In general, I agree with these sentiments. I have not condemned anyone. I have questioned the administration’s judgement. My tone has been harsh in some of my posts. If it reveals anything about me, I hope it reveals my contempt for baby killing. But I think I have taken a position after careful consideration of the facts, and keeping in mind the gravity of the teacher’s volunteer work at an abortion clinic.
Thank you for the clarification.
It appears that “Conservative Schooler” is a 10th grade boy who goes to a public school across town who got his information about the case from Katelyn. At least that’s how it seems on the blog he made about this:
Yes. That is the impression I got as well. Katelyn’s expulsion was the only way they could keep her mother away from the school. Also, a Loretto student posted that Katelyn’s mom had harrassed her. IF this is true, that could be why we have not seen a lawsuit from the family yet. My guess is the school has a lot more on the family than the family is revealing. And, the family knows this–which is why they are turning this into a public relations nightmare instead of just suing them. And, turning it into a public relations nightmare is IMHO grounds for removing the family from the school community.
Yeah. You gotta watch out for these dangerous pro-lifers. Maybe they don’t have the resources to file a lawsuit. Maybe they don’t want to extract money out of a Catholic school. Some people have moral qualms about that sort of thing. Maybe they’re waiting for the Bishop to use his influence on their behalf. My guess: if the family knew the school really had the goods on them, they wouldn’t be out categorically denying the school’s assertions…not too good for the family’s credibility if the school then turns around and produces the goods…although they’re credibility is high in my book for taking the stand they did…and the credibility of the school…not so high.
The family didn’t create the PR nightmare. The school did that to themselves by failing to act decisively when they discovered the “deathscort” on their staff. Had they done so, they wouldn’t look bad in front of the Bishop and fellow Catholics. In all probability, the “deathscort” would have raised a public stink for being fired. But so what. At least they would have been able to hold their heads high with fellow Catholics.
slackernerd said:
Ultimately they did go through the church, so I’m not sure what you mean by that. As for the rest, I don’t find it odd at all. They were trying to correct a bad situation at the school, not completely write it off (i.e., throw the baby out with the bathwater). Exposing it to prospective parents, people who have every right to know, was proper and commendable IMO. Not only were the ends correct, but the means as well.
It turns that the mom did not actually go to the Bishop. She claims she called a close friend at home who works at the diocese, trying to figure out what her options were if the school didn’t take appropriate action. She claims she did not want it to go any further, in the hope that the school would act soon. She claims her friend took it to the Bishop (Wed, Sept 21) without her knowledge or approval. This shows good will to me and is not surprising. According to the emails on Katelyn’s website, her mom first emailed the school with her concern on Sept 19. She sent 2 emails after that without a response, until after the Bishop had started his investigation. All she was looking for from the school was some sign they shared her concern and were looking into it. In her Sept 21 phone conversation with Sr. Barbara she claims she got “Just because a person volunteers at Planned Parenthood does not necessarily mean they support abortion.” “Mrs. Sills, you would be very surprised if you knew the number of Catholics who receive services at Planned Parenthood.” The Bishop’s letter ordering the school to fire the teacher came out Oct 5.
This is where the controversy is. The Sills agree with you that the action was appropriate. The school does not. So, it was time for the Sills to move on because the school and it’s leaders obviously aren’t going anywhere.
And you’re fine with that?
Would you mind posting? I’d rather not register at their site.
What I meant was that I thought it was odd that they were so offended by the pace/progress of the school and the diocese that they considered using a school function to attempt to dissuade potential students from applying while they continued to send one daughter there and planned to send another.
Good question they had to have known this course of action would just further exacerbate the situation.
Yes and no. Yes in that the controversy is still going among a very narrow segment of the Catholic population.
Yes…the CATHOLIC segment…the segment that is still spiritually alive…the segment that can still tell the difference between good and evil…the segment that can still be outraged by BABY KILLING, by mothers betraying their own children. What is wrong with people who can’t even figure that out?
Sadly, you may be right about the number of real CATHOLICS out there. But truth isn’t a matter of numbers.
People like the Sills are the saints of this world.
Define good.
Good in that they have a significant number of AP courses, a significant number of AP scholars, and a few National Merit Semifinalists.