One Parent's Thoughts about a seemingly innoculous video
Originally, I thought it was simply some teachers who, out of good intentions (I do need to tell myself that, because the alternative is not an enjoyable thought) were parroting common narratives that we are inundated with every day. That's what I thought back in the May/June 2021 timeframe when I first saw the Words Matter Campaign video. And then in late August 2021, I find the May 31, 2021 letter from the Provincial on the school website (https://www.gprep.com/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=257405&type=d&pREC_ID=1950149) and now it seems to me this misinformation is not only in the common, secular narrative where we all see it, but also coming from the top of the Jesuits West Province. Thoughts I have when I watch this video:
racial injustices - hundreds of years - as an institution and as a nation: as a "people", yes, but as a "nation", no, we have not been a nation for "hundreds" of years (yet), and our founding principles have provided us the mechanisms to continually strive towards a more perfect union. I don't understand why there are millions of people from all over this earth using both legal and illegal means to come to our freedom-loving country if it's so racist, misogynistic, and intolerant...
"witnessed" a divisive election - do you teach the division was evident on "both sides"? and did you "witness" it or did you "foster" the divisiveness? I overheard a teacher denouncing Trump during my student's Zoom class. Unacceptable for a teacher who is supposed to teach my kid how to think, not what to think.
George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Amand Arborey - "untimely" and "unjust" deaths: what about Breonna Taylor's death was unjust? Was justice served in the cases of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery? Did you discuss that the system worked? Did you discuss there was racism involved? What proof do you have that racism was involved in the Floyd case? The prosecutor didn't charge it to get a more harsh sentence, and there's not a chance in heck they wouldn't've added a hate crime if there was any chance it would've stuck.
Protests - did you discuss that peaceful protests are an essential part of the American ethos, but that the violence and destruction caused by BLM and Antifa was morally evil?
you indicate the protests were just; did you discuss the "unjust" violence, including lost lives, and personal and public property desctruction?
why do you say 2020 was more "dark and confusing" for young people than adults?
Racism and white supremacy & BIPOC community - why do you specifically cloud the term "racism" with the specific racism of white supremacy? Is it possible for non-white people to be racist? Is it possible for a race to be racist against itself?
white supremacy is "our most central justice challenge" - this is just outright wrong. Do you really think that white supremacy is vastly prevalent among the nation
In addition to saying white supremacy is the "central justice challenge", Father Brian Massengail also writes things such as 6/1/2020 ncronline.org article saying that "we all know that...white people matter more than people of color", and his keynote speech where he mentions racism is a soul sickness, he specifically state that racism is when white people are favored over darker skinned people, as if racism is something unique and inherent to white people. In other writings he indicates the US hasn't had an honest reckoning with its history, as if the Civil War didn't happen. MLK or Fr. Massengail on this topic? I'd take MLK every day.
systemic racism - what specific pieces of our government and society are systemically racist? This is important to delve into, because throwing out the concept that there is systemic racism without identifying what that does and does not apply to is unethical and leads our children to the evil of relativism. I do agree there is systemic racism, especially in the policies that decimate the black, nuclear family and disproportionately (by a long shot) terminate black babies in the womb, but the idea that our whole country is built on racism and needs to be burnt down and started over is sophomoric, misguided, and destructive in many, many ways.
RE Pope Francis' words, "let no one think this invitation is not meant for him or her". His Excellency used this term in calling everyone to a personal encounter with Jesus
"our responsibility to emulate what it looks like to be loving, open to growth, and committed to justice"
this is a big part of my problem; your job is to provide basic academic education to my children along the development of classical liberal thinking processes, Gospel-based religious education and growth, access to the sacraments, and extracurricular activities on par with what's available in the public school system. I don't know the teachers well enough to trust them to be apolitical (this year [2020-2021] has demonstrated quite the opposite), adverse to the concepts of Critical (insert nothing or another word like Race) Theory (which is just disguised Marxism), nor if they adhere to the full teachings of the Catholic Magisterium (pro-life from conception to natural death, love God above all things, stand up for Truth even in the face of overwhelming public opinion); and I certainly hesitate to trust the Administration (who enploys the "Development" services of and promotes a political hack and bigot to the Board) to make human resources decisions that would allow me to subserviate my opinions of the faculty.
Can. 225 §1. Since, like all the Christian faithful, lay persons are designated by God for the apostolate through baptism and confirmation, they are bound by the general obligation and possess the right as individuals, or joined in associations, to work so that the divine message of salvation is made known and accepted by all persons everywhere in the world. This obligation is even more compelling in those circumstances in which only through them can people hear the gospel and know Christ.
§2. According to each one’s own condition, they are also bound by a particular duty to imbue and perfect the order of temporal affairs with the spirit of the gospel and thus to give witness to Christ, especially in carrying out these same affairs and in exercising secular functions.
Can. 226 §1. According to their own vocation, those who live in the marital state are bound by a special duty to work through marriage and the family to build up the people of God.
§2. Since they have given life to their children, parents have a most grave obligation and possess the right to educate them. Therefore, it is for Christian parents particularly to take care of the Christian education of their children according to the doctrine handed on by the Church.
Can. 229 §1. Lay persons are bound by the obligation and possess the right to acquire knowledge of Christian doctrine appropriate to the capacity and condition of each in order for them to be able to live according to this doctrine, announce it themselves, defend it if necessary, and take their part in exercising the apostolate.
Can. 748 §1. All persons are bound to seek the truth in those things which regard God and his Church and by virtue of divine law are bound by the obligation and possess the right of embracing and observing the truth which they have come to know.
Can. 774 §1. Under the direction of legitimate ecclesiastical authority, solicitude for catechesis belongs to all members of the Church according to each one’s role.
§2. Parents above others are obliged to form their children by word and example in faith and in the practice of Christian life; sponsors and those who take the place of parents are bound by an equal obligation.
Can. 779 Catechetical instruction is to be given by using all helps, teaching aids, and instruments of social communication which seem more effective so that the faithful, in a manner adapted to their character, capabilities and age, and conditions of life, are able to learn Catholic doctrine more fully and put it into practice more suitably.
Can. 793 §1. Parents and those who take their place are bound by the obligation and possess the right of educating their offspring. Catholic parents also have the duty and right of choosing those means and institutions through which they can provide more suitably for the Catholic education of their children, according to local circumstances.
§2. Parents also have the right to that assistance, to be furnished by civil society, which they need to secure the Catholic education of their children.
Can. 795 Since true education must strive for complete formation of the human person that looks to his or her final end as well as to the common good of societies, children and youth are to be nurtured in such a way that they are able to develop their physical, moral, and intellectual talents harmoniously, acquire a more perfect sense of responsibility and right use of freedom, and are formed to participate actively in social life.
Can. 796 §1. Among the means to foster education, the Christian faithful are to hold schools in esteem; schools are the principal assistance to parents in fulfilling the function of education.
§2. Parents must cooperate closely with the teachers of the schools to which they entrust their children to be educated; moreover, teachers in fulfilling their duty are to collaborate very closely with parents, who are to be heard willingly and for whom associations or meetings are to be established and highly esteemed.
Can. 803 §1. A Catholic school is understood as one which a competent ecclesiastical authority or a public ecclesiastical juridic person directs or which ecclesiastical authority recognizes as such through a written document.
§2. The instruction and education in a Catholic school must be grounded in the principles of Catholic doctrine; teachers are to be outstanding in correct doctrine and integrity of life.
§3. Even if it is in fact Catholic, no school is to bear the name Catholic school without the consent of competent ecclesiastical authority.
Can. 804 §1. The Catholic religious instruction and education which are imparted in any schools whatsoever or are provided through the various instruments of social communication are subject to the authority of the Church. It is for the conference of bishops to issue general norms about this field of action and for the diocesan bishop to regulate and watch over it.
§2. The local ordinary is to be concerned that those who are designated teachers of religious instruction in schools, even in non-Catholic ones, are outstanding in correct doctrine, the witness of a Christian life, and teaching skill.
Can. 805 For his own diocese, the local ordinary has the right to appoint or approve teachers of religion and even to remove them or demand that they be removed if a reason of religion or morals requires it.
Can. 806 §1. The diocesan bishop has the right to watch over and visit the Catholic schools in his territory, even those which members of religious institutes have founded or direct. He also issues prescripts which pertain to the general regulation of Catholic schools; these prescripts are valid also for schools which these religious direct, without prejudice, however, to their autonomy regarding the internal direction of their schools.