Flunking Education

 

I miss the days I spent with Father DePauw. It's hard to believe he went to Judgment just over 16 years ago already. One of the most important things he stressed with me as young teenager was to obtain a good education. "Good" for him didn't mean how many years you study or the number of degrees you get, but rather everything which is learned helps a person to make their way as a True Catholic in a chosen occupation amidst a corrupt and evil world. He was amazed that I found the Faith while attending a Vatican II sect high school--one that was (literally) pagan. "After you graduate next year, avoid so-called 'Catholic' education, and public or private education will be only slightly better. Stay close to the Mass and sacraments and keep studying the One True Faith." 

I was interested in science and how Faith and science can never be in opposition, since both come to us from God. Hence, I chose to become a science teacher. I graduated with my Bachelors Degree having a double major in Philosophy and Science Education and my temporary NY State teaching license. I wanted to teach middle school, where I thought I could have the most impact in developing the character of students that age. I was hired for a middle school here in the NYC public school system. The bureaucracy was incredible and the students were mostly disrespectful and didn't care about their grades. I tried my hardest, and my students did better than most on their science test scores. Most importantly, I think I set a good example and reached some to think about "the Author of Science," probably the most exposure to faith any would receive.

At the same time, I was attending night school at a local university to obtain my Masters Degree, and with it my permanent license (at the time, teachers were required to get their Masters Degree within five years; otherwise your license would expire and you could no longer teach). At the beginning of my third year (when I would be up for receiving tenure at the end of that year) I submitted a paper to be published by one of the NY State science teacher associations. The topic was on how the "fine-tuning" of the universe points to an intelligent Creator--this was a few years prior to the jump-start of the Intelligent Design Movement with the 1996 publication of Dr. Michael Behe's book Darwin's Black Box. The organization went ballistic. I received a personal phone call from the president of that organization (holding an earned PhD in biology) telling me that what I wrote wasn't science but religion. I offered to debate him on it in front of other assembled teachers with doctorates who belonged to the association, and he promptly hung up on me. My paper was refused publication.

The local nine-member school board was aware, and my tenure vote was no loner guaranteed to go my way. If I resigned, I could look for a teaching job elsewhere. If I fought and defended myself to the board, a successful vote from 5 members would give me tenure. If I lost, no one will hire a teacher denied tenure. My career would be over. I decided to stay and fight. At the end of that fateful day in late March, I fought and received exactly five votes, thereby being granted tenure effective September 1st at the start of my fourth year teaching. One board member told me afterwards, "You spoke so passionately and convincingly, I thought I was listening to a lawyer in court." I had grown weary of the condition education was in, and the idea of my becoming a lawyer was born.

Fr. DePauw thought I'd make a great lawyer (his own father had been both an educator and lawyer in Belgium), and with his prayers and blessings, I studied for the LSAT the whole year. I did well and applied to several law schools at the beginning of my fifth year of teaching. In March, I received the acceptance to the law school I really wanted, and tendered my voluntary resignation from teaching effective July 1st. I would start law school that fall after having completed my Masters Degree and making my teaching license permanent.   

Things were bad in public schools in the late 1980s/early 1990s when I taught. They were even worse (both morally and academically) in so-called "Catholic" (Vatican II sect) schools; I attended one. The decay has gotten so bad, if you can homeschool your children, do it. The only school that you should send them to is a Traditionalist school, such as the ones operated by the SSPV. If you have no choice, it is better for the kids to attend public school, where you have some rights as a taxpaying citizen, than a Vatican II sect school where you have no say at all and expose them to a false sect claiming to be "Catholic." 

In this post, I will give the Church's principles on education, and the horrors you can expect from Vatican II sect schools and public schools in 2021. Fr. DePauw was an approved pre-Vatican II canonist, having received his Doctorate in Canon Law (JCD) in 1955 from the Catholic University of America. His doctoral thesis, published with Magisterial approval in 1953, was entitled The Educational Rights of the Church and Elementary Schools in Belgium. I will be stating the Church principles on education as contained in his scholarly tome, and show how they are violated today.  Canonist DePauw's work will be written in red font and my writing shall be in black font unless indicated otherwise.

The Basis of a Good Education--and Where Theories Go Wrong

But even an education aimed exclusively at making the child a good citizen still supposes true character-training and some moral formation. On the one hand the traditional Catholic doctrine is very simple, namely that religion and morality go together and cannot be successfully separated in education. On the other hand, the non-Catholic theories are complicated and inconsistent when trying to determine the character and the morality that go to make the good citizen. If there are no absolute moral standards, and if both the Church and the family are to be excluded from determining the character-formation of the child, who then shall say what sort of moral code the young citizen is to be given?

Some writers contend that "experts" should lay down some general norms in accordance with the traditional mores of the country; others call upon the State for the setting up of a code of morals; still others open the door for a veritable educational anarchy by making the children the final authority in their own education, permitting them to "adapt" the accepted mores to their own personal and social needs. (pgs. 24-25)

Here we see three false theories advocated by Masonic "separation of Church and State" public school theorists: That education should not include the family and the Catholic Church and character/moral formation must stem from (a) "experts" in education/pedagogy; (b) the State itself (think e.g., Nazi Germany and Communist China); and from the students themselves. Here's what happens when "experts" make curriculum apart from the Church, and when children are allowed to "make their own values." Let me be clear that this is not just the case with public schools, but it applies equally to the Vatican II sect schools, which have replaced the True Religion with false teaching, seeking to conform to the world. 

Here are but two examples of warped morals in school:

1. Death Education. According to one "deathspert,"  Ethel King-McKenzie:

"Teachers and parents need to find ways to expose children to the reality of death, as it will be better for them. I understand that children should not be robbed of their innocence but telling them about death will empower them. A curriculum that fails to address a topic as important as death and dying is in itself dead. Society changes and our schools and curriculum must adapt to these changes." (See "Death and Dying In the Curriculum of the Public Schools: Is There a Place," Journal of Emerging Knowledge on Emerging Markets, Vol. 3 [2011], Art. 29. Emphasis mine). 

According to one source going as far back as 1999:

"Death education has been a part of the progressive curriculum in virtually every public school in America for at least the last fifteen years. Yet no one in the establishment, let alone the U.S. Department of Education, has sought to find out what death education is doing to the minds and souls of the

millions of children who are subjected to it. But we do have plenty of anecdotal information on hand.

For example, back in 1985, Tara Becker, a student from Columbine High [where the infamous school shootings of Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris took place 4/20/99---Introibo], went to a pro-family conference in Colorado to tell the attendees about death education at the school and the effect it had on her. Jayne Schindler, who heard Tara's testimony, reported:

Tara brought with her a booklet she had helped to compile for one of her school classes. This booklet was called "Masquerade" and was full of subliminal pictures and prose. Tara explained how she had been taught to use the hidden, double meaning, subliminals and how she had focused so much of her time and attention on death that she, herself, had tried to commit suicide." (See https://www.wnd.com/1999/05/2771/)

To read more on the subject of "Death Education," (which I experienced in my Vatican II sect high school), I wrote a whole post about it last November and mentioned Tara's story there as well.

See https://introiboadaltaredei2.blogspot.com/2020/11/dead-serious.html.

2. Values Clarification

 I don't know how many people are aware of the insidious simulation called "Lifeboat." In this (and similar scenarios) there are more people on the boat than food to survive. You're given a list of people with "pros" (a scientist) and "cons" (the scientist is also a paraplegic). You must then decide (individually or as a class) who will live and who gets thrown into the ocean to drown. What's the purpose of doing something so hideous? It has nothing to do with critical thinking and everything to do with the evil idea that some people have a fundamental right to choose life or death for others.

 The values clarification movement was developed primarily by philosopher John Dewey, an atheist. Accordingly, behavior should be the result of free, uninfluenced, autonomous choice, based on personal analysis of a given situation coupled with the moment's emotions and desires. Rather than adherence to an external moral code, Dewey pushed something he called "valuation" in which a given situation is explored and various "solutions" discussed. This directly contradicts Church teaching on making choices based on a rightly formed conscience.

 Hence, choices are good or foolish, never right and wrong. Sin and repentance are never mentioned.

Human sexuality programs attempt to inculcate an appreciation for "waiting for marriage" by cultivating fear of bad consequences: pregnancy, disease, and heartbreak. They never state that premarital sex is sinful and they do not urge sinners to repent. Therefore, the dilemma posed to youth by their teachers is no longer a question of morality--- it is a health issue.

Canonist DePauw tells us the correct way to form character and morals in the young:

These views [discussed in his citation above---Introibo] as entertained by non-Catholic educators, are diametrically opposed to the Catholic conception of education. Though directed primarily to the supernatural end of forming "Christ Himself in those regenerated by baptism," Catholic education has never renounced the natural goal of human education, namely the formation of useful citizens. As Pope Pius XI  again stated it: "This fact is proved by the whole history of Christianity and its institutions, which is nothing else but the history of true civilization and progress up to the present day." (pg. 25). Only Traditional Catholic morality and faith can impart good character in the young for a truly great civilization. 

Prohibition of Schools

Canonist DePauw teaches that there are three types of forbidden schools:

• the non-Catholic school
• the neutral school
• the mixed school

Non-Catholic schools include all denominational institutions aimed at educating their pupils on the basis of what, according to Catholic teaching, is a heretical, a schismatical, or a pagan religion...[it] is but a logical conclusion deriving from the fact that Christ founded only One Church, and that only the Catholic Church has within Herself irrefutable evidences of this divine origin. 

Neutral schools are those which out of human respect make religion an optional part, or no part at all, of the curriculum. Originated and positively intended by Freemasonry to be a weapon against any organized religion, and conducted by teachers whose "neutrality" is an educational impossibility, these theoretical neutral schools are bound to become centers of at least religious indifferentism.

Mixed schools are those where religious instruction (of whatever religion) is provided separately (usually with "release time" from the school day) and all other lessons are taught in common. Here, the danger to the faith of Catholics lies in the spirit of indifferentism, which logically flows from recognition of all faiths as being of equal worth and relative value. Besides, if religion is divorced from the rest of the program and taught as something optional, the young mind most logically will think very little of the practical value of religious doctrine. 

(All quotations in red above from canonist DePauw, pgs. 24-30).

It is noted that the Church forbids Her members to attend non-Catholic institutions unless some very special circumstances would justify an exception (See 1917 Code of Canon Law, Canon 1374). The fact that we live in such exceptional times, where Traditionalist schools are a rare gem, and not everyone can afford to be a stay at home mom, makes public school a necessity for many.  Fr. DePauw did not hesitate to say that public schools were superior to Vatican II sect schools. They are non-Catholic by teaching heresy; like neutral and mixed schools they promote indifferentism under the guise of religion--ecumenism.

Teaching Error as "Catholicism"

Infested with Indifferentism.

Here is how an middle school Vatican II sect teacher described her religion class:

"A few weeks into our study of the Church, my eighth-grade students encountered the vocabulary word ecumenism for the first time. After learning how to pronounce it properly, we broke down its meaning. Ecumenism refers to “the promotion of cooperation and unity among Christians” (USCCB, Ecumenical & Interreligious Affairs). In other words, ecumenism is the effort for Christians to come together in faith, as we are founded to be one Church by Jesus Christ, who offers all life and salvation. 

Ecumenism is the responsibility of Christians, who are called to work and pray in hope for unity. During the Second Vatican Council, Pope St. John XXIII called for a focus on ecumenism. He saw that, in today’s world of division, Christians must come together through sharing prayer and knowledge, while upholding the diversity existing in the Church. Unitatis Redintegratio, the Council’s decree on ecumenism, calls for “the attainment of union” to be the concern of the whole Church—for the “faithful and shepherds alike” (§2)  ...Inviting students to share about their faith traditions is key for ecumenical conversations, whether it be describing their denomination’s Advent traditions or articulating its teachings around the Eucharist. By inviting students to share, the conversation becomes fuller as students feel comfortable speaking up." [Will the students be told their sect's teachings are false and lead to Hell?---Introibo]

"Ecumenical living promotes the seeking of truth and the formation of community in prayer. If you are looking for examples of ecumenical living, look no further than a religion classroom in a modern Catholic school, which often includes students of Catholic and Christian denominations learning, praying, and sharing the faith together." [What faith can a Catholic "share together" with heretics and/or schismatics? This is clearly the sin of communicatio in sacris---Introibo]. (See https://mcgrathblog.nd.edu/cultivating-christian-unity-and-ecumenism-in-the-classroom).

Affirming perversity. 

“Announcing yourself to the world is pretty terrifying,” said Finn Stannard, a gay Australian Catholic high school student, adding that it’s nerve-racking to think, “What if the world doesn’t like you?”

Finn Stannard delivering his coming out speech at school.

Stannard,  then a 17-year-old student at St. Ignatius College, an all-male Jesuit Catholic high school in Sydney, was giving a speech to 1,500 of his classmates, and in it announced that he was gay. 

In what could have been a moment of rejection, Stannard was instead greeted with a standing ovation from students and staff, and the school community has since responded positively. (See https://www.newwaysministry.org/2019/01/18/coming-out-at-an-all-boys-catholic-high-school-and-getting-a-standing-ovation/).

Promoting pagan religions. Here's what some Vatican II sect educators suggest doing in their high schools:

Beyond this, field trips, speakers, weekend programs, or structured retreats with young people of other traditions are invaluable practices for students. Interfaith prayer services or participation in the spiritual paths of other traditions provide deep possibilities for encounter and transformation. Yoga, meditation, and the celebration of non-Christian cultural and religious holidays are all ways in which students can see first-hand how it is that religious traditions are living, adaptable, vibrant communal realities. Through actual interfaith experiences, students learn about other persons, but they also learn more deeply about themselves and their own faith...To teach Hindu spirituality in Catholic schools, we must be prepared to challenge students to encounter themselves in a very different way. Hindu faith is not based on the divine revelation of one male founder. The way Hindus view religious texts and mystical experience is very different. There is not a divinely revealed, institutionally sanctioned legal system that places a universal standard of conduct on all its adherents. Hindus have no particularly recognized spokesperson with an official view on almost any subject. In some schools of Hinduism, sacred self is conceived in terms of a relationship with God (one’s real identity is that of a child of the Divine Mother, or the servant of God, or the friend of God), while other schools conceive sacred self as nondifferential union with Brahman, the all-pervading Divine Reality. Nevertheless, experiential realization is central for Hindu traditions, however differently that may be envisioned and practiced. Such an experiential emphasis is a powerful place to begin teaching Hinduism in Catholic high schools; for it offers a starting point for exploring Hinduism that can both highlight the similarities and differences with Christianity, as well as ground that exploration in a spiritual journey.

(See Viewpoint: Teaching Hinduism in Catholic High Schools;

 https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1487&context=jhcs: Emphasis mine; No comment necessary). 

Conclusion

If you care for the welfare of your child's one and only immortal soul, please homeschool if at all possible. The only exception is if you are blessed to be near a Traditionalist Catholic school, like the ones run by the SSPV; make whatever sacrifice necessary to send your children there if at all possible. If your child must attend public school, please be an active parent and demand to know what is taught in the curriculum. Don't allow the acceptance of sodomites and sexual perversion in the name of "anti-bullying education." Being opposed to a certain lifestyle is not being hateful or bigoted. It is bigoted to teach them acceptance is necessary thereby making your faith false. Get a lawyer to write to the school board about religious discrimination. Be prepared to counter every bit of the "woke" curriculum as it creeps in. Keep your kids close to the Mass and sacraments.

Vatican II sect schools are spiritual suicide; they do the same (or worse) than public schools in the name of "Catholicism." Don't allow your child to be so exposed and confused like that. This is a battle for your child's soul. If you think I'm overstating my case, here's what canonist DePauw wrote in 1953:

Suffice it to say that there will always be a chasm dividing those who believe in God as the ultimate norm of morality for man created for a supernatural end, and those who look upon man as another temporary worker experimenting on this globe in order to get the best and the most out of this short existence.