"We own you, you puritanical, homophobic religious nuts!"

That's not exactly what Ed Balls, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families for the UK, said on BBC yesterday, but it really isn't too far off the mark:

"If you are currently a Catholic school ... you could choose to teach only to children that contraception is wrong, homosexuality is wrong. That changes radically with this bill."

"A Catholic faith school can say to their pupils we believe as a religion contraception is wrong but what they can't do is therefore say that they are not going to teach them about contraception to children, how to access contraception, or how to use contraception. What this changes is that for the first time these schools cannot just ignore these issues or teach only one side of the argument. They also have to teach that there are different views on homosexuality. They cannot teach homophobia. They must explain civil partnership. They must give a balanced view on abortion, they must give both sides of the argument, they must explain how to access an abortion, the same is true on contraception as well."

Those quotes and others can be read on the blog of John Smeaton, director of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC). In addition, Balls, in a letter to The Times (Feb. 23, 2010), stated,

While schools with a religious character will be free, as now, to express the views of their faith, what they cannot do is suggest that their views are the only ones. All schools will be required to cover in their teaching of personal, social and health education the full range of content prescribed in the statutory programme of study for secondary schools and in the relevant parts of the new primary curriculum.

The bottom line is that all young people should receive accurate and balanced information and discrimination is prevented in all schools.

And, of course, the State is always the best place to go when you are shopping for "accurate and balanced" information about abortion, sex education, diversity, and family life. Absolutely! Forget about drinking the Culture of Death Kool-Aid—simply dive in and bathe in the stuff.

The SPUC website provides this background information:

• The government's Children, Schools and Families bill http://is.gd/6JIGE would force all state schools to provide sex and relationships education (SRE) for all primary and secondary school pupils.
• The government want SRE to include signposting and links to abortion and other anti-life/anti-family services in schools, including faith schools.
• The bill would force schools to teach SRE according to principles of "equality", "diversity" and "rights".
• The government's draft SRE guidance http://is.gd/8bgB6 interprets those principles to include abortion, birth control, homosexuality and "a wide range of [sexual] practices".
• Schools, if challenged, may well have to prove their SRE programmes accord with the bill's principles and that they had "regard" to the government's anti-life guidance. 
• Faith schools may argue that they are entitled to protect their ethos, but the government has demanded that schools accept its sexual health agenda. The government says schools may adapt "the way things are taught", but it insists that all aspects of SRE will have to be delivered in all schools.

Fr. Dwight Longenecker, who lived for many years in Britain, has a good post about "Big Brother Britain" and that country's "passion for the panacea of 'sex education'."

Related Ignatius Insight Pieces:

• The Religion of Liberalism, Or Why Freedom and Equality Aren't Ultimate Goals | An interview with James Kalb
• The State Which Would Provide Everything | Fr. James V. Schall, S.J.
• Liberal Democracy as a Culture of Death: Why John Paul II Was Right | Dr. Raymond Dennehy
• Religion and Socialism | Peter Kreeft
• "Certain Fundamental Truths": On the Place and Temptations of Politics | Fr. James V. Schall, S.J.
• Secularity: On Benedict XVI and the Role of Religion in Society | Fr. James V. Schall, S.J.

Comments

[Evan]

What this changes is that for the first time these schools cannot just ignore these issues or teach only one side of the argument. They also have to teach that there are different views on homosexuality. They cannot teach homophobia. They must explain civil partnership. They must give a balanced view on abortion, they must give both sides of the argument, they must explain how to access an abortion, the same is true on contraception as well.

I'm no expert on the English education system, but my hunch is that non-faith schools don't and won't teach children that there are diverse views on these things and that some people think x,y, or z is wrong. The reference to "homophobia" seems to give this one-way street away. Presumably if they wanted diverse views taught, they wouldn't refer to Catholic moral opposition to homosexuality as "homophobic", but rather as another option for sexual morality.

[Jackson]

Talk about a dictatorship of relativism. And the British people will most likely go along with it. Incredible.

[Nancy D.]

F.Y.I. From Lifesite News

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/feb/10022403.html

If it is true that the Catholic Education Service as well as Archbishop Vincent Nichols helped draft the bill and have defended it against criticism from parent groups and pro-family advocates,we are in serious trouble.

Pray, and never cease Praying!

[Erin Garlock]

"they must give both sides of the argument"

Does this mean that with this bill public schools will have to "give both sides of the argument" and teach about religion, teach about creationism, teach about morality?

[Amy]

Lord, help us!

[TeaPot562]

The way of death being mandated by legislation. Isn't it true that promiscuity is a principal cause of the spread of STDs (genitally transmitted diseases) even if condoms have been used?
I would think someone in the health professions would try to get to the individual pushing this legislation (but then we have similar problems in the US).
TeaPot562

[Ed]

Interesting. I wonder if it would be okay to say that "racial discrimination is a horrible thing, kids." Or would one also have to say "racial discrimination is a horrible thing, but I must point out that there are many people who think there are good reasons for prejudice against certain races. There are two sides of the story."

Of course I'm sure there is no requirement to present both sides of the argument there. And for the record, I'm glad there isn't - I'm sure we can all agree that such a lesson would be appalling.

But what it means is that one belief, that against racism, is allowed to teach their view. Another view - against contraception, premarital sex, etc - must qualify their view - which in essence is to be forced to teach a different view. This is a very troubling new infringement on individual and religious freedom in the UK. Very sad.

[Telemachus]

This is why I support "separation of Church and State"... to keep the State away from the Church. From education to welfare to marriage, the State is the worst institution to be overseeing such things. What is happening in this country and others is going to have to force the Church to re-think its ideas concerning the legitimacy of government power, and the sooner the better, IMO.

[LJ]

He who pays the piper...

This is, to my mind, inevitable when the Church gets too intertwined with government, particularly when that government is moving rapidly away in a totally different moral direction.

It is the same principle at work that has resulted in Catholic adoption services closing, hospitals being turned over to the government, and on and on.

[DN]

Telemachus, that's fine except that, as this very example proves, you *cannot* separate church and state in that fashion. They have competing claims, forever overlapping in questions of morality, that neither can be released from.

To truncate the powers of the state beyond what the Church teaches most generally (limiting factors including subsidiarity and the so-called rights of families and persons) is to deny the state of the power to do its primary good--it cannot serve justice without dealing in morality. Cases like this where they (clearly) overstep their bounds are proof that there are bounds, but this isn't exactly a novel idea in Catholic social teaching.

(Sorry if this is double-posted. Keep getting an error message from Typepad.)

[Andrew]

I have not read the bill (and in no way support it based on what I have read), but does it say that schools must teach that there are many viewpoints or that the many viewpoints are equal and correct. Because, I'm pretty sure that the Church is aware that there are opposing views and already teaches Her students that there are these views and that they are wrong and often evil. In the end this bill seems that another blatant attack on the Catholic Church.

[Tim H.]

What it comes down to is the British Government mandating that the Church teach children how to sin.

They will reap what they sow.

-Tim-

[Sschreiner44]

Great Comments from everyone!!!!!

Yes, it is a horrible thing-when the Catholic Schools have to teach "all view points are equal." But what is worse is that an incredible amount of Catholic Schools in UK, the USA (I worked for one of these), and all over the world have been teaching that "Catholics can pick and choose which Church Teachings they like...or don't like," WITHOUT EVER BEING MANDATED TO DO SO-FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS!!!! The real problem is that THESE "DE-Christianized, Cafeteria," Catholics call themselves "Catholics," and are the Bishops, Pastors, Principals, Teachers, and Volunteers of Catholic school children all over the world! I believe that we should be AS concerned or MORE CONCERNED about what is CURRENTLY BEING TAUGHT (and has been taught for the last 40+ years)in many of our Catholic Churches and institutions (in the USA, UK, and the world) by people who CALL THEMSELVES CATHOLIC!

Yes, this new mandate by the UK government is VERY TROUBLING, INDEED! However; the MAJOR problems of the Catholic Church are NOT caused by those OUTSIDE the church who HATE us...but by the "wolves in sheep clothing," or "so-called Catholics" who have been teaching, and STILL ARE TEACHING, false doctrine to our children and adults-and who disagree with or "HATE" some, most, or ALL Catholic Church Doctrine! We need to hold the Religious and Lay Catholic Leaders/Teachers ACCOUNTABLE TO TEACH THE CATHOLIC ORTHODOX FAITH! This is the real problem...and it really is ONLY the LAY ORTHODOX Catholics that Can do this. We need to hold the BISHOPS accountable to what is being taught in their dioceses...by the Religious and Lay leaders. The Religious Catholic Community is like the military-it is afraid to "say anything about anyone, especially superiors." In the Catholic Church, accountability is just not happening. Even the Orthodox Catholic Religious will not complain about the "UN-Orthodox Catholic Religious," for fear of being blackballed BY THEM. Unfortunately, there are many, many more Un-Orthodox Catholic Religious and Lay-people in the Catholic Church then there are Orthodox Catholic Religious and Lay-people! That is why it is really up to the Lay Orthodox Catholic Community to start holding the Catholic Church Leaders accountable to what is ACTUALLY being taught from the church pulpits, as well as what is being taught in our Catholic Schools (Elementary, High School and Universities).

It is Catholic Doctrine that states "The First Commandment('You shall Love the Lord your God with ALL YOUR HEART, and with ALL YOUR SOUL, and with ALL YOUR MIND")requires us (Catholics) to NURSE and PROTECT our faith with prudence and vigilance, and to reject EVERYTHING that is opposed to it. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2088). So, how can we expect governments to allow us to teach Catholic Doctrine... when we don't even teach Catholic doctrine in many of our own institutions? The truth of the matter is that until the Lay Orthodox Catholic Community holds the religious and lay members who teach and preach the Catholic Faith to us-ACCOUNTABLE TO TEACHING WHAT THE CHURCH ACTUALLY PROFESSES TO BELIEVE-it won't really matter whether or not the Catholic Church/Schools are "mandated" to teach all points of view... because we will continue to do it anyway.
So, we must get our priorities straight. First, we must hold our own leaders to teach and model what the Catholic Church actually professes. Secondly, once we have a solid "Foundation" in place, THEN we need to FIGHT to make sure that governments all over the world have no say whatsoever in what a private, Catholic institution teaches or doesn't teach. Perhaps we should be doing both at the same. However; if we don't hold our own leaders and teachers accountable, it really matter what government is trying to hold us accountable to. Besides, Catholic Doctrine also teaches that when "God's Laws" and "Man's Laws," collide, we must only and always obey "God's Laws," and let the chips fall where they may. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: " Citizens are obliged in conscience to follow the directives on civil authorities when they are CONTRARY to the demands of the moral order. "We must obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29)...2256

Please don't get me wrong, as I completely understand that it is primarily the responsibility of parents of Catholic school children that should be handing on the "Catholic Faith," to their own children. However; for the past 40 years, Catholic parents have not been very well educated in the Catholic Faith-so most Catholic parents are not properly equipped to instruct their children in what the Catholic Church actually teaches. This, of course is a direct result of what these parents were taught when they were in the Catholic Schools or a part of a Catholic parish. Parents, and all adult Catholics need to be adequately Re-Educated in what the Catholic Faith ACTUALLY TEACHESin order to pass on the Truth about Catholic faith properly to their children. This is the direct responsibility of our Catholic Bishops-to make sure that all Catholics are taught True Catholic Doctrine.

What does everybody else think? I guess I'll end by saying-yes, we need to protect ourselves from the wolves outside of the Catholic Church who want to mandate to us what is taught in the Catholic Church and Catholic Schools! However; if we don't protect ourselves from the wolves inside the Catholic Church and Catholic Schools-whatever is mandated externally will not really matter at all.

[Larry]

While the Catholics and other Christians may take this lying down I seriously doubt that our Islamic cousins will do so. The Brits may yet rue the day they dreamed up this bit of tyranny and they will find their old problems with Irish Catholics were a walk in the park comapared to what an Islamic Jihad would look like. I am certain that some members of the British legislature will consideer this as well and remove this bit of insanity from discussion.

[Every cloud has a silver lining]

God can always bring good out of evil situations.It is quite clear the Church is under attack but God has given us sufficient intelligence and love to cope We have the treasure of 2000 years of Church wisdom and God on our side I suggest we get together a group of great minds totally loyal to the magisterium to come up with an appropriate program that elucidates clearly every possible viewpoint on human sexuality and reproduction and then clearly states the Church's teaching People like Dr Janet Smith,Doctors John and Eevelyn Billings. There are marvellous capable lay and religious who have the intellectual capacity to prepare such a program which could be taught in every catholic school throughout the world.
If information is set out in notes like encyclopedia entries and every group is recognised no one can claim homophobia especially if you quote from their own materials!
My father told us all about corrupt popes and Church scandals when I was young always adding we should never build our faith on emotion or people but on Jesus. He said we will come across religious who fail to live up to their vows but that is their loss of faith and it should not shake our faith.It has been a great protection and that is why I believe we should give our young people as much information as we can Let us turn this antiCatholic tyranny to our advantage and arm our young people with knowledge of the forces that they will meet in life and give them knowledge of the Church's answers to these attacks.

[Rachel]

This kind of action is something that the homosexual lobby has been working on in those jurisdictions where same sex marriage has been approved. I became aware of this five years ago, so to see them start to score some victories is not at all surprizing. This is part of the ongoing attack on heterosexism and has as a conscious objective to strip parents and communities of the right to educate their children according to their own values. This is hardly limited to Britain. In Quebec, the thrust has come via an obligatory religions and moral education course imposed by the Department of Education, and parents are not winning the legal battles that would allow them to withdraw their children from these courses. This is going to be a major battle in many countries.