Ontario parents’ group urges Catholic schools to resist ‘gay-straight’ policy
CWN – July 06, 2012
A Catholic parents’ group in Ontario is urging administrators of Catholic schools to resist a new government policy that requires administrators to approve the formation of “gay-straight alliance” organizations.
Parents as First Educators (PFE) said that Ontario’s new regulation, enacted in June over the objections of Catholic school officials, was “trying to force Catholics schools to host clubs which violate the civil and religious rights of Ontario taxpayers.” Teresa Pierre, the director of PFE, said that “teachings on church and family that are already under general erosion from today’s culture would be further questioned and attacked with these clubs.”
Pierre stressed that her group does not object to the anti-bullying initiative that formed the basis for the new regulation, but rejects the specific demand for “gay-straight” alliances. She explained that the term “creates a certain set of expectations,” which are at odds with the purposes of Catholic education. PFE suggested that Catholic schools should go forward with plans for “respecting differences” clubs, which would work against bullying without introducing an ideology alien to Christian moral thought.
In June the Catholic bishops of Ontario, who had argued against the new policy, said that Catholic schools would comply despite “serious concerns” about the gay-straight alliances.
Additional sources for this story: Catholic parents group wants to defy Ontario’s Gay-Straight Alliances law (Toronto Sun) www.theobserver.ca/2012/07/05/catholic-parents-group-wants-to-defy-ontarios-gay-straight-alliances-law