Very tough. It was a big surprise to me to talk to a lot of faculty, and even priests, about long years of experience with parents who complained about the schools actually teaching the faith and expecting kids to go to Mass, etc. I have no doubt that this was the case, and that they really didn't know what to do about parents who DID want those things and who took a look at their schools and declined. But taking it as a personal insult was not the right response, and writing off those families (instead of trying to work with them) was an even worse one.
Many homeschool families would welcome this opportunity, though some wouldnтАЩt. In some states (mine), homeschooled students are not allowed to play sports for their local public high schools. This is due to lawmakers and regulators in my state choosing, for whatever reason, not to provide the opportunity even though other states do so successfully,
And because the high schools donтАЩt allow it, the elementary schools donтАЩt. My diocese runs a CYO sports program at the diocesan level but limits participation mostly to diocesan elementary schools. I say mostly not because they welcome Catholic homeschool or public school students. They do not. тАЬMostlyтАЭ because there is a Protestant grade school as a full participant in the league while many Catholic students are barred. I donтАЩt get it. IтАЩve been told it will change but have not been told when. IтАЩve been asking for several years. I donтАЩt fault my bishop. He has enough on his plate. I wish it would change.
Very tough. It was a big surprise to me to talk to a lot of faculty, and even priests, about long years of experience with parents who complained about the schools actually teaching the faith and expecting kids to go to Mass, etc. I have no doubt that this was the case, and that they really didn't know what to do about parents who DID want those things and who took a look at their schools and declined. But taking it as a personal insult was not the right response, and writing off those families (instead of trying to work with them) was an even worse one.
Many homeschool families would welcome this opportunity, though some wouldnтАЩt. In some states (mine), homeschooled students are not allowed to play sports for their local public high schools. This is due to lawmakers and regulators in my state choosing, for whatever reason, not to provide the opportunity even though other states do so successfully,
And because the high schools donтАЩt allow it, the elementary schools donтАЩt. My diocese runs a CYO sports program at the diocesan level but limits participation mostly to diocesan elementary schools. I say mostly not because they welcome Catholic homeschool or public school students. They do not. тАЬMostlyтАЭ because there is a Protestant grade school as a full participant in the league while many Catholic students are barred. I donтАЩt get it. IтАЩve been told it will change but have not been told when. IтАЩve been asking for several years. I donтАЩt fault my bishop. He has enough on his plate. I wish it would change.