Sunday 6 February 2011

A preferential option... for the rich

Imagine per impossible that a Catholic School and a diocese were in dispute about a school’s admissions policy. This hypothetical problem might arise if a school were very successful and popular and many Catholics (and others) wanted to send their children there.


Let us imagine that one side of the argument wanted to apply an admissions policy that was based on giving priority to Catholics who lived nearest to the school. And let us imagine that the school was in an expensive part of town; that policy would, of course, effectively ensure that only the wealthy need apply - and in fact, those who wanted to attend the school and were wealthy could, of course, move into the catchment area, an option not open to the poor. Then they only have to start going to Mass (until their kids are admitted) and they're in.


Let us further imagine that the other side of the dispute wished to maintain a policy that allowed people of many different social backgrounds, races and so forth to attend; and that was intended to maintain the Catholic ethos of the school (the best way they have devised of doing this is to assess as best they can the family's intention really to practice the Faith: hard to assess, but they give it a go).


Which side would you think the Diocese would be on?


Now look at the shenanigans surrounding the Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School...


(And you may like to add to my slogans - see previous post...)

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