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Bonus Pastor Catholic College: The story so far...

Early March 2011: We met with the Head Mistress of Bonus Pastor and the Chair of Governors to let them see the material that was being shown to children in the RE lessons. At the time, the Chair of Governors looked shocked and asked the Head Mistress whether she was aware this material was being used.

Mid March 2011: Two weeks later we received a letter from the school, (see letter School’s Response to Parents) which openly says that the school defends the material being used during their RE lessons.

Late March 2011: We approached the Commission for Schools and Colleges. They would not even look at all the material as they found it so distasteful and felt the material was not appropriate for the school. They asked us to leave it with them and they would see what they could do.

Early June 2011: We waited several months and heard nothing from the Commission for Schools and Colleges or the school itself. We then wrote to the Archbishop of Southwark and sent him a DVD of the material in question. He wrote back to say that he’d see what he could do.

Despite the best efforts of the Archbishop and the Commission for Schools and Colleges, the school remained in their position defending the material. It soon became apparent that nothing could effectively be done by the Commission for Schools and Colleges or the Archbishop, and that the school itself would have to make the decision to remove the material. It was also apparent that most parents in the school were completely unaware about this material, so we decided that the first step had to be to inform other parents at the school.

Beginning October 2011: We informed the Commission for Schools and Colleges that we would publish a website with the explicit material. We received a phone call from the Commission for Schools and Colleges telling us to wait and that they would try to speak to the school again. However, we have heard nothing to date.

1st November 2011: This website went live and we informed all the governors of this (see letter Parents Letter to ALL THE Governors of Bonus Pastor School), asking them to consider the damage it does to our children.

3rd November 2011: We distributed leaflets (see Leaflet) to parents and children after school.

This Letter from Head teacher was sent to all Parents

4th November 2011

Dear Parents and Carers,

You may have heard from your child, that yesterday at the end of the school day, some leaflets saying derogatory things about the school and the RE Department were being distributed to students as they went home. Please be assured that the matter has been dealt with by the police.

You may have also heard that a website has been set up about the College and in particular, resources used in RE lessons.

For security reasons we advise you not to access the website as we believe that it could compromise your email account.

Yours faithfully

Mrs Ruth Holden - Principal Mrs Pat Barber - Chair of Governors

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The website 'could compromise your email account' - Interesting?

They boast to be a 'A Maths & Computing Specialist College,' I wonder where they got their computing degrees from?

The Catholic Herald - 18th November 2011
Ben Trovato blog - Counterculture Father

This is a very interesting story by Ben Trovato, the school his children attend have proposed using the ‘Keeping Mum’ video, Ben wrote to the school, which can be seen here:

Here we go again!

The school responded promptly and have understood Ben’s concern:

School responds

I might add this is a non-faith school, what does that say about Bonus Pastor, who strongly defend their use of this material and feel concern from parents is unfounded!

... and the story continues...

Under the title 'Day of reckoning,' we see in Ben’s blog an affirmation by this school to seriously consider the use of this type of material:

Day of reckoning

Have a look at the Bonus Pastor Exposed website & blog

Have a look at the Bonus Pastor Exposed website to view the material the school is using in their RE lessons to teach 14 year olds

Bonus Pastor Exposed Website

Have a look at other people’s comments regarding the material being used at Bonus Pastor Catholic College:

Bonus Pastor Exposed Blog

The hermeneutic of continuity blog

A snippet taken from The hermeneutic of continuity blog, please read the full story.

"It is perhaps unfortunate for Bonus Pastor College that it has been singled out. As a priest I have heard many similar stories from other Catholic schools and colleges though usually those who complain do not wish to be in the public eye, and do not gather materials and correspondence in the way that this family has. If they complain to the Governors or the Diocesan school authorities, they are fobbed off with excuses and nothing is done.

Catholic parents who complain about such materials are often demonised and the controversy is presented in terms of them being the problem. This is a grave injustice. Parents who send their children to a Catholic school should be able to presume that they will not be exposed in class to videos such as this, and that they will not be left to form their own views about moral questions without a clear presentation of the moral teaching of the Catholic Church as truth and not just one view among many.

The Values Clarification approach (with the self-serving “let me play devil’s advocate” ploy) has done immense damage both in the Church and in society. Catholic schools should be in the vanguard of giving clear moral education since we are blessed with the magisterium to guide us in the teaching of Christ. If a syllabus recommends showing material like the videos above, it should be changed, or the Church should reject such a syllabus firmly and decisively"

Read the comments to this blog.

Fr Z's blog - RE Issues at Bonus Pastor Catholic College

Fr Z has been kind enough to support our plight in this matter:

Link to Fr Z's blog

Looking at some of the comments left on his blog, it sounds as if the USA are as shocked as we are in the UK:

"They are showing this stuff to 14 year olds? May God have mercy on them! I did not look at the sex one – I would not watch any thing with explicit sex anyway. The other two are not suitable for me to watch and I am 68 years old!!"

… and another one:

"How could anyone not possessed by a demon (or three) even manage to contrive a justification for showing this to anyone, much less children in a Catholic RE class?? What an onslaught of diabolical filth!"

Check out the 'Letters Sent to School' page

It looks like a number of people are outraged with the material the school is using during their RE lessons. There is a section on the ‘Bonus Pastor Exposed’ website for people to send letters to the school anonymously. Some of these letters – wow powerful stuff. I wouldn’t want to be in the head teacher's shoes. Why not have a read yourself:

Letters to Head Teacher

Catholic Truth Scotland

I thought this was an interesting vote carried out by Catholic Truth's Website, after they had caught wind of this story.

It looks like it is the general consensus that to protect our children from ‘vice in lessons,’ the Catholic parent should homeschool. I think we live in a sad world when we have to pull our children out of Catholic schools so they are not exposed to explicit materials and ideas against the Catholic Church’s teaching.

The Remnant says "UK 'Catholic' School Needs to be Shut Down!"

The Remnant uses strong words in relation to the content being shown at Bonus Pastor Catholic School:

"UK 'Catholic' School Needs to be Shut Down!"

We’ll keep you updated on any articles they publish.

You can find a link to their website below:

The Remnant Online

The Tablet - 19th November 2011
'Catholic and Loving it' blog

I don't know if you are familiar with the story of Bonus Pastor Catholic College in Lewisham? Parents are so concerned and upset about the content of RE lessons at the school that they have built a website about it - Bonus Pastor Exposed

Catholic and Loving it - Bonus Pastor Catholic College Overreacting?