepting place for everybody, discussions around issues of homophobia should exist. Those discussion should be aimed at the ending of homophobia. Yet, the Separate school system needs to maintain a delicate balance. Just like the ministry of education Catholic schools want to stop homophobic bullying. Unlike the ministry of education, the separate school board does not want to openly condone homosexuality. Help these people feel loved and safe, absolutely. The complicated issue is that Catholics would want to help homosexuals live in away that does not lead to sinful actions. So, the separate school system would see its duty to help homosexual not sin. This may sound appalling to you but you most understand that this should never be done in a way that is not loving. Also, you most understand that the Catholic Church believes that it only has the best in mind, it wants to protect people from what it believes to be sin. You man strongly disagree with this but I hope you understand that it is not homophobic and hateful and is driven by love. Disagree, sure...understand, please.

Bringing LGBT issues into the extra curricular realm and school life in general is being accepted into the separate school as it should, I believe, to fight bullying. Of course, the discussion will have to fit within certain parameters to maintain Catholic values. Within the curriculum there is certainly room to bring up the LGBT discussion well maintain Catholic Values. Actually, there is an official document from the Vatican explaining who Catholic educators should approach sex education. It explains that sex education should be very holistic. The education should be more then just focusing on Biology and the genitals, it should include the entire person, physical, psychological and spiritual. A holistic discussion like this would create room to include the discussion on LGBT and acceptance, safety, caring and love.

 “Analysis: False Gospel of ‘Equity’ lures Ontario Catholic school boards” (9 Jun 2010): Online. Internet. 6 Dec. Ava http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/archive/ldn/2010/jun/10062901  “Cohn: Why McGuinty wont badger the Church about Bullying” (3 Dec 2011): Online. Internet. 5 Dec 2011 Ava http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1096613  Rev. Gerard Weber and Rev. James Killgallon. __Life in Christ: A catholics Catechism for adults__. Chicago: acta, 1995  Rome, from the Offices of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, May 31, 2004  SACRED CONGREGATION FOR CATHOLIC EDUCATION on EDUCATIONAL GUIDANCE IN HUMAN LOVE Outlines for sex education