The Gullible Theme - Part 4b: Examining the Calgary SSPX School Policy - The Text

+

JMJ

As mentioned in the previous post, up to the mandated section, the context is that St. John Bosco is a Catholic school and it will foster an "inclusive, safe and caring learning environment within our district must be in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church."

https://www.stdennis.ca/st-john-bosco-school-blog

The mandated section is titled "Inclusive Communities" and starts on page 45 and continues until page 48. 

NB: I have used bullets instead of number resolve some errors in numbering.

First the background section:

Consistent with its mission and vision, St. John Bosco Private School is committed to a safe, caring, respectful, inclusive and welcoming learning and teaching environment for all staff and students having charity above all other considerations.

Catholic charity (Love of God) is the greatest of all virtues.  Charity should guide all of our actions as we need to love God as He loves each of us sinners. In other words, in order to save us Our Lord Jesus Christ was born, suffered and died for us. More on this later.

If I remember correctly, the following are some of the mandated phrases.

1. To ensure that all members of the school community work together in an atmosphere of respect for the dignity of all persons, this policy is adopted to ensure that each student and staff member is provided with a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment that respects diversity and fosters a sense of belonging.

2. The Board will not tolerate harassment, bullying, intimidation or discrimination of students or staff as provided for in the Alberta Human Rights Act or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which includes discrimination on the basis of an individual’s actual or perceived differences, including sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

3. To achieve this goal, the Board requires that its schools and staff and students promote a welcoming, caring, respectful, safe learning environment that respects diversity and fosters a sense of belonging in accordance with the rights of staff and students under the following legislation and as reflected in School’s procedures:Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Alberta Human Rights Act, Alberta Bill of Rights, School Act, and An Act to Support Gay-Straight Alliances

So the first question is there anything in here that is inconsistent with Catholic Charity towards others?  Especially when in keeping with the context of a "Catholic Environment" that is "in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church."


The answer is no. Bullying, irregardless of the vices or virtues of the person being bullied, is not Catholic behaviour, just like mob violence / justice and assaults in adults is likewise not Catholic.

So is the goal of ensuring "that each student and staff member is provided with a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment that respects diversity and fosters a sense of belonging." Intrinsically evil?

Nope.

In the Catholic Religion, the virtue of Charity includes the love of neighbour, the constraint that we have as Catholics is we can't approve or assist someone in the commission of a vice. Within those constraints we can and must act for the salvation of souls.

This is the all important context but there is more as the mandated texts were quite extensive as shown in part three of this series.


Next the rationale section:

• 1. This procedure has been developed to:
• (a) support and affirm the dignity of all students in every aspect of school life; 
• (b) prove the understanding of the lives of all students and find ways to increase respect for the dignity of each other in ways appropriate to the traditionally Catholic school setting; 
• (c) provide training consistent with the traditional Catholic faith for all teachers and other staff that promotes a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment that respect diversity and  fosters a sense of belonging including with respect to gender identity and gender expression; 
• (d) provide resources consistent with traditional Catholic teaching on social relationships and to support students who require assistance as a result of their gender identity or gender expression. As St. Paul reminds us, “For in Christ Jesus, you are all children of God, through faith. There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, here is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ.” (Galatians 3:27-28); and 
• (e) outline the Board’s responsibilities under Section 16.1 of the School Act.
• 2. Given that all students are created in the divine image and likeness of God, and are therefore endowed with an inalienable worth that cannot be violated, circumstances involving gender identity or gender expression, as they affect a student, are to be addressed with a high degree of sensitivity, respect, and inclusion, and where required, expertise and support (in the context of the school’s resources).
• 3. The goal of any reasonable accommodation made by a school in this area is to afford dignity and success in learning for a student who has advised the school of their gender identity or gender expression needs.
• 4. With this context and based on available school resources, staff are committed to creating a student learning environment that is inclusive, flexible and responsive to the student’s needs. To this end, staff may: (a) take into consideration a continuum of supports and services in the context of a reasonable accommodation; and  (b) collaborate with families and, if permissible, community support services for accommodation purposes.

I've highlighted some key aspects of the text above and wonder if there is anything that can we conclude from this section?  Is there anything sinful involved in preventing the bullying of someone affected by 'gender identity or gender expression' in a Traditional Catholic environment?  Especially one that purports to be a "traditionally Catholic school setting"?


Answer: Nope.

I believe that 1d and 2 are particularly important as they provided some policy insight into how the school would handle the described situation:

... provide resources consistent with traditional Catholic teaching on social relationships and to support students who require assistance as a result of their gender identity or gender expression. ... circumstances involving gender identity or gender expression, as they affect a student, are to be addressed with a high degree of sensitivity, respect, and inclusion, and where required, expertise and support

I'll revisit this section a little later ...

Next, the principles section:

• 1. Students at all grade levels may need support and guidance with respect to their gender identity or gender expression.
• 2. A teacher or administrator who is approached with a request for assistance, support or an accommodation must respond in a timely manner with sensitivity, respect, and understanding mercy and compassion.
• 3. Since all students have been created in the divine image and likeness of God, and are therefore endowed with an inalienable worth that cannot be violated, circumstances involving issues with gender identity or gender expression as it affects a student shall: 
• (a) be addressed with fairness, sensitivity, respect and inclusion; 
• (b) be addressed in a positive manner by all school personnel;
• (c) be addressed in a manner where students have reasonable resources available to them without fear of reprisal, when they are victims of  harassment, prejudice, discrimination, intimidation, bullying and/or violence; 
• (d) protect student confidentiality (subject to circumstances which require disclosure of personal information in accordance with the Protection of Privacy Act).
• 4. The goal of a reasonable accommodation in this area is to afford dignity and success in learning for a student who has gender identity or gender expression needs. To this end, based on available resources, staff may collaborate with families and, with the student and/or family’s permission,  community support services to reasonably address student needs and take into consideration a continuum of available reasonable supports and services.

Ok, so if your child experienced gender confusion (however unlikely), would you want the school to respond as dictated in the above policy?

I think the Catholic answer would be in the affirmative.

Finally, we reach the procedures section which contains the sections on the formation of student associations or clubs.  This is probably the most contentious portion of the policy that contains key elements mandated by the School Act (CANLII link to Alberta School Act).

• 1. These accommodation guidelines explain the School’s best practices related to support and accommodation based on gender identity and gender expression.
• 2. The School will provide opportunities for staff to increase their knowledge, awareness, skills and attitudes in promoting respect for human rights, respecting diversity and understanding issues related to gender identity and gender expression in relation to the traditional Catholic faith as well as the greater society.
• 3. The School shall provide support for student organizations in accordance with Section 16.1 of the School Act. Specifically: 
• (a) If one or more students attending a school operated by a board request a staff member employed by the board for support to establish a voluntary student organization, or to lead an activity intended to promote a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment that respects diversity and fosters a sense of belonging, the principal of the school shall:
• i. immediately grant permission for the establishment of the student organization or the holding of the activity at the school, and
• ii. subject to subsection (d), within a reasonable time from the date the principal receives the request designate a staff member to serve as the staff liaison to facilitate the establishment, and the ongoing operation, of the student organization or to assist in organizing the activity.
• (b) For the purposes of this procedure, an organization or activity includes an organization or activity that promotes equality and non-discrimination with respect to, without limitation, race, religious belief, colour, gender, gender identity, gender expression, physical disability, mental disability, family status or sexual orientation, including but not limited to organizations such as gay-straight alliances, diversity clubs, anti-racism clubs and anti-bullying clubs.
• (c) The students may select a respectful and inclusive name for the organization or activity, including the name “gay-straight alliance” or “queer-straight alliance”, after consulting with the principal.
• i. For greater certainty, the principal shall not prohibit or discourage students from choosing a name that includes “gay-straight alliance” or “queer-straight alliance”.
• (d) The principal shall immediately inform the board and the Minister if no staff member is available to serve as a staff liaison referred to in 3(a), and if so informed, the Minister shall appoint a responsible adult to work with the requesting students in organizing the activity or to facilitate the establishment, and the ongoing operation, of the student organization at the school.
• 4. The principal is responsible for ensuring that notification, if any, respecting a voluntary student organization or an activity referred to in section 3 is limited to the fact of the establishment of the organization or the holding of the activity. As with all extra-curricular offering, parents are invited to converse with the school regarding the intention of the student organization or activity.
• 5. Student privacy and confidentiality of personal information will be protected and only disclosed when required in accordance with the Alberta Protection of Privacy Act.
• 6. The School shall allow for Student Records to reflect the preferred name of the student including on report cards, class lists and IPPs without the need for documented proof of change in sex or gender or a medical diagnosis. However, a legal name change, as registered under the Vital Statistics Act is required if the student desires their official Alberta Education documents to reflect their preferred name.
• 7. The School will establish a code of conduct for students that addresses bullying behaviour.

So I don't think the controversy is about students having a club about "that promotes equality and non-discrimination with respect to, without limitation, race, religious belief, colour, gender,[...]  physical disability, mental disability, family status [...], including but not limited to organizations such as [...], anti-racism clubs and anti-bullying clubs.


The controversy is about students having a club "gay-straight alliances, diversity clubs" that promote equality and non-discrimination with respect to gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation.

So the question is whether permitting such a club in accordance with the law constitutes a sin.

If it did, then the SSPX should have simply disregarded the order and suffered the consequences.

Don't fool yourself, they would have been open to consequences galore if they had not complied with the legislation.

As part of this context, it is critical to consider the impact that this would have had on the apostolate of the SSPX in terms of its ability to work for the salvation of souls. Realizing the resources required an apostolate, and thinking of the impact (SSPX apostolate in Germany was almost wiped out) and end-result of Bishop Williamson's statements in 2009, if you can comply with a law, then it is both required and prudent to do so.

Welcome to being Catholic in an Anti-Catholic world.

Breaking it down, having a club is not sinful. Having a club to promote equality and non-discrimination is likewise not sinful. Even having a club where students affected with "gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation." meet with a teacher with the aim of 'equality and non-discrimination' is not sinful.

This paragraph really says the vital aspect:

promoting respect for human rights, respecting diversity and understanding issues related to gender identity and gender expression in relation to the traditional Catholic faith as well as the greater society.

Why?  Because a person can lead a Catholic life and still be affected by these issues.

So, as written, the policy doesn't fall in the red zone of requiring immediate or proximate sin.

While hard to accept for many, the policy does its best with a law that doesn't require one to sin but could be abused. So obedience is either required or to remove oneself from the superior's sphere of authority.  Which is something that I believe they are trying to do at this time during a school "hiatus".

 The final note in the policy is a repeat of the section we saw earlier:

Nothing in this policy is to be interpreted so as to limit or be a waiver of the St. John Bosco Private School Board’s rights and powers pursuant the Constitution Act, 1867 and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to maintain the denominational character of Catholic schools. If any of the provisions in this Policy conflict with the St. John Bosco Private School Board’s rights and powers pursuant to the Constitution Act, 1867 and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to maintain the denominational character of Catholic schools, the St. John Bosco Private School Board’s rights and powers pursuant the Constitution Act, 1867 and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to maintain the denominational character of Catholic schools will govern. Reference:  Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms Alberta Human Rights Act, Alberta Bill of Rights, School Act

This basically states that Catholic schools get to stay Catholic and I mentioned earlier it set the stage for a charter challenge if  required to do an action that contravened:

"...the St. John Bosco Private School Board’s rights and powers pursuant the Constitution Act, 1867 and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to maintain the denominational character of Catholic schools...."