When 16-year-old Emma Houle was nominated homecoming princess at their school’s rally in early October, their classmates cheered in the stands. Some said they cried. Houle, who identifies as a gender fluid queer person and uses they/them pronouns, pulled out a large pride flag from their ivory pant suit and cloaked it over their shoulders.
They were likely the first openly queer person to be nominated homecoming princess at St. Francis High School, an all-girls Catholic school in Sacramento. But days later, Houle said they were warned by school administrators that any other public display of being gay would result in disciplinary action.
Katharine Smith, Houle’s mom, who was at that meeting, said she let Houle and administrators do most of the talking, but jumped in when the conversation became tense, and especially when she felt her child’s sexuality was questioned. School administrators confirmed Houle waved the flag at the rally, but would not discuss warnings given to Houle because they “cannot comment specifically on student conduct,” said Tina Tedesco, the school’s communication director.
“They want to empower young women to change the world, but then they say, ‘Well they are minors, they don’t have the power to decide right now (if they are gay),’” said Smith. “That’s a poor display of leadership to say minors can’t make decisions on their own about their beliefs and sexuality.”
School administrators said the school has long accepted gay and lesbian students. “I can tell you we have openly gay and lesbian students on campus, and we have a code of conduct that all parents agree to,” Tedesco said.
This wasn’t the first time Houle said they had experienced pushback from St. Francis school administrators on issues pertaining to students who identify as LGBTQ. When Houle and several friends tried to create a Gay and Straight Alliance club, St. Francis administrators did not approve the idea, pointing to an already existing group that serves LGBTQ students on campus: Inclusion 360.
The problem, Houle said, is that Inclusion 360 is a ministry, not a school club. Inclusion 360 allows gay, lesbian, queer students and their allies to gather on campus. But students say it isn’t advertised as a school club. “(Inclusion 360) are not involved in the school press, we aren’t on the school website or magazines, or anything else,” Houle said.
Smith said it makes the students, including Houle, feel hidden. “Why do they have to be ministered to?” she asked. “It makes them feel subjugated and marginalized….”
Other Catholic high schools in the region have clubs that support LGBTQ students. Christian Brothers High School has a Pride club. Jesuit High School has an All Love Alliance, stating that “The Catechism of the Catholic Church reaffirms the Church’s call to treat members of the LGBTQIA+ community with respect, compassion, and sensitivity, which the ALA aims to advocate for at Jesuit….”
The above comes from an Oct. 13 story in the Sacramento Bee.
There is always some group in conflict with the school administration.
In my day, it was where we could smoke cigarettes on campus.
It didn’t make the newspaper.
All the kids at my high school were outraged when the streaker got suspended.
What did I tell you on the post the other day. CCD editors throwing red meat to the crowd once again.
YFC, this is not throwing meat to the crowd. It is sharing a bit piece of the great tragedy of our day — the loss of Christian sexual ethics at our Catholic schools and among our Catholic youth. At the heart of these ethics lies the virtues of chastity, purity and self-control, as well as ethics implied in God’s design for marriage. Also displayed are the attitudes of the parents as in Katharine Smith, who gives us “That’s a poor display of leadership to say minors can’t make decisions on their own about their beliefs and sexuality.” It is true that minors will make these decisions, but where/what is the spiritual formation of these minors so that they can make decisions pleasing to our Lord? Is not that which is most important here? Why do I read a Emma Houle’s question: “Why do they have to be ministered to?”[ she asked]. “It makes them feel subjugated and marginalized….” Everyone needs to be ministered to, because everyone needs formation in Godly living. If Emma Houle does not understand that, she has bigger problems than she knows. All in all, a very sad read to this reader. There are no winners here, least of all Emma Houle.
No YFC you just want this ignored or better yet ignored….
ironically, bohemond, it was stolen from a MSM paper owned by a gay guy.
YFC, the article is pro-LGBTQ. Maybe the editors are trying to be supportive.
There have always been a lot of pro-LGBTQ articles on this website.
People have complained about it for years.
You see it as throwing red meat to the crowd.
Others see it as showing them a problem they need to pray for.
I just take it at face value.
God must really want Catholic schools to be corrupt. He doesn’t do anything to fix things.
She.
YFC, the original report came from the Sacramento Bee. The editors of CCD don’t have that type of power. If there is “red meat” to be published, it is because Satan is working overtime with the LGBT agenda.
Where I live, the newspaper would not do this to a teenager.
This poor little girl. What kind of parents does she have? What kind of school is this? I hear there is a revival coming. May God clean His House first. Lord, bring repentence.
And pour out your Holy Spirit on us.
Sounds like the dad is out of the picture
During the Cold War, I had a parent who got mad at my grade school for being Communist. At least it didn’t get in the paper.
What kind of garbage are they teaching at these “Catholic” high school? God decides what sex you are at birth, not a teenager who “feels” different about it.
Enough of this rubbish day in and day out it’s he, she, it, we, her, him, they, them, LGBTQRSTUVWXYZ, pushing this nonsense every day. And these are NOT Catholic schools any longer.
Fine. Let them speak latin all day and pray to romulus instead.