do you think baccalaureate mass is acceptable for public schools?

[RobertPlant]

I'm from Des Moines and none of the area public high schools had one except for Waukee, which is in the exurban part of the area. I'm not really sure what to think. It seems harmless but I'm not sure if it is encroaching on C & S lines. What do you think?

[Kerrytravelers]

1. Are you talking about the International Baccalaureate program?

If you are, yes, IB is a fine educational program that has students thinking in a cross-curriculum fashion.

[RobertPlant]

2. no i'm talking about a mass to end the school year

as in a god themed mass

[aquart]

4. Are you out of your fucking mind?

What loathesome crap are you trying to push?

[Kerrytravelers]

7. Are taxpayers paying for this? Then absolutely not.

If it's private, then it's not my problem.

[woodsprite]

13. Ours was multi-denominational and you weren't required to go.

I see no problem with that. There is a problem when students are required AND/OR it's one denomination over another.

[Lyric]

14. No, there's a problem when taxpayer money is being used in promotion of religion

as opposed to non-religion. Did they hold a similar function with a proportionate amount of money and effort spent on it WITHOUT all the mumbo jumbo for students who are not believers?

[Cleita]

17. Actually using taxpayer's money for anything religious should be

considered unconstitutional as in separation of church and state, another one of our Constitutional mandates that no one is paying attention to these days.

[woodsprite]

23. We had 2 sessions - the religious one and one non-religious.

The only difference was that the non-religious one was a required attendance. The religious one was also held off site at a local church, so I'm not sure if the school actually 'paid' anything for it or not.

[Berry Cool]

19. If it's multidenominational it's a "service," not a "mass."

"Mass" implies a Catholic service or something similar, specifically.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. This comes up every year here on DU

I believe it has also been challenged in court.

I would think that as long as participation is voluntary, it's not a problem.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Berry Cool]

20. "You Christians"? Who are you calling "you Christians"?

And why are you blanket-accusing Christians of not being able to pray in secret? Or of being unable to "do one damn thing without the promise of a big fat payoff"?

[Blue_In_AK]

5. We had one in 1964 when I graduated.

It didn't kill me. I just ignored it.

[MineralMan]

6. Was this mass held at the school?

Or was it held in a local Catholic church?

[Oregone]

18. Mine was held at a public middle school so long ago

Maybe the high school gym was in use or something

[RainDog]

8. No, I don't think it's acceptable

because it forces those who do not hold this belief system (and who may find it repugnant for its sexism, etc.) to participate and validate such beliefs.

seems it would be a simple thing to hold a mass at a nearby parish and anyone who wanted to could attend.

why do the religious continuously think it's okay for them to force their beliefs through such actions upon others? isn't that the height of hubris and thus anti-christian?

[Recursion]

10. I think a voluntary mass/service isn't worth worrying about

Yes, there's probably public money going to it indirectly. At some point you have to pick your battles, though.

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. yes

I get tired of this debate every year. Don't believe in it? Then don't go. Seems simple enough.

For the record, I wouldn't go since I think it's silly.

[Catshrink]

11. Our district has one that is voluntary and held at a nearby church.

I've never gone, as I said it's voluntary.

[Book Lover]

15. Mass or some generic Christian service?

Neither is acceptable, but I'm interested in the clarification. Thanks.

[OneGrassRoot]

16. I'm just learning of this myself...near Raleigh, NC

My daughter is a junior but has many senior friends and is attending various graduation-related activities. When I learned of a religious service -- being held at a huge Baptist church -- I nearly blew a gasket.

If it's a voluntary religious service, at the very least it should be held at a Unitarian Church where even atheists attend, not a particular denomination. I asked one of my daughter's Jewish friends how she felt about it, and she said she wouldn't be attending.

I think that's so sad that they have created an event meant for ALL graduates, yet only those who are Christian can truly feel comfortable doing so.

This type of religious encroachment in the schools is prevalent here but it never ceases to make my blood pressure skyrocket.

:(

[darkstar3]

21. Absolutely not.

Never have, never will. Ours was required in order for you to "walk" back when I graduated, so combining the fact that it's a school hosted religious function with the fact that it was required was downright against the law.

[TexasObserver]

22. No, but I'd be up for a perp walk of priests to celebrate the occasion.

Just the guilty ones and those who hid them, of course.