Enough is enough! Catholics seem to be saying to the LGBTQ with these new rules they’re enforcing in their Massachusett schools. The new rules state that Catholic school children must behave in a manner “consistent with their biological sex.” LGBTQ+ activists can already foresee the world of harm this will cause transgender children.
21 schools and 5000 students will feel the effects of the new ruling, which came out of the Diocese of Worcester. Schools affected must ensure students use names, pronouns, and bathrooms corresponding to their biological sex.
The new rules also cover “school athletics; school-sponsored dances; dress and uniform policies; the use of changing facilities, showers, locker rooms” and “official school documents.”
With names and pronouns, the guidelines will only entertain “rare exceptions” and “only on a limited, case-by-case basis.” Also, such exemptions can only be made at each school principal’s discretion.
ALSO READ: Court Backs Christian Photographer, Rules He Can Refuse LGBTQ+ Couples
The guidelines also demand that children display “modesty in language, appearance, dress, and behavior.” Same-sex relationships and attraction did not escape sanctions, too, as the rules argued that such things may cause “confusion or distraction” among students.
According to Catholic schools superintendent David Perda, some schools in the diocese have already enforced gender guidelines. But “individual situations” had “underscored a need for a single policy which clearly states church teaching.”
The freshly minted rules are in alignment with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and Pope Francis. Even though the Pope has also been a source of great confusion in recent times. He says that homosexuality is a “sin” but has also emphasized that it is “not a crime.”
Furthermore, the pontiff has been urging parents of LGBTQ+ children to support them and not “hide in an attitude of condemnation.” Several LGBTQ+ advocates are worried about how the anti-trans rules will affect students.
POLL—Should Public Schools Include Critical Race Theory and Sex Education in Their Curriculum?
Joshua Croke, head of the nonprofit Love Your Labels, believes that the guidelines are “harmful” and may pressure trans children to remain “in the closet.” According to recent statistics, 65.5% of transgender and gender-expansive youth reported that their families don’t use correct pronouns.
A high value compared to 49.6% of those whose families always use correct pronouns. The new Massachusetts rules add to the existing list of gender policies that are now affecting children all over the nation. For example, Wyoming, North Dakota, and Kansas recently banned transgender girls from participating in K-12 girls’ sports teams at school.
The rules only affect Catholic schools. However, people have mixed feelings about it. While LGBTQ supporters are having a fit about it, the more conservative citizens are clamoring for such rules to apply to public schools, too.
ALSO READ: ACLU Records Rise in LGBTQ Legislation in 2023
One person said, “More and more families are turning to private schools in order for their children to get the education needed to be successful in school.” Others argued that it makes sense that a Catholic school imposes rules aligning with Catholic teachings.
One person said: “I would expect nothing less in a catholic space. In a public secular school, I would expect different. But I don’t have kids. So I don’t really worry about it.”
You Might Also Like:
Man Admits to Killing Ex-Girlfriend After Authorities Found Him in Her Bloodstained SUV
These Are the Incomes You Need to Survive in America as a Single Person
NYPD Investigates Hate Crime As Unidentified Woman Pepper-Sprays 15-Year-Old Muslim Girl in Brooklyn
County Sheriff’s Office Identifies Human Remains Found 47 Years Ago in Arizona Desert
Indiana Men Find Driver Trapped in Wrecked Vehicle While Scouting Fishing Holes
