When I was Catholic...There was mass on saturdays for the lazy...It was celebrated by a different priest than on sunday mornings. Perhaps these parents were going on saturdays...
I am not making the arguement for the parents. I think it is wrong to boost kids out of a class, even if it is all the "Jesus" they get.
I know, I, too, have mixed feelings regarding the kids. It's a tough nut - maybe the priest tried everything else he could think of to get the parents to be serious about their religion.
Where does it say that in the Bible?