Are Catholic Schools Discriminating Against Non-Catholics?
As Catholic schools continue to outperform state-run public schools, religious leaders are uncomfortable with the secular majority of some Catholics schools’ student body.
There are those who feel that the sole purpose of the church is evangelize souls and don't see why they should support a Catholic institution that has a majority of non-Catholic students. There are also places that have very few churchgoers who still send their children to Catholics schools.
Religious leaders question this, with the church paying 10 percent of Catholic schools' running costs.
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According to a Telegraph report, in parts of the Lancaster, Pa. diocese, over 80 percent of students are non-Catholic. In fact, a Salford diocese school could function as an Islamic school if it was based only on its dominant Muslim student population.
The Rt. Rev. Michael Campbell, Bishop of Lancaster, wonders if it is right for churchgoers to continue to pay for the upkeep of schools that have a majority of students and teachers who belong to other faiths or none at all, according to the Telegraph.
Campbell says that faith-based schools are meant to help the church in its mission of evangelism.
In his 2012 New Year's pastoral letter, he asks if it is right or sustainable to expect the Mass-going population to support Catholic schools and colleges where many of the pupils are not practicing Catholics.
"Is it time to for us to admit that we can no longer maintain schools that are Catholic in name only?" Campell wrote in his letter.
Catholic churches have been criticized for trying to make their schools more secular by altering admission rules for less religious students, according to the Telegraph. In fact, there are some that lie about their children's baptism and go to church only to have their child admitted.
However, churches’ efforts to maintain a church-going student body at their schools could be seen as discriminatory. In November 2011, the Coloma Convent Girl's School in the London town of Croydon was criticized for giving more "points" to families who participate in church activities.
The Coloma Convent Girls' School gives children points to measure their Catholic faith, including points for baptism and attending church. Maximum points are rewarded to children baptized within six months of their birth when there were limited student spaces available.
Parents complained that this was unfair.
The school is reportedly a "top of the league" school, but was reported to an admission watchdog for having entry rules that are discriminatory. Other schools are accused of discriminating against single parents and immigrants who may not share the same traditions or do not speak English.
The watchdog committee, Office for the Schools Adjudicator, has found that some Catholic Schools' rules could have the potential for unfairness. They urged schools to consider making changes to admissions in 2013.
The committee’s ruling was heavily criticized by religious organizations.
Mike Judge, a spokesman for The Christian Institute, said there is real danger of government agencies dictating to religious groups who is and isn't religious.
"There are concerns that there's a secular matrix being forced on schools," Judge told The Telegraph.
The St. Henry Catholic School in Nashville, Tenn., has a non-discrimination clause on their website that states they will admit students of any race, color, sex and national privilege. However, the same clause reserves the right to take appropriate action with respect to students who advocate, on school properties, practices that are inconsistent with the Catholic faith.
Their admission policy states that the primary purpose of the school is the development of the spiritual, intellectual, social and moral potential of the children of St. Henry Parish. It boldly states that members of St. Henry's parish will be given priority in admission, with non-participating or non-Catholic students having the lowest priority.
