SexEd: A Catholic Mother’s Conviction

Catholic Stand ^ | October 16, 2016 | Pete Socks

[ebb tide]

Imagine for a moment that an innocent inquiry throws you into what amounts to a political firestorm. Your only purpose was to defend your Catholic faith. You meant no malice towards anyone. There was no personal agenda. The intent behind your inquiry and concern was merely to ensure that the teachings of the Church were being respected and upheld, not only for your child but for future children, as well.

Then imagine that the very entity that you approach in this matter identifies themselves as Catholic and persecuted you for daring to question their authority.

Concerned About SexEd Content

This situation is exactly what Susan Skinner found herself in when she questioned the content of the human sexuality material being used by Father Ryan High School in Nashville, Tennessee in their sex education program. Mrs. Skinner felt the material of choice by the school unsuitable for freshman and sophomore students to be exposed to. A leading Catholic authority on human sexuality education material, who wishes to remain anonymous, confided to Mrs. Skinner that the material used by Father Ryan High School is far too explicit.

Not only were her concerns largely dismissed, but instead of allowing her son to opt-out of the course, as is allowed by Tennessee state law, her son was expelled from the school.

A Mother’s Pain

This ordeal has become particularly painful for Mrs. Skinner. The result of her inquiry was not the end-game she had in mind. In fact, she has been told by those involved with choosing the curriculum that the explicit and graphic material included in the course is nothing to be concerned about because “all the kids are having sex and viewing pornography anyway.” Bear in mind that “all the kids” that are being referenced are 14 to 16 years old at a Catholic high school.

Recently, I had an opportunity to talk to Mrs. Skinner about her experience.

Pete Socks: The one thing I have not been able to find out is what exactly did the material consist of? I believe this is important so people truly understand the level of the problem.

Mrs. Skinner: There are two parts to the freshman curriculum, which consists of a book called, “Growing toward Intimacy” by Bob Bartlett, and a supplemental packet that the school created itself which pulls things from many different places. The custom packet is also used for the sophomore year as well, though not the book. Students are pulled out of regular Theology for 4 weeks both freshman and sophomore year to learn this sex education content, but it remains under the umbrella of Theology.

Though the supplemental packet does include some church teaching, there are portions that are very graphic. To me, it seems to pay lip service to Catholic teaching, while giving students a wink and a nod. It also seems to particularly objectify women, even having the test in the back focused on the external genitalia of the woman, labeled “female reproductive system,” while the test on the male is an internal picture of the reproductive system. I cannot understand the focus on the external view of the female.

Additionally, students are tested on ten or more birth control methods and how they all work. I just don’t understand why they feel the need to provide such detail. It is not at all beautiful the way I think human sexuality could be presented.

PS: You now find yourself in the middle of what is becoming national news. Did you ever imagine you would be taking a stand on this type of situation?

Mrs. Skinner: I never imagined myself here. After we enrolled and this packet was brought to my attention by other parents, I thought I would simply have a meeting and they would allow my child to opt out. That obviously was not the case. I never wanted this.

PS: A follow-up to the last question…why? What drives you to do this?

Mrs. Skinner: I had to follow my conscience which told me parents have authority over their children, as does church teaching. Parents never ever sign that right over, even upon enrolling in a private school. I felt compelled to defend my God-given rights, and to protect the soul of my son. I felt this curriculum could lead him into sin with the level of detail it provided. My goal as a parent is to help my son get to heaven, so I would be remiss if I didn’t protect him from something that was a near occasion of sin.

PS: What has the reaction been from your fellow school parents?

Mrs. Skinner: Many parents have called and emailed to express their support. There are others who think I am wrong. I have received a vitriolic message from one of the alumni and also a particularly nasty email sent to me at work. But for the most part, I have received a lot of support and prayers which I am grateful for.

PS: You’ve said that you had an awakening in 2010 that had changed you as a person. You learned to love and forgive. How has this impacted this situation for you?

Mrs. Skinner: I was totally transformed by my friend’s murder. I can say it brought me to my knees and made me come to know a very personal Christ. I could no longer pick and choose which teachings I would follow. Jesus says, “if you love me, you will keep my commandments.” I decided I could no longer be a lukewarm Catholic. I told the Lord he has my unequivocal “yes”. Love means sometimes you have to do what is hard. You have to sacrifice. I had to make the decision to stand up for what is right, even though there has been much suffering. In that too, I bear no ill will toward anyone. I forgive and pray for all those involved.

PS: Obviously this has not been an easy situation for you. How have you been handling this suffering and how is your son doing?

Mrs. Skinner: My son is a good kid. He is actually my hero because he has not complained to me once. I know he has gotten grief from his friends, and that he is suffering, because it is a loss for him of the community he knew. But he has kept a positive attitude and for that I am grateful. In my suffering, I rely on what gets me through everything, the Eucharist, adoration,confession, and the Rosary. I have a special devotion to the Blessed Mother because seeing the suffering she went through, as a mother, I can relate to suffering over your children.

PS: You have said that trust, do, love and spread hope to others is your motto. I believe your witness during this situation is fulfilling that motto.

Mrs. Skinner: This is about total trust. It’s about doing what He asks even when it’s hard, even in the suffering. We as Catholics have a gift. We have the light of truth. Hope is here, and His name is Jesus Christ. It is in Him that all things are made new.

Author’s Note

It is quite apparent that this outcome is not what she envisioned. She only wanted to remove her son from this course and exercise her right to determine what best suited her son when it came to educating him on human sexuality. This parental primacy is well established in the Catholic Catechism.( CCC 2223, CCC 2226) As a Catholic father of five, whose children are homeschooled, I can tell you that the person I spoke with on the phone during this interview is an impressively strong individual, and though wounded and deeply pained, she faithfully carries this cross alongside her Lord.

How many of us would be as convicted and courageous in Mrs. Skinner’s position?

[ebb tide]

In fact, she has been told by those involved with choosing the curriculum that the explicit and graphic material included in the course is nothing to be concerned about because “all the kids are having sex and viewing pornography anyway.” Bear in mind that “all the kids” that are being referenced are 14 to 16 years old at a Catholic high school.

[surroundedbyblue]

It is never necessary for contraceptive methods to be taught. That alone should have invalidated this entire “curriculum” People who defend this garbage should not present themselves for Holy Communion. I am furious reading this.

[utahagen]

The late Christopher Hitchens, an atheist, would read an article such as this and likely ask, “Why would students at a Catholic high school, be taught about, and test on, methods of contraception if Catholics are not supposed to use contraception?” (I mention Hitchens to make the point that there’s something here that even smart non-Catholics would recognize as...fishy.)

[ebb tide]

At World Youth Day, Vatican releases teen sex-ed program that leaves out parents and mortal sin

Bergoglio is not only a material heretic; he is a sexual pervert.

[terycarl]

Bergoglio is not only a material heretic; he is a sexual pervert.

Oh, please!!!

[heartwood]

As a Catholic mother, I.would teach about contraception - side effects, whether a method is abortifacient, real.vs ideal conception rates, the mentality that says contraception is a contract entitling you to a not-child.

As for NFP, I’d do my best to discourage Vatican Roulette.

[Campion]

As for NFP, I’d do my best to discourage Vatican Roulette.

What does that mean? Maybe you need to be educated on the topic before you deride a method which works with the woman's fertility, doesn't abuse her body, and is >99% effective as "Vatican Roulette".

[ebb tide]

If you teach artificial contraception, you shouldn’t label yourself as a “Catholic mother”.

[utahagen]

As a mother and an individual, you are free to teach your kids anything you want to about contraception. What that means vis-a-vis your Catholicism, I'll leave to your confessor and God to sort out. Surely, though, you can appreciate that a Catholic institution — in this case, a high school — is supposed uphold, well, Catholic, beliefs?

[onedoug]

The pope is an obamite, and obama is a murderer.

Blood on the pope’s hands as well.

[ebb tide]

Oh, please!!!

You want more?

Bergoglio is also an indifferentialist.

He has repeatedly stated he has no desire to convert anyone to the Catholic religion. He actually had discouraged the Protestant, Tony Palmer, from his desires to convert to Catholicism, before Palmer's untimely demise. He has said proselytism is solemn nonsense.

He has permitted photo ops of his greetings with a homosexual married male "couple" and a homosexual engaged lesbian couple, due to be engaged. And Francis now refers to that lesbian couple as being married. Yet no photos have been released of his surprise meeting with the pro-life hero, Kim Davis who refused to issue marriage certificates to homos.

On October 13 of this year, Bergoglio ignored the anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun. Instead, he greeted 500 Lutheran heretics, all wearing half yellow / half blue scarves.

Do you know the significance of blue and yellow? Yellow represents the Vatican, blue represent the heretic "religion" of Luther. The scarves were knotted together to represent unity between francischurch and lutherchurch.

Guess what the color was of the singular scarf that was wrapped around Bergoglio's chocolate Luther's neck at the Vatican:

[terycarl]

The pope is an obamite, and obama is a murderer. Blood on the pope’s hands as well.

NONSENSE, besides, the Pope can't vote here!!

[onedoug]

Whether the Pope can vote here is irrelevant to my point.

Francis and soebarkah are on the same page on virtually every social issue, with the Pope making strenuous offers to the alphabet soup crowd. And he seems to bend over backwards to accommodate and facilitate islam, for whom murder amongst its devout is a way of life.

IMHO, He’s a liberation theology freak.

[af_vet_1981]

NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) - A group of Father Ryan High School parents are demanding the Diocese of Nashville change their stance on forcing students to learn about human sexuality in class.

Freshman and sophomores at Father Ryan are required to take a theology course. Part of the course deals with human sexuality and how it relates to the Catholic faith.

The course supplement explains the anatomy of male and female reproductive organs with diagrams of body parts showing how those organs work. It also explains the different types of birth control and why they don’t always work.

“This section of the curriculum is about the mechanics of sex, which is sex education, not theology,” said Susan Skinner, mother of a Father Ryan student.

Skinner approached school officials and asked permission to remove her son during that portion of the class.

“We were told if we wanted to opt out, we had to opt out of the school,” She said.

Skinner and Catholic publication LifeSite have taken the fight national. They created a petition with nearly 500 signatures urging the diocese to stop forcing the students to participate in sex education.

“The important thing to remember is that supplement is only a small part of the materials presented,” said Rick Musacchio, spokesman for the Diocese of Nashville.

Musacchio said the human sexuality supplement is a necessary component of the theology coursework.

“It’s a policy of Catholic schools to require that students take part fully in all required courses. Theology courses are a required part of Catholic education,” he said.

Skinner is standing firm in her belief that parents know what’s best for their children.

“They could be teaching even more benign stuff than what they’re teaching, but if I as a parent say this is my right to teach it, I feel like that should be respected,” Skinner said.

Public schools in Tennessee are required to notify parents when their students take a sex education course. The state constitution allows them to opt out.