Schools that promote indifference

Schools that promote indifference
Inquirer

I READ WITH INTEREST THE COLUMN “Catholic education” written by Michael L. Tan. He particularly cited Xavier School and St. Scholastica’s College. Indeed, both schools play an important role in making a better society by helping citizens pursue their vocations and fulfill them.

In my town Aparri, there is also this Catholic school, the Lyceum of Aparri, which is not only seriously committed to giving quality Catholic education to the youth of the north. It is also firmly involved in community-building. For instance, its school policies, mission statement, goals of its departments and even the lesson objectives on the lectures of teachers are consistent with the dogmas and teachings of the Catholic Church. A student here not only gets to be enlightened about the world, he is made to appreciate his being a Catholic.

But I know of some Catholic schools that are indifferent to social issues, thus producing students with little--if any—-sense of social involvement.

For the school, a measure of the students’ functional literacy is knowing the social issues of the day and discussing their possible solutions. Teachers and administrators see to it that the students get first-hand information about the poor and the neglected in society, the moral issues attached to jueteng, illegal fishing, graft and corruption and the like. Thus, students become aware of present-day social concerns and get to know the saving truth of the Gospel.

Catholic education has a lot to contribute to making a better society. It is most unfortunate, though, that there are some Catholic schools which remain passive or indifferent to social concerns. No wonder the graduates of these schools are also passive and indifferent. Indeed, most Catholic schools are mere learning institutions. Students who belong to affluent families are generally the ones who have access to these schools. Thus, the schools become “exclusive” in the real sense of the word, violating in the process Christ’s command for all his disciples to “preach the good news to all nations.”

The Catholic Church promotes “preferential option for the poor.” Therefore, Catholic schools should not be blind to the needs of the poor and the marginalized in society. They should defend the poor against unscrupulous leaders, and educate all in the ways of truth and the saving grace of the Gospel.

—REGINALD B. TAMAYO, member, Sangguniang Bayan, Aparri, Cagayan

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