AMERICA/ARGENTINA - Archbishop of La Plata: new subject, “Building Citizenship,” is “a dangerous instrument of indoctrination and politicization of adolescents, with no reference to the integral concept of the human person and the ethical nature of his activity”

Monday, 3 March 2008

Buenos Aires (Agenzia Fides) - Archbishop Hector Aguer, of Plata, recently warned faithful of the dangers of a new subject that is trying to be introduced in schools, called, “Building Citizenship,” similar to the “Education for Citizenship” being imposed in Spain. According to the Archbishop of La Plata, “it uses a new wording and vocabulary in expressing human knowledge, leaving no room for the truth; there is no question pertaining to ‘What is truth?’” The intention is to change the vocabulary of educational materials, the Archbishop said, “and thereby change the teachers’ thought, and through them, the students’ thought, and ultimately, produce a change in society.”
With this new subject, there is an intent to “cause a transformation in the education system and, through it, in society.” The official proposal is “submit the school to a transformation process with ideological tint, violating the nature of knowledge and altering the student-teacher relationship.” In itself, the project is profoundly atheist, “because it intents to alter the relationship of human intelligence to reality, changing the very definition of man himself, in such a way that he no longer recognizes himself as creature nor the world as creation.” “It is a dangerous instrument of indoctrination and politicization of adolescents, with no reference to the integral concept of the human person and the ethical nature of his activity”, the Archbishop added.
He warns those in leadership positions in the Catholic schools of the Province, of the important need for “carefully examining these basic documents, as well as the curriculum plans, so as to judge for themselves whether or not these principles are acceptable in a Catholic school system, whose primary function is to evangelize.” Archbishop Aguer says that this material, “is not really educational “material,” in the traditional sense of the word, but rather “a construction.” Furthermore, “if the teacher resists this ideological manipulation, it can be assured that they put their academic freedom on the line.”
Another important issue introduced in the new educational material, is the ideology of gender, “adopted as an attempt to erase the natural human distinction between masculinity and femininity. Instead, the roles and responsibilities of men and women is determined by society, ‘constructed’ or imposed by the culture and not as a result of the biological, psychological, sentimental, and spiritual differences between men and women.” And sexuality is presented as “an absolute in itself, without any reference to love or responsibility.”
According to the Archbishop, this issue is of utmost importance right now, as “what is at stake is the fate of millions of children, who attend public schools and by Baptism are members of the Church, and therefore, are also “under our pastoral care.” Furthermore, “the future of society in Argentina, the future of the Nation, is at stake.” All these issues require that “we dedicate ourselves to developing a critical evaluation of the new contents with maximum objectivity and coherence,” Archbishop Aguer concluded. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 3/3/2008; righe 40, parole 485)


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