Most of this wasn't meant for 64Digits, but hey.
I currently consider myself somewhat trapped in the Catholic education system. I was raised Catholic, went through Catholic elementary school, and somewhere along the line lost the faith. After elementary school the natural thing happened and I was fitted into a Catholic high school, a place where I feel endlessly oppressed. There is no chance that I can openly state many of my opinions, and admitting that I'm an Atheist often leads to unbelievably inane remarks, from staff and students alike. There is no sympathy for the fact that I can't leave (for purely practical reasons, parents, friends); for many it's impossible to conceive why I would want equal representation in a Catholic school. For many it's even impossible to recognize I have the right to stay in the school. This isn't limited to students, but teachers that have asked flat out why I just don't leave. One thing I know for sure, leaving wouldn't solve the greater issue I see in this. Recently I got a good taste of how the Catholic school system deals with criticism. After handing out anonymously signed articles I wrote along with a friend that protested how the school spent its tax money, my friend (who they mistook to be the author) was quickly told to go to the office. He could not do so at the time due to other obligations, but he did manage to talk to the principal enough to find out that he felt the article was insulting. We didn't stop handing out that article. Two days passed, and I was informed that my friend had received a letter from our chaplain - a written response to our article. The article was entirely religious, calling towards god given rights, and ended on the note that any criticism of Catholic schools was dangerous and destructive. It added that it was the schools duty to discourage "anything secular, humanist, atheistic, or satanic". Not only has the article left me offended, but I feel like there is no sympathy for me here. The students are flooded with apathy, and when told that you are against catholic schools, they are puzzled why.
I fully agree. I didn't go to a Catholic High School, but everything else I was in was Catholic. I believe that the case you mentioned might have been because of the extremness of the school. The Catholic school I went to was small, and had many types of people. Hell, I became Atheist/Pandimensionalist after that, but still. I think it might be with the size of your school, that they wish to enforce catholicism so hard.
No, Kenon, it's how it is in Ontario.
I am extremely glad I have been public schooled just from all these stories I hear of religious high schools.
Ah, right, Canada.
I have a friend in a religious school, and from what I hear I can tell I'd of been kicked out after a day or too.
I like to ask questions like: If god has a plan for me, why does he let me burn in hell?Fuck that man, secularism all the way. Religion is fine, but it has no business interfering with education and politics.
Yes, I'm Atheist/Pandimensionalist too :P
Consider yourself lucky that you don't live in a place where the most recent census reported 97% of the population to be catholic >________________>In fact, today we were going over the scientific revolution in school. So we were talking about how you shouldn't believe anything without proof. I, the only atheist in the class, then yelled out "What about belief in god?". Then like 10 people started saying "Shut up, it's called faith". I didn't press the arguement further, seeing as the teacher is strongly catholic, but I wanted to yell "Faith has no proof" so badly =(I love my lack of a religion. It gives me a huge sense of freedom and no worries. I'm not a huge CONVERT TO ATHEISM NOW! person either. I enjoyed having a religion very much, so I really do want my children to grow up with a catholic education. I'll let them decide for themselves if they want to follow in my footsteps or stay on the path of their religion.Can't we all be indifferent?