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Clericalism And Common Core

As you know, I don’t have a position on Common Core. It has been controversial in my state, but because my kids are homeschooled, I haven’t felt the need to dive into the controversy. But in Milwaukee, parents of kids in Catholic schools have not had that luxury. Archbishop Jerome Listecki is aligning the curricula […]

As you know, I don’t have a position on Common Core. It has been controversial in my state, but because my kids are homeschooled, I haven’t felt the need to dive into the controversy. But in Milwaukee, parents of kids in Catholic schools have not had that luxury. Archbishop Jerome Listecki is aligning the curricula at archdiocesan schools with Common Core, and that has some Catholic parents troubled. They presented a petition with 1,000 signatures of Catholic parents asking him to reconsider. The archbishop responded with a letter that told them, basically, to jump in the lake. Excerpt:

Catholic schools operate in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee under my direction. Period. To think that I would allow anything to jeopardize the Catholic identity or academic excellence of our schools is insulting, at best.

Yes, because what Catholics could possibly question the judgment of their bishops on the question of maintaining Catholic identity in diocesan institutions, or anything else? More from the letter:

Regarding your suggested directives, Common Core standards are just one of many ways we measure the success of our students. These standards are neither “adopted” nor “adapted.” In addition, the standards do not have any impact on curriculum or content whatsoever. And, parents already are welcome to review any and all aspects of our schools curriculum, but to think that parents are more qualified than our academic experts to select said curriculum is ridiculous.

Who are you Catholic moms and dads to question the experts? The audacity! When have bishops who take advice from experts ever been wrong?

The Catholic parents group responded with a letter that politely puts the archbishop in his place . Excerpts:

We are certainly not trying to insult anyone, as your letter suggests. We are simply parents in your diocese taking active interest in what is being taught to our children in the classroom. We care deeply about our schools and the Archdiocese. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (2223) states that “Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children.” In his 1994 Letter To Families, St. John Paul II wrote, “Parents are the first and most important educators of their own children, and they also possess fundamental competence in this area: they are educators, because they are parents.” (16) As Catholic parents in accordance with these Church directives, major educational changes in the diocese should be subject to an open and public discussion prior to approval and implementation.

Quoting the Catechism and a saint back to the archbishop, to show him why he’s wrong. Boom! Responding to Abp Listecki’s criticism of them for creating “division” on the front page of the newspaper, the parents write:

We have no interest in creating division on the front page of our local newspaper. Your office would not meet with us and the Superintendent has put us off and now canceled our planned meeting. We are parents in the Archdiocese who are asking to be heard. Over 1,000 of your parishioners have learned about Common Core and have now formally petitioned you to end it. Please heed their call.

This is not going to end well for the arrogant Archbishop.

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