The lively class discussion was about gay marriage. And it took place at Immaculata High鈥攜es, a Catholic school.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 see why the church can鈥檛 change its views; it鈥檚 like a pride issue,鈥� argued Dylan Matheson, a 17-year-old senior. 鈥淢aybe when the pope gets de-popified.鈥�
鈥淵ou mean dies,鈥� said 43-year-old Thomas Aquinas Conklin. He flicked on the fluorescent lights to brighten the room. Outside, a cold drizzle leaked from a slate-colored sky. It was Friday morning, December 10, a week before Christmas break and months before John Paul II would become deathly ill. 鈥淚 think this pope acts on what he truly believes,鈥� Conklin continued. 鈥淩emember, the church is very conservative and wants to be sure about changes.鈥�
鈥淚 understand the church is trying to protect the structure of the family,鈥� conceded 16-year-old Allegra Heney, who plans to major in political science after she graduates. 鈥淏ut as society has evolved over the last 50 years, don鈥檛 you think religion should be accommodating?鈥�
鈥淭he practical definition [of marriage] has changed,鈥� Conklin agreed. 鈥淜eep in mind: We don鈥檛 have to argue the Catholic position here, but we have to make sure we know it.鈥�
Because this was a philosophy class (which qualifies as the required 12th grade religion credit at Immaculata), it鈥檚 possible this discussion could have taken place in other Catholic high schools. But what makes the grades 7-12 Immaculata different is that it鈥檚 located in Ottawa, where parochial education has been publicly funded since Canada was founded in 1867.
In Ontario, funding is never a problem for Catholic schools and the curriculum promotes tolerance and civic values.
That鈥檚 not the case everywhere in the country, which espouses religious tolerance but lacks the formal separation of church and state rooted in the U.S. Bill of Rights. Each province鈥攖he equivalent of a state in the United States鈥攊s free to configure its own educational system. Some, like Ontario (Ottawa鈥檚 province), fund Catholic schools; elsewhere, it鈥檚 Protestant and Jewish schools, among others. Half of Canada鈥檚 10 provinces support only nonreligious public systems.
Which is the way it鈥檚 done in the United States, of course. Roughly 8,000 Catholic schools serve 2.5 million American students, according to the National Catholic Education Association. But they must charge tuition and engage in extensive fund raising to survive, and they constantly face the possibility of closing, as 22 Catholic schools in Brooklyn, New York, discovered in February, when the diocese announced they鈥檇 cease operations in June.
While closings are never desirable, there鈥檚 traditionally been no public funding source for parochial schools in the United States. 鈥淎s a matter of conscience, we shouldn鈥檛 tax people to support the religious beliefs of others,鈥� says Judith Schaeffer, deputy legal director of People for the American Way, a progressive advocacy foundation. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e Jewish or non-Christian, for example, you shouldn鈥檛 have to fund people getting a Christian education.鈥�
Ironically, in recent years, the most vulnerable Catholic schools鈥攖hose in inner city areas鈥攈ave been promoted as models for education reform because of their emphasis on academic basics in a disciplined environment. As a result, they鈥檙e considered cost-effective alternatives for many voucher students, both Catholic and non-Catholic.
But the church-state issue continues to be an explosive one in the United States. Every Christmastime, for example, newspapers are filled with stories about public schools not allowing Christian-themed music to be performed on their stages鈥攁nd about the lawsuits that ensue. It seems an unbridgeable divide, one that also exists in those Canadian public schools that are nonreligious. So it鈥檚 worth taking a look at the Ontario system (and Immaculata High, in particular), where funding is never a problem for Catholic schools and the curriculum promotes tolerance and civic values.
First, it鈥檚 only fair to mention that Ontario鈥檚 Catholic schools don鈥檛 admit non-Catholic students until 9th grade. Currently, 32 percent of the province鈥檚 2.1 million preK-12 students attend fully funded Catholic schools, according to Linda Nicolson, a spokeswoman for the Ontario Ministry of Education. Thomas D鈥橝mico, principal at Immaculata High, says 20 percent of his school鈥檚 students are non-Catholic.
In Conklin鈥檚 philosophy class, this mix had an impact on the discussion about marriage and family. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 think of anything more important than bringing a life into the world,鈥� said Conklin, who constantly moves his hands as he speaks. His 23 students sat at tables that formed a rectangle around their theatrical teacher. 鈥淭he church wants to ensure that parents make this decision powerfully,鈥� he told them.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 understand why two men or two women couldn鈥檛 make such a thoughtful decision,鈥� said Allegra, a non-Catholic student dressed, like the other girls, in a white blouse and gray-and-blue skirt.
鈥淎bsolutely they could,鈥� Conklin said, 鈥渂ut this gets back to the definition of 鈥榤arriage.鈥� 鈥�
Conklin had initiated the discussion because one day earlier, the Supreme Court of Canada had handed down a decision declaring same-sex marriage constitutional. Gay marriages were already being performed in six of Canada鈥檚 provinces鈥攊ncluding Ontario鈥攁nd one of its three territories.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 the joining of two people to make a family,鈥� said Thomas Sullivan, an aspiring pharmacist, reflecting the traditional view.
Several students concurred with Thomas. 鈥淚f procreation were intended for both [heterosexuals and homosexuals], then gay marriage would be OK,鈥� reasoned Rafik Rady Ateya, an Egyptian-born Catholic. 鈥淏ut as we can see, it was only intended for one.鈥�
鈥淭his comes back to the two basic approaches in philosophy,鈥� said Conklin. 鈥淚s there an objective idea of marriage, or do we construct a definition from observation?鈥�
鈥淗ey, I鈥檝e been here almost three years, and I鈥檓 open to it,鈥� Kenyan-born George Wanjohi said in a baritone voice. He then quickly added: 鈥淏ut I鈥檓 not gay, of course. As a collectivist, if it makes them happy, it makes me happy.鈥�
Similar discussions could well be happening today across Ontario, where a philosophy curriculum was instituted in 1994 and is now taught to about 28,000 students at 290 public high schools, both secular and Catholic, according to Ken Peglar, president of the Ontario Philosophy Teachers鈥� Association. It鈥檚 perhaps remarkable that Catholic schools allow the course; the textbook covers the entire range of modern philosophies that challenge religious belief. But a free exchange of ideas apparently is more important than dogma in Ontario.
鈥淥pen-mindedness requires reviewing the evidence and continuing to question, but [that doesn鈥檛 mean] one doesn鈥檛 hold a view,鈥� says John Peter Portelli, a professor at the University of Toronto鈥檚 Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. 鈥淟ike the Catholic [schools], public schools aren鈥檛 neutral. The question is whether the ideological framework hinders open argument.鈥�
Because Catholic schools are part of a provincewide standardized system, the approach is consistent across Ontario. American Catholic schools, however, are part of regional dioceses run either by a religious order or a lay board of trustees; so tolerance of points of view diametrically opposed to the church鈥檚 varies depending on the view of those in charge and the makeup of the student body, which might include a significant number of non-Catholics.
Surprisingly unsurprised at their outspoken teacher, the students listened serenely as Conklin concluded, 'I can鈥檛 see Jesus speaking out against gays or gay marriage.'
Teaching philosophy at a Catholic school allows Conklin a distinct advantage. After encouraging his students to follow all possible logical twists in an issue and explore the full extent of secular thinking, he can pull back and add his own faith-based perspective, which, he points out, wouldn鈥檛 be tolerated at a public school.
Back in December, he gestured toward the blackboard, where he鈥檇 written the letters 鈥淲WJD.鈥� 鈥淚 hate to get corny, and this is more of a Protestant thing, but it works here,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hat would Jesus do?鈥�
With his neat haircut, dark-rimmed glasses, and handsome features, Conklin could pass for a televangelist. But he鈥檚 nothing like the devout, ruler-wielding sisters, brothers, and priests who staffed Catholic schools until the 1970s. They鈥檝e almost entirely disappeared from the education scene in both Canada and the United States.
Surprisingly unsurprised at their outspoken teacher, the students listened serenely as Conklin concluded, 鈥淚 can鈥檛 see Jesus speaking out against gays or gay marriage.鈥�
Despite differing with the church鈥檚 official position, Conklin doesn鈥檛 fear being censured for his remarks. Unlike most of their American counterparts, Catholic school teachers in Canada are represented by a powerful union under the same umbrella as their public school peers. Written into Conklin鈥檚 collective bargaining agreement, however, is the requirement to support Catholic teachings and, with few exceptions, practice the faith.
鈥淭eachers need to be sensitive regarding how to talk about issues in the classroom,鈥� says Linus Shea, a chapter president of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association. 鈥淎 teacher can鈥檛 denounce church teachings, but discussion is encouraged as long as the Catholic position is brought forward in the debate.鈥�
What would be expected at a Catholic school is apparent at Immaculata High: crucifixes in the classrooms, nativity scenes at Christmas, and other religious symbols throughout the building. The school day begins with a prayer and, if appropriate, what Sister Shelley Lawrence, the school chaplain and only member of a religious order on campus,calls 鈥渋ndividual class celebrations.鈥� She says, for example, that students 鈥渨rote and choreographed a blessing ceremony for a teacher going on maternity leave.鈥�
鈥淏ut since so many of our kids aren鈥檛 even Christian, let alone Catholic,鈥� she adds, 鈥渙ur Catholic identity is focused on community: what we do together based on gospel values through social-justice activities, for the most part.鈥�
One group of students, she says, has been raising money to help the Grey Sisters鈥攎embers of the order that founded Immaculata in 1928鈥攊n the Dominican Republic with facilities they鈥檝e built for the poor. And during spring break, students volunteered at medical clinics, a women鈥檚 center, and a seniors home.
The social-justice tradition evolved in Catholic schools throughout North America in the wake of the Second Vatican Council, the gathering of bishops and cardinals in Rome in the early to mid-1960s that modernized the church and put emphasis on aiding the poor. Conklin was steeped in this new outlook while attending parochial school in Ottawa. 鈥淎s an upper-middle-class kid鈥攎y father was a doctor and my mother a nurse鈥擨 wanted to be a lawyer and maybe go into politics,鈥� he says. But as a senior at Queen鈥檚 University in Kingston, Ontario, Conklin realized he really wanted to help people in need. He completed a master鈥檚 degree in psychopedagogy at the University of Ottawa and taught for three years in Botswana, where he found his calling. Since then, he鈥檚 taught history, geography, and religion at Catholic schools in Ottawa. He鈥檚 now in his ninth year at Immaculata, and he鈥檚 completing an EdD in curriculum studies at the University of Toronto.
Although Conklin chose not to go the lawyer or doctor route, making a decent living became increasingly important after marrying another school teacher and having a son, now 8 years old. Fortunately, all of Ontario鈥檚 teachers receive the same pay and benefits, which compare favorably, when considering cost-of-living adjustments, with those of American big-city public school districts. Starting pay is the equivalent of $33,000 in the United States, the maximum about $62,000, according to Shea.
Conklin says he would have left the Catholic school system after a few years if it were not publicly funded. Ironically, this financial arrangement has eliminated interest in comparing outcomes between Catholic and secular public schools across Canada, according to Heather McLachlan, public affairs officer at the Alberta education ministry. After accounting for demographics, she says, it鈥檚 always been assumed that the two systems performed equally well. Instead, the emphasis is more on improving individual schools.
One thing鈥檚 for sure: Canadian students outperform their American counterparts by a significant margin. The Programme for International Student Assessment tests 15-year-olds in math, science, reading, and problem-solving. In 2003, in reading, Canada came in 3rd and the United States 18th out of 40 nations, and in math, the two countries ranked 7th and 28th, respectively.
As in the United States, Canadian Catholic schools sometimes offer an advantage in retaining at-risk students. With about half the 9thgrade class qualifying as economically disadvantaged, Immaculata is designated an inner city school. There鈥檚 a diverse ethnic and racial student body, with many students from immigrant families. About a quarter of Immaculata鈥檚 students are identified by principal D鈥橝mico as needing extra attention. The sense of belonging, fostered by 鈥渢he Catholic values that permeate school culture,鈥� he says, keeps Immaculata鈥檚 dropout rate at 3 percent, on par with more affluent schools.
The challenge of inspiring young minds, however, is certainly aided by the physical plant, which by virtue of government moneys would be the envy of Catholic schools across America. Immaculata鈥檚 1,000-plus students enjoy two gyms, six computer rooms with 300 computers, a music room, two art rooms, two drama rooms, and a spacious library, among other facilities.
Still, the fiscal stability that Ontario鈥檚 Catholic schools enjoy will eventually collapse if Catholics continue to drift away from the faith. As in the United States, church attendance has declined significantly in recent decades. In fact, government funding for Catholic schools was withdrawn in Quebec and Newfoundland during the past decade without encountering determined opposition.
This loss of faith is preventable, according to Conklin. 鈥淥ne problem in the church is, we tell young people what to believe, and at some point they鈥檙e going to question it,鈥� he explains. But the philosophy classes offered at Catholic schools like Conklin鈥檚 give students 鈥渢he opportunity to do it in a logical way with someone who believes,鈥� he says. 鈥淣o matter how much they turn faith inside out, they鈥檒l find God if he鈥檚 there. Or whatever they come away believing will have a powerful foundation because they won鈥檛 be satisfied with apathy or glib materialism.鈥�
What if life has no meaning and 鈥楪od鈥� is just an excuse?鈥� Allegra suggested back in December. This particular class was the culmination of a weeklong examination of 鈥渢he meaning of life.鈥�
Conklin acknowledged the possibility by saying 鈥淎bsolutely.鈥� His primary goal as philosophy instructor, he says, is to train his students to think methodically, to follow Albert Einstein鈥檚 dictum: 鈥淚 want to know God鈥檚 thoughts; the rest are details.鈥� As Conklin constantly sounds three of philosophy鈥檚 main themes鈥攎etaphysics, ethics, and epistemology鈥攈e drives his students, via questioning and logic, toward 鈥渢he idea that there鈥檚 order at the heart of the universe whether or not you believe in God.鈥�
鈥淢aybe it鈥檚 an unconscious thing?鈥� Allegra continued. 鈥淟ike, since there鈥檚 really nothing else, we invented religion.鈥�
One thing鈥檚 for sure: Canadian students outperform their American counterparts by a significant margin.
鈥淲hat you鈥檙e saying is that we might create the idea of human nature and God to conceal the void,鈥� Conklin suggested. He then connected Allegra鈥檚 hypothesis to one of the major subjects on the philosophy curriculum, saying, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 nihilism.鈥�
Unlike most of her classmates, Allegra doesn鈥檛 believe in God. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 have any faith or find comfort in it, and my family鈥檚 not religious,鈥� she said later, after class. In choosing Immaculata in 9th grade, she exercised one option out of many in the public system, no more remarkable in Canada鈥檚 culture than deciding to go to an arts-oriented high school. 鈥淚t was an education thing since religion was taboo at my public school and you can鈥檛 really understand history or literature without learning about it,鈥� Allegra said. Since enrolling, she鈥檚 learned about Catholicism and other world religions.
This is all Conklin can really ask. Moments where students express deep insight, especially when it runs counter to their upbringing, provide his highest reward as a teacher. And it was obvious, outside of class, just how much they value his course.
鈥淧hilosophy questioned the biggest assumptions in my life, and I was very confused at first,鈥� said Ruth Lobo, whose background contrasts starkly with Allegra鈥檚. Ruth was born in India, then grew up in Canada in a traditional Catholic family. 鈥淏ut then I realized, it鈥檚 time to open up my mind and discover what I really believe rather than what my parents told me.鈥�
鈥淚 don鈥檛 follow the Almighty God thing anymore,鈥� confessed Kenyan-born Catherine Nabulime, who wants to become a neonatologist and return to Africa with Doctors Without Borders. 鈥淕od isn鈥檛 something out there disconnected from humanity, like I used to believe, but a part of our conscience.鈥�
鈥淢r. Conklin lets us struggle instead of giving solutions,鈥� Ruth said. 鈥淚n other classes, we regurgitate facts or theorems on tests to get good grades. Instead, he guides us to answers we鈥檒l remember because we came to them on our own.鈥�
But Conklin himself sees value in pursuing these answers in a Catholic school environment. 鈥淚f education is about preparing students for life, we need philosophy and religion as much as math since they give young people a foundation,鈥� he explained. 鈥淲hether we bring Catholicism or Hinduism or Buddhism into the discussion, religion provides insights into the issues students are deeply concerned about.鈥�
