Not a newsworthy disputeThere was a time when one's sexuality and a 4-year-old's admission status to a private school would not be highlighted for the entire community to discuss. Apparently, that is no longer the case.
On Aug. 29, Register-Guard reporter Anne Williams wrote about the exclusion of a child from pre-school at O'Hara Catholic School. The child's parents are in a lesbian relationship, and the activities and testimony of one of them, Lee Inkmann, was well-documented (the other parent would not comment). The principal of O'Hara and the pastor of St. Mary's Church refused to discuss these private matters. The newsworthiness of this matter would seem to be minimal. However, the article was filled with references to the Eugene Human Rights Commission, the ACLU, one e-mail sent to O'Hara, comments from a former O'Hara principal, etc. These would all be very interesting if they had any relevance to the facts of this matter.
The article raised several questions: How did Inkmann's name, photo and words in The Register-Guard protect her child? Who interjected sexual orientation into the admission process? Why were the media and various agencies mobilized so quickly? Is it possible that Inkmann used her child and the dedicated administrators of a fine school in order to broadcast her own brand of "developed Catholicism"?
I have a strong sense that a scenario was set up, the admission of the child was immaterial, and that a Register-Guard reporter bit hard into a baited hook.
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Methinks you're exactly right! The fact that the little girl was not admitted to the school may have had nothing to do with the two women she lives with. It sounds as though they just wanted it to be that way, and ran with it!
There are many reasons why kids don't get into Catholic schools. Are the women she lives with members of the Parish to which this school is attached? If so, are they CONTRIBUTING members? The school has every right to limit who gets in to those families who are supportive of the Parish. Once all those are in the school, then the Parish will open the school to other Parishes who will do the same thing. If there are still openings, then the school will consider other Catholic or non-Catholic children. Regardless, the school has every right to deny a place to any child.