A father in La Grange, Ky., is in court trying to keep his son from attending a Catholic high school. David Ryan, the father, is an atheist and the mother, from whom he is divorced, is a Roman Catholic. Their eighth-grade son attends a Catholic school in Oldham County.
Ryan's attorney Edwin Kagin said when Ryan and his wife got divorced, a judge ordered their son to continue attending a Catholic school. Ryan, however, wants his son to attend a public high school next year, so Friday, he took the issue in front of a judge in an Oldham County courtroom, WLKY.com reported Friday.
"David feels the orientation and the indoctrination of the church school is harmful to his child," Kagin said. According to court documents, Ryan believes the religious school will attempt to indoctrinate his son into a belief system he as a parent rejects.
Kagin said the case has larger implications. "The issue really does become one of what does church-state separation mean?" he said. Kagin said part of Kentucky's constitution reads, "Nor shall any man be compelled to send his child to any school to which he may be conscientiously opposed."
Reported at www.ReligionAndSpirituality.com
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5 comments:
wow I feel sorry for the poor kid stuck in the middle of this sort of battle! Sounds like control issues more so than anything else. Attending Catholic school does not necessarily indoctrinate you. I was born & raised Catholic and attended Cathoic shool because it was the better choice in the school system the time & there were plenty of non-Catholics that attended for the same reason.
I know what you mean. My mom was a Roman Catholic and I ended up as a presbyterian pastor - go figure! I think the more of an issue that he makes about this, the more likely his son will become a Catholic. Who knows - his son might even become a priest!
Well for starters, instead of pushing the child aside, why don't they ask the child what he wishes to do? Makes sense to me! Also, if the mom has the most parental time with him, then she should have say where he goes to school. The courts, in my opinion, has no say in this, since seperationof church and state goes both ways. If the dad can't be civilized to the mom, and they cannot work it out, then he will just have to accept that his kis is lucky enough to not have to go to a public school!!! I'd give anything for mine to be out of the public school system, and into a private one!!! The test question put forth to the courts should be this "Which of the two would cause the most damage to the child in the end?" I think we know the answer to that! Public school loses!!!
With the recent history of the Catholic Church, it may be up to the court to decide if the child is in danger attending a Catholic school.
As anyone who is a free thinker and went to catholic school can attest, this law suit makes no sense. I actually believe that I am a free thinker in large part thanks to the critical thinking skills the Christian Brothers gave me. I find that I am not alone.
Besides, like contramary says, if the child lives with mom, then let her decide, and don't forget to ask the kid as well.
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