The Talking about Touching program being implemented in Boston’s Catholic schools and being objected to by parents is making splashes in the media. The local ABC affiliate, WCVB, has a story on their web site. And my brother tells me that the Associated Press is picking it up and he’s going to be on Fox News Saturday night along with two other parents to talk about it.
“Talking about Touching” causing a ruckus
Further reading
Bill,
I didn’t mention you by name or link to you because I didn’t want anyone to think I was picking on you. I am hesitant to appear to be attacking another blogger. But if you want to take credit for your comments yourself, fine by me.
You’re right the parents aren’t only objecting to the program they have a series of problems:
1. The program is based on secular values contrary to the Church’s teachings. For example, the definition of sex is “two people who rub their private parts together.” No mention of chastity, of the sacrament of marriage, or even that the two people are of the opposite sex.
2. The program strips parents of their parental rites as defined by canon law, the Catechism, and numerous encyclicals, apostolic letters, and the like.
3. The program puts the onus for protection on the children, stripping them of their innocence to do it. A Pre-kindergarten student is informed of sex and sexual matters. That’s something for the parent to decide for their child not the school. The school should not just protect children from sin, but from too much knowledge of the sin itself.
And the program itself says that the style and explicitness of the lessons is to make the children good witnesses for prosecutors. Where is the priority then?
I’ve said all this before, Bill, but you don’t address my specific points. I’d appreciate it if you decide to offer a rebuttal to address these complaints as expressed by the parents themselves, not just by me.
Margie,
I don’t know if John ever made the appearance on Fox News after all. I will check with him.
As for TaT being implemented in Religious Ed., that’s still being put together at the Archdiocesan level as far as I know, so it’s no surprise that teachers haven’t heard about it yet.