Omaha archdiocese says students who reject their gender may not be ‘proper fit’ for Catholic schools
3 Catholic schools reject archdiocese policy
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha has officially told its 70 schools to adhere to a new policy that may result in the expulsion of a student or a teacher if they ask to be identified with a pronoun or name that is not according to their biological sex.
The new guidelines on “human sexuality” are expected to be adopted beginning Jan. 1, 2023, The Hill reported.
The guidelines state that every current and prospective student and their parents, as well as school employees and volunteers, must agree to “respect Catholic teaching concerning faith and morals, and particularly those addressing human sexuality.”
Get Our Latest News for FREE
“A child cannot be enrolled in, and may be dismissed from (the school) in the event the child’s parent(s) resists the school’s instruction to the child in the Catholic tenets respecting the human person and human sexuality. A child whose parent(s) permits gender-affirming psychotherapy or administration of puberty-blocking or cross-sex hormone medications to such child or authorizes sex procedures or surgery cannot be enrolled in (the school),” the document says.
“In this event, the parent(s) will be given the opportunity to withdraw the child from (the school). Should the parent choose not to withdraw, (the school) will dismiss the student.”
It adds: “Respectful, critical questioning of Catholic teaching in the classroom is acceptable provided it intends to help the student progress toward greater awareness and understanding. Showing hostility toward or defiance of Church teaching demonstrates that a student is not a proper fit for the school.”
It says further, that if a student’s expression of gender, sexual identity or sexuality “causes confusion, disrupt the educational integrity of the Catholic education program, or cause scandal,” the matter will be discussed with the student and their parents.
“If the matter is not resolved, the student cannot be enrolled in (the school). If the child is a current student, the parent will be given the opportunity to withdraw the parent’s child from (the school). Should the parent choose not to withdraw, (the school) will dismiss the student.”
However, at least three Catholic high schools in Omaha, Nebraska, have declared they will not be following the guidelines, WOWT said.
“Our school year has just begun, and our policy handbook is established for the year. We will not adopt the recently published policy regarding gender issues and will continue to work closely with the Archdiocese of Omaha,” wrote Meg Brudney, the head of Duchesne school.
Last week, A Christian school administrator in Florida said he had received threats over media reports about a school policy that requires students to be identified by their biological sex.
Barry McKeen, an administrator for Grace Christian School, located in Valrico about 15 miles east of Tampa, announced in an email on June 6 that any students who violate the school’s stance on sexuality would “be asked to leave the school immediately.”
McKeen told The Christian Post that the email — which outlined definitions of biological sex and sexual sin with specific references to Bible verses — was sent as part of a regular series of summer emails reminding parents of school policies.
The school of about 540 students had had a similar policy in place for years, and no student had been excused or expelled over the policy.
