Catholic school teachings

[winedayfriday]

If my DS is enrolled in a catholic primary and goes on to a catholic high school, what are they going to teach him in regards to issues like sex education - contraception, abortion, same sex relationships, sex before marriage, divorce etc?

Excuse my ignorance - but they wouldn't be pushing the beliefs of the church as the 'right way' when it comes to these topics would they?

I'm reading way too much into this probably (not Catholic myself however DH family are) but after a visit within our local Catholic Church, I saw a kids drawing on the wall that said 'every child has the right to life' and now jumped to the conclusion that it's about pro life.

This would appear to be te official line:

www.catholiceducation.org.uk/schools/relationship-sex-education

Our local boys' RC secondary used to have a statement in its prospectus along the lines of, 'Jesus sits in on every lesson'.

If you have concerns about what your DS will be taught, why are you sending him to RC schools?

"excuse my ignorance".

Well, that's the thing OP: there is no good excuse for ignorance. If you are preparing to send your ds to school, do you not think it's part of your duty as a parent to research the schools available? If you are ignorant, educate yourself.

Super, thanks for that Pepper. Really useful.

He is about to start the non denominational nursery on the primary/high school site so yes this is me educating myself before any primary applications. It's the better of the available schools in our catchment.

First time doing this here, trying my best.

Replies here are pretty rude and the irony of telling someone trying to find out something that they should be finding out is hilarious.

OP they will teach catholic beliefs as fact. A good school will be focussing on the love, compassion, giving side of catholism rather than the hell fire and bigotry. Exactly where the line is drawn will depend on the school, go and speak to them.

My DC go to catholic school in similar circs one parent catholic one not. So far it’s been ok and if I think of all the adults I know none of the catholic educated ones are raging adult bigots so.

Hi, they teach in line with the church beliefs but not in the way of what is right and wrong....just from taking what is said in the bible.

Not the same situation but my DH is non-catholic, he went to a catholic secondary school. He found it really difficult to adjust after attending a non faith primary and was mocked in front of others pupils by the nun for his lack of knowledge of the faith. He really didn’t enjoy his time there. Regardless of educational reputation, as non catholic’s we would not have chosen a catholic school for our children. As PP have said research and make sure it’s the right choice for your child.

My kids are at catholic schools bother senior and primary.
In year six they get a sex Ed lesson which is basically everything and anything. The boys and girls are separated they are allowed to write anonymously any questions they have about sex.
The parents had a meeting with the teachers who would be teaching it and we were told exactly what would taught/told. We then had the option of withdrawing them from the lesson if we were not happy.
We were told some of the questions asked in previous years some were quite graphic for year 6 such as what's a blow job and lots about wanking from the boys.
However though they were happy to discuss most things we were told that if they asked about condoms they would be told to speak to parents as obviously they have to follow the church's stance.
You could tell the teachers just thought this was utterly ridiculous but their hands were tied.

My daughter is in year nine and basically I've told her what I feel is right and that she will be told stuff at school that they believe however we don't agree. Ie same sex marriage, abortion etc... she's completely in agreement with us.
We are catholic but pick and mix catholics..

I apologise if mine was one of the replies that the OP (or anyone else on her behalf) found rude - I must admit that I assumed that (given the time of year - a couple of months past national offer day for primary) they had already expressed a preference for and subsequently been allocated the RC primary.

OP, 'best' / 'better' school is the 'best' / 'better' school for your individual child. You have still got plenty of time to investigate the options in greater depth. You don't have to put a school first just because your DS attends a nursery onsite and little children really do make new friends if moved away from their existing ones for some reason. Ours attended a full day nursery ten miles from home, because it had been built next to DH's workplace. Twenty odd years on from when we first met, I am friends on FB with the mum of a lad who spent 4 and a half years in the close company of DS1, but they lived several miles in a different direction and I'm pretty sure that her DS had forgotten that DS1 existed just as soon after starting Reception as DS1 had that he did.

Are you in Scotland or England?

Thanks everyone for the replies.

We had a nursery induction day today and I spoke with one of the teachers there. It seems quite relaxed with modern ways of teaching. She said it follows a framework of Christian morals (love and forgiveness she kept saying) but not strict in the way catholic schools used to be from back in the day. She said there is certainly not any preaching of right vs wrong or talks of sin.

It certainly got the thumbs up from DS. He got to have a snack and play in a water table full of glitter and paint. What else do you really need? 😅

We are in Scotland, does that make a difference?

I get the impression that in Scotland, because we genuinely have two catchments (non-denom which was the clue in one of your posts and RC), the Catholic schools are not (necessarily) as "strict" as (some of) the English Catholic schools. Plus they are still directly under the control of the Local Authority.

There will be a priest on the Parent Council, which is one difference from the non-denom schools - so some of the potential difference ethos will depend on him - and also the Parent Council involvement. I know my SIL made sure to be on the Parent Council of her kids' secondary school as there were some nutters more strict Catholics who wanted to pressurise the school to have no SHRE at all because in their opinion the pupils would be corrupted from true Catholicism

I think they are exempted from the full Sexual Health and Relationships Education if they so choose - but are strongly encouraged to follow the majority of it - which most do

I work in a catholic secondary. We teach about all types of contraception, sex etc in PSHE. However it is also mentioned that "Catholic's think this" at the same time.

I think most schools teach everything and just explain within the lessons what the church thinks.

In my school we teach about being LGBT with the line "God loves everybody".

How can you teach God loves everybody when the Catholic Church preaches homosexuality is a sin???

OP, I would never send my children to a catholic school but that’s because I’ve met too many adults fucked up by a catholic education to wish it on my worst enemy.

Stitching Moss - Pope Francis does not say that at all.

My mistake - he just doesn’t want them in the priesthood. Save that for paedophiles 😡.

I would think that there was huge variation about the extent and dogma of the teaching.
I once asked a Catholic priest what he would do if his daughter suggested she needed contraception. He was sufficiently pragmatic to say he’d advise her to speak to his wife who was better at that sort of thing.
My children didn’t have much beyond personal hygiene, periods and love one another being the strongest message Jesus gave us.
I don’t think at primary abortion or contraception was actually mentioned. Policy was that questions would be answered honestly and at a level the child could understand.

Ours have had a Catholic education and have survived pretty well. Our youngest is gay and hasn't felt marginalised in any way. In fact I wonder what Bishop Bennan would think if he went there and saw the gender neutral toilets