And the people running the school there are certainly out of line. Plenty of other school administrations are probably similarly boneheaded stupid and backwards, in a way damaging to kids at a time when they are most vulnerable.
But I have to say - I spent 1st through 8th grade in a Catholic school, run by an order from Ireland. They were genuinely good people, and I have nothing but good memories. The standard of education was excellent, but, more importantly, they were very open-minded and kind, and I think the greatest lessons I learned (really learned) there were compassion, patience, and love for people regardless of race, class and gender.
I argued in religion class and refused the sacraments, stopped going to church as soon as I was old enough, and yet I was accepted and graduated with honors. My 8th grade teacher was the senior nun there, and she was a wonderful person I learned a great deal from. I spoke with her a few years back. 28 years out of school, she was happy to see me and we sat and had an afternoon talking - her about her spiritual journey, and about all the kids she remembered and how they were doing, me about science and learning, and how things were with me. In spite of our continuing differences, we had a fine conversation finding common ground and talking about how people work towards the same goals out of the same kind of goodness, but in different ways...she was truly a wonderful teacher.
I know not everyone had the same kinds of experiences in Catholic school, but I just had to stick up for the school I went to; it was excellent, and I wish that the schools my children went to now had the same kind of teachers, with the same willingness to live as examples and to give their all for the kids.
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