All articles tagged with #catholic school
A Catholic school in Pennsylvania displayed Holocaust imagery on its Halloween parade float, which was condemned by the local diocese for being offensive and a symbol of hate. The diocese apologized and plans to review approval processes and collaborate with Jewish organizations to educate about the Holocaust, amid rising antisemitic incidents in the US.
A Catholic school in Pennsylvania faced backlash after Holocaust imagery was included on its Halloween parade float, leading the diocese to issue a formal apology and condemn the display, which included a replica of Auschwitz's gate with the phrase 'Arbeit Macht Frei.' The incident has heightened sensitivities around antisemitism and the diocese plans to review approval processes to prevent future occurrences.
The FBI is investigating a mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime, where two children were killed and 17 others injured, with the shooter, Robin Westman, acting alone and having a manifesto under review.
A shooting occurred at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis during drop-off, resulting in multiple victims. The shooter is believed to be deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot, and there is no ongoing threat to the community. Authorities, including the FBI, are investigating, and the incident has marred the start of the school year.
Sacred Heart Academy, a Catholic school in Michigan, is challenging a state law in federal court that lacks religious exemptions to its sexual orientation and gender identity policies. The school argues that without a religious exemption, it would be forced to hire faculty and staff who do not align with Catholic teachings. The lawsuit has gained support from the Jewish Coalition for Religious Liberty and the Religious Freedom Institute's Islam and Religious Freedom Action Team, who argue that the law would have a negative impact on minority faiths. The groups emphasize the importance of religious entities' right to hire coreligionists and express concerns about the state's discretionary exemption scheme. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is fighting the lawsuit.
The New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a Catholic school that fired a teacher for engaging in premarital sex. The court held that religious entities can use religious tenet exceptions of state employment law as an "affirmative defense" in facing claims of employment discrimination. The teacher had alleged violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, arguing that her firing was a pretext for pregnancy and marital-status discrimination. The court's decision has drawn criticism from the state attorney general and the ACLU.
The Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board's vote to approve state sponsorship for St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School may be invalid due to the ineligibility of newly installed member Brian Bobek. The state Attorney General's Office believes Bobek is ineligible to serve on the board until November, but an email to that effect was not received by the board's chairman and executive director until after Bobek cast the deciding vote. The email stated that Bobek's vote was invalid, and the vote may be challenged.
The Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board has approved the establishment of the nation's first taxpayer-funded religious school, St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, despite concerns over its constitutionality. The online public charter school, set to open in 2024, would serve students in kindergarten through grade 12 across the state. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond warned that the decision was unconstitutional and could lead to potential legal action. Advocacy groups have denounced the move, citing violations of religious freedom and the need for secular public schools. The approval could create a potential test case for the Supreme Court on the issue of religious public schools.
A Canadian teenager, Josh Alexander, has filed a human rights complaint alleging religious discrimination after being suspended from his Catholic high school for opposing transgender ideology. Alexander was suspended after organizing a student walkout against biological males in girls' bathrooms and arguing in class that God created two unchangeable genders. He was told that his continued attendance would be detrimental to the physical and mental well-being of transgender students. Alexander's suspension was technically lifted in January but has effectively continued after the school board "excluded" him for the rest of the school year.
A massive fire broke out at Our Mother of Consolation School in Philadelphia's Chestnut Hill neighborhood, causing an evacuation of all students and staff members. More than 120 firefighters and medics responded to the fire which reached three alarms. One firefighter was taken to the hospital after suffering minor injuries. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
A 3-alarm fire broke out at Our Mother of Consolation Catholic School in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, damaging the school badly. The fire was deep in the building and well into the ceiling and attic when crews arrived. One firefighter suffered a minor injury during the blaze. Everyone was evacuated from the building. The cause of the fire is unknown.