So my old (catholic) high school removed a student from student council because

[Clintonista2]

They found out she wasn't catholic. Why does the church hate democracy?

[sakabatou]

1. Because fundamentalist hard-liners want a

theocratic dictatorship?

[LibDemAlways]

2. The Catholic church as an institution is certainly not a

democracy, but that rule seems ridiculous. I taught at several Catholic schools where many faculty members weren't Catholic, and no one cared. For what they were willing to pay, they were lucky to attract anybody.

I've been around some clergy who were "rules" guys, and others who were much more open and accepting. A couple of years ago a local teen was killed in an accident. His family was not religious. When the local priest heard about it, he called on the family and offered the use of the church building for whatever memorial service they wanted to have, and they took him up on the offer. That's what a church, any church, should be about - reaching out to everybody - rather than creating artificial divisions.

Whoever removed the student council member on religious grounds is an idiot. If the school accepts non-Catholic students, those students should enjoy the same rights and privileges as the Catholics. Period.

[Breeze54]

3. I find that hard to believe.

I went to parochial school and it wasn't hidden that some of the students were not catholic.

Everyone knew and nobody cared.

[regnaD kciN]

4. As a matter of fact...

...most of the time, they like trumpeting how many of their students are not Roman Catholic -- it's a way of demonstrating how academically-strong their school is, that people are paying to send their kids there for reasons other than religious affiliation.

[Breeze54]

6. Well, maybe where you went to school but

that didn't happen at the school I attended.

[davidinalameda]

5. maybe her parents will pull her from school

and stop giving the school any of their non-Catholic money

I've never heard of a school pulling something like this especially since many Catholic schools don't have primarily Catholic student bodies

[Breeze54]

7. I'd like to see a reference to this actually happening.

There is no link posted as a reference by lirwin.

[davidinalameda]

8. you're right

I wouldn't mind seeing a link unless this is just one of those word of mouth stories

[kurth]

9. Doubtful it's their policy

Many Catholic schools and colleges have a large non-Catholic population.