How do I stop Catholic-bashing at work?

[theresa_bloom]

I am currently having problems with coworkers who make unkind comments about Catholics and Catholic schools and education. How can I handle this without endangering my job or alienating my colleagues? I work in a public school system. Most of the time the comments are made in terms of a joke or casually, as if I weren’t there. If I appeal to their good nature, I’m afraid they will label me as too sensitive.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

One possibility is to treat these statements utterly seriously (which is particularly effective if you know your colleagues are “joking”). To the unkind comment, you might say, “Really? I didn’t know that. Could you provide me with all of the information you have on that? I really want to understand this issue better.” If the colleague says, “Oh, I don’t [have time for that/have information on that],” you might say in a disappointed tone, “I’m sorry to hear that. But perhaps then, to be fair, we shouldn’t discuss this issue further without hard facts.” If the colleague says, “Oh, I was [joking/not serious],” you might raise your eyebrows and say in a serious tone, “Given our school and school district’s commitment to diversity and tolerance, perhaps we shouldn’t joke about Catholics and their schools.”