Disclosure Notice...

Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click on a link and purchase something. See our full disclosure policy for more details.

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Where is the Church heading?

In my dioceses 5 local Catholic Schools are consolidating. This means starting the 2019-2020 school year all 5 schools are technically closing. One of the schools will "re-open" as a new school, new name, new staff,  and the parishes that supported the 5 old schools plus 2 or 3 other parishes that never had a school will support the new school.  This mainly has to do with a decline in enrollment in all the schools over the years.  When a school as only 5-10 students per class they can't stay open. -- not with the cost salaries, maintenance, and other fees associated with running a school. It really is not feasible.  -- talking with others this is happening in other dioceses too. It's not just mine.

There are a few things that come to mind; why this is the case:

1) Curriculum. I have been saying for years now, at least 11 years, that the curriculum is not Catholic! When the books are the exact same books used in public schools and the only thing Catholic about the school week is the religion class that is done 2-3 times a week, daily Mass once a week, and the artwork on the walls it's not enough! Artwork, Religion class a couple hours a week and 1 - 45 minute Mass is not enough of a Catholic identity.  I think parents even became more aware of this when Come Core Standards came on to the scene and they realized the schools were using the same materials!

2) Push for more traditional. I have found more and more of my peers, who are active and consider themselves devoted Catholics are wanting more and more traditional. They are adhering to traditions such as meatless Fridays ALL Fridays of the year, they are wearing mantillas to Mass (even at a Novus Ordo Mass), family altars in their homes, family devotions, regular prayer times, etc. They more than anyone recognize the schools are often only "catholic" by name and that's not enough for them.  Even my non-Catholic friends can see it and say things like "if they would make the school's distinctively Catholic with curriculum and go back to using nuns and priest as teachers" enrollment would blossom and bloom.  -- that's just it people if they are going to shell out thousands of dollars what a distinctive Catholic school -- being Catholic in name is no good!  These friends are either homeschooling so they know their kids are getting a Catholic Education or they are sending their kids to public school because they can not justify the cost of a private school that is using the same materials, teaching the same things, etc

3) I'm not naive I also know the church is in upheaval because of the abuse cases and stories of decades of cover-up. I know this has caused many to walk away. I'm sure some of the recent declines in schools has to do with that too. I know Mass attendance being light is a result of those things; so it would not surprise me that some of the school's decline is because of the scandals as well.

Where does the Church and schools go from here?

I think the Church needs to do some cleaning up! Many Bishops recognized this and have been vocal about that, and for that I'm thankful. I think the Church needs to embrace strong older Catholic roots and go back to the basics. I think going back to basics is good! With all of this and with many striving for more traditional Catholicism, it's beginning to see how poorly catechized many older Catholics are -- and with that there is a draw to more family-style catechizes which I think is great. The church needs that!

I'm just afraid that while parishes try that they are going to have a low turn out, at first, and may not make it through the transition period or feel like it's a failure before it is even given a fair shot at working. My parish has decided to come next school year the Religious Education program will be more of a family-style program. As a volunteer for the program I'm excited about the possibilities, but also know that as much as I talked about devoted Catholics wanting this and that -- the devoted Catholics just like with the schools are not utilizing the Religious Education program. Most of the parents that do the religious education program are nominal Catholics, that do not go to Mass and just send their kids to Religious Education classes because that's what you do!

Seeing that is the dominant make up our religious education program, even though numbers are low now, I foresee them getting lower with the family style program. Family style means the parent has to have a vested interest and attend too; it's not as simple as dropping your kid off for 45 minutes and coming back to pick them up. So there will be this transition period where nominal Catholics are going to realize just dropping off it's not enough and families wanting more family learning and family devotions are going to have realized that's being offered. So there will be this transition period and I'm afraid that the Church isn't going to make it or declare the family style catechizes a failure before it had a fighting chance. Also, the curriculum is going to matter. I have not heard or seen what the Church plans on using next year for curriculum, but I know if it's not authentic enough, deep enough (not too deep because many are clueless) and Catholic enough it won't work.


Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click on a link and purchase something. See our full disclosure policy for more details.

Saturday, February 16, 2019

Illinois HB 3560

I know this post is "late to the game" so to speak and that current word is to just wait and see and hopefully we will know early this coming week if the sponsor is true to her word and will table the bill.

I have not had time to formulate a blog post until now so this will be more of a recap in case you haven't been out of the loop. Late last night I did get word about bill HB 3560 and did make a quick post on my facebook page:

I woke up this morning to a whirlwind of posts and notifications. I spent several hours going over them and updating myself and spreading the word on what was going on -- plus you know those normal mom duties: house cleaning, grocery shopping, etc.

As of now, the time of this post, the bill sponsor has promised to table the bill when she goes back to work later this coming week. 
This will most likely come Tuesday, perhaps as late as Wednesday seeing it's the holiday weekend: Presidents' Day. So we have to wait and see if she will be true to her words.

So what is HB 3560? What is the cause for concern?
The synopsis as written on the Illinois General Assembly page:
Amends the School Code. Provides that, after a home-schooling registration form is submitted, the State Board of Education must request a Child Protective Service Unit of the Department of Children and Family Services to investigate the home in which the home schooling will occur to ensure there is no suspected child abuse or neglect in the home. Provides that after the investigation by the Child Protective Service Unit is complete, the State Board must notify the school district in which the home is located that the child is being home-schooled. Provides that once every 2 school years, the State Board must inspect the academic records of a registered home-school student. Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act to require a Child Protective Service Unit to investigate the home of a child upon a request from the State Board. Effective immediately.
Currently, Illinois has no mandatory registration, no letter of intent, no standardized testing. Homeschoolers submit absolutely nothing to the state or local school boards. Bill HB 3560 if passed and allow to proceed would radically change the homeschool landscape and turn Illinois from a low regulated state to a highly regulated state overnight! Just like that!

It was unclear if registration would become mandatory with this bill, but it was very clear once registered homeschoolers would have to submit to home inspections carried out by DCFS/CPS and have to to have some kind of portfolio academic review with the school board. -- which would make record keeping mandatory too.

I keep records for MYSELF and I have no issue with keeping records in general, I think I should not have to submit those records to the state. It's not the state's business. My records for elementary/middle school is light -- I don't have anything official for those grades, but I have always blogged in some fashion for the years, mostly, so I have blog posts, pictures, and other some other things I have kept. So I always felt if needed, in a court of law, I would be okay. Now with high school, because I'm looking to do transcripts I have more complete records. However, that is all for myself and the transcripts would be given to those that need it based on my child's post-secondary education plans.

Putting the whole registration and record keeping to the side, the fact that a legislator thought to circumvent people's 4th amendment rights was a good thing is alarming! The 4th amendment is to protect you from searches without just cause. Homeschooling in and of itself is not reason enough to subject a family to home inspections and searches. As my friend Tina, Homeschool Resource Roadmap, said on my personal facebook profile subjecting families to CPS investigations and home inspections just because they homeschool is like saying we found a meth lab at this house and they own a white Toyota truck so everyone who owns a white Toyota trucks will have their homes searched for drugs.

If HB 3560 is tabled it will be tabled very early on in the process. Which is a good thing, the sooner the bill is squashed, especially when you don't support it, the better. Historically it seems bills are easier to squash when they are in the early process and within Illinois' First House vs when they make it to the Second House. This diagram shows how bills are passed in Illinois.



The "we are here" written on this diagram shows where Illinois HB 3560 shows where in the process the bill was/is at:



While the call from the advocacy groups is to keep a watchful eye, hang tight, and no need to contact your representative. I just want to end by saying if you feel convicted to contact your representatives about this OR any issue you should. You should contact your representative anytime there is any measure you oppose or support is being introduced. You should fill out witness slips when they become available if you state has witness slips for a way for you to officially record your position.

When you contact your representative be polite!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click on a link and purchase something. See our full disclosure policy for more details.