USCCB . . . Takes Hard Line On Child Safety Programs

by Paul Likoudis

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Office of Child and Youth Protection has sent a four-page memo to all U.S. dioceses, signed by the office’s director Teresa Kettlekamp, declaring that “all children must receive arch/diocesan/eparchial safe environment training” lest the diocese fall into “noncompliance” status.

While parental opposition to mandatory “child safety” programs has been growing around the country, and even priests are balking at the time and expense of instituting these programs, the bishops’ bureaucrat takes a hard line against recalcitrant parents and priests.

In her letter, Kettlekamp declares:

“Some arch/dioceses/eparchies have been using a form of safe environment training for children that is not acceptable.

“. . . any such training programs for children which are totally left to the parents and are not conducted as a regular part of a school or religious education program, curriculum or classroom work and overseen by the arch/diocese/eparchy will not satisfy the requirements of Article 12 of the Charter. This will result in the issuing of a Required Action to the arch/diocese/eparchy to provide safe environment training to children as required under Article 12. Not to do so will be considered noncompliance.

“All children must receive arch/diocesan/eparchial safe environment training. The only exception to this requirement is for the public school religion students who receive safe environment training as part of their regular public school curriculum.

“A parent can refuse to allow their child to participate in the arch/diocesan/eparchial, but this must be done on a case-by-case basis, and four conditions must be met. These conditions are:

“Arch/diocesan/eparchial training must be offered to the child.

“Arch/diocesan/eparchial safe environment materials must be provided to the parents for the safe environment training of their child.

“The parent must specifically state in writing: 1) that safe environment training was offered to their child, 2) that they refused to allow their children to participate in this training, and 3) that they have received safe environment training materials for their child.

“This document must be maintained by the arch/diocese/eparchy to ensure full accountability concerning the safe environment training of every child.

“Some have argued that since the parents are the primary educators of their children, they should decide whether and how their children should receive such sensitive information. Both I and the Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People agree that parents are to be the primary educators of their children and have the right to refuse the safe environment training by the Church.

“It is a sad fact today that some parents are unable or unwilling to provide the educational support essential for the safety of their children. Moreover, there is the tragic reality that child and sexual abuse oftentimes takes place in the home. The full cooperation of all the parents in the training offered by the Church sends a strong message that all adults are responsible for the safety of our children and that we as adults are committed to seeing that every child receives age-appropriate information for their protection.

“I also take this occasion to dispel an unfortunate misunderstanding and characterization of safe environment training. Since its mandate was the result of the clergy sexual abuse crisis, some have incorrectly concluded that this training is sex education training; it is not.”

Growing Criticism

One example of the growing reaction to “child safety” programs comes from the Diocese of Charleston, S.C., where even DREs are objecting.

In a recent letter to Bishop Robert Baker, members of the Piedmont Deanery Directors of Religious Education complained that the majority, 12 of 14 DREs, had not received the mandatory training to teach the VIRTUS program, that DREs “do not feel qualified to train the catechists to teach the children’s component, nor do we feel that the catechists are qualified to facilitate this program with the children.”

In fact, the DREs objected: “This is a very sensitive issue to cover. There are not counselors or health care professionals in place in the parishes to deal with issues that may arise as a result of this program. The upstate DREs unanimously feel that a better method of presenting this is to have parents teach their children at home using the VIRTUS materials. We suggest having a qualified instructor present the material to the parents at a training session, and the parents would then instruct their children in their homes.”

The DREs also objected that the “timeline for completing the children’s component is unrealistic for most parishes.”

Finally, the DREs objected to a requirement that children who opt out of the program have their names turned into — where?

As the DREs wrote: “What is the reason for the disclosure of those names and to whom will this information be provided?”

As an indication of the growing controversy surrounding VIRTUS, and parental opposition, Bishop Baker revised the VIRTUS program that he bought for the diocese.

On September 6, the bishop sent a letter to his priests, deacons, administrators, parish life facilitators, principles, and DREs acknowledging:

“Concerns have been expressed about the appropriateness of a component of the children’s portion of the VIRTUS program. In particular, some have felt that the optional third lesson for the kindergarten thru second grade students, which that deals with proper identification of body parts, is inappropriate for a Church sponsored program. In light of these concerns we have made the following decisions:

“The optional third lesson for the kindergarten thru second grade students will be eliminated from the curriculum for both Catholic Schools and CCD students. We are removing this component from the program pending further study. In addition, we are looking at other options to help parents educate their children in their homes in regard to these matters.

“The other lessons of the program are still to be offered, as previously noted. Care should be taken to inform all parents of the content of these lessons and their rights to decide whether their children will participate. For those parents who choose against their children participating an ‘opt out’ form will be required, to be kept for one year in the parish office.

“The Diocese of Charleston continues its commitment to do everything possible to protect our children from harm and to assist parents in ensuring the safety and innocence of their childhood years.

“Sincerely yours in Christ,” etc.

The bishop’s letter followed an earlier letter from Fr. Titus Fulcher, director of the diocese’s child safety program, in which he explained to the same categories of individuals:

“There appears to have been some confusion and much misunderstanding concerning the VIRTUS program for CCD and Catholic School children. This confusion has related to timing, deadlines for completion, and responsibility and choices for disseminating the content of the program. To clarify the issues and ease the hearts of the disconcerted, please be alerted to the following:

“1) We are required by the USCCB to offer a child protection program to all of our young people because the state of South Carolina does not offer such a program in its public schools. Thus, the CCD children must be offered VIRTUS as well as the Catholic School children.

“2) The option always lies with the parents as to whether or not their children participate in the program. While every parish, mission, or community of faith that has any regular activity for youngsters under the age of eighteen (18) must offer VIRTUS, the parents always have the right to ‘opt out.’ All that is required is that they sign a form, to be kept on file in the parish office, indicating that they have chosen not to have their children participate.

“3) It is not required that CCD programs complete the VIRTUS program by the end of September. Nor is it actually required that VIRTUS be taught during CCD hours. The option always exists to offer the program on a different day, even using alternate facilitators to regular CCD teachers.

“4) What is required is that the VIRTUS program begin by the end of September, or early October. This can be as simple as sending an announcement to the parents that includes an overview of the program and the ‘opt out’ forms. Use the enclosed form to tally the numbers and return it to this office by 7 October 2005. The program itself should be completed by May 2006 at the latest.

“5) The Kindergarten through Second Grade component of the VIRTUS program includes two lessons and an optional third lesson. As with the other grade level components of VIRTUS, the parents are free to ‘opt out’ their children from participation.

“a. The third lesson, and again this is optional, concerns the correct terms for body parts. For a child to participate in this lesson the parents must specifically sign their children up for it (‘opt in’). Families who have not opted out of the VIRTUS program are not automatically expected to participate in the third lesson. The decision is left to the parents as to whether it is appropriate or not for their children to know the proper terms for their bodies. If they believe it is, they must specifically sign their children up for it.

“b. Should any pastor or administrator or parish life facilitator be convinced of impropriety in offering the optional third lesson for the K-2 age group, you are free to omit it from the program. At the same time, you are encouraged to show the complete set of materials to several parents of that age group for advise and counsel.

“c. The choice of activities for any of the VIRTUS lessons is just that: A choice. Facilitators are always free to adapt the activities to their particular group. Similarly, there is no obligation to use the saints associated with a given lesson.

“6) What is essential is that the preventative education content be offered in its entirety. This is not sex education; it is common sense information to help protect the children of the Church. As noted above, the choice of activities and other elements of the program always may be modified as deemed appropriate by the pastor and/or facilitator leading the program. And it is always the parents’ right and responsibility to choose whether their children participate in the program at all.

“The VIRTUS program is not perfect. However, this is the program chosen by our Bishop for use to help us accomplish the goals of a safe environment for our young people. Modifications to its administration may be made within reason, and we all hope that VIRTUS itself will have certain elements revised by next year. That being said, this is the program mandated by the Bishop for implementation this year.

“The Office of Child Protection welcomes any and all feedback concerning VIRTUS. We will forward concerns and suggestions to the VIRTUS office for use in their revision process toward the next edition. We are committed to do our best to help you, the pastors, administrators, and parish life facilitators, in carrying out the ministry to our children and families in providing a safe and Catholic Christian environment.”

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If any Wanderer readers would like to contact Teresa Kettlekamp, she can be reached at the following phone number, which she provided to the bishops in the letter cited above:

Direct number at the USCCB is: 202-541-5418.

Other staff members at the office are: Sheila Kelly, deputy director, 202-541-3411; Danna Palmer, executive assistant, 202-541-5413 (main line for the office); Gladys Smith, staff assistant, 202-541-3094 (direct line); fax number for the office: 202-541-5410.

Bishops’ “Child-Safety” Official Member Of Pro-Abort Lobby Teresa Kettlekamp, the U.S. bishops’ top official in the Office of Child and Youth Protection, serves on the board of advisers of the militantly pro-abortion Feminist Majority Foundation’s National Center for Women and Policing. Major priorities of the Feminist Majority, according to its web site, include: keeping abortion legal; promoting abortion worldwide; the “National Clinic Access Project, the largest national program tracking violence against abortion clinics and providers, NCAP produces Clinic Violence Surveys, and Anti-Abortion Violence Alerts”; promoting public campaigns in favor of RU 486 and “contraceptive research”; “Rock for Choice” concerts for youth; pro-abortion campaigns on college campuses; and much more. Col. Teresa Kettlekamp came to the Bishops’ Office of Child and Youth Protection after a career with the Illinois State Police, where she worked as the deputy director of the Illinois State Police Division of Forensic Services. The Feminist Majority Foundation’s president is Eleanor Smeal, the former president of the National Organization for Women. The Feminist Majority Foundation describes itself as “a cutting-edge organization dedicated to women’s equality, reproductive health, and nonviolence. “In all spheres, FMF utilizes research and action to empower women economically, socially, and politically. . . . “To carry out these aims, FMF engages in research and public policy development, public education programs, grassroots organizing projects, leadership training and development programs, and participates in and organizes forums on issues of women’s equality and empowerment. Our sister organization, the Feminist Majority, engages in lobbying and other direct political action, pursuing equality between women and men through legislative avenues.” Wanderer readers are urged to contact their bishops immediately to protest this outrage.

This item 6627 digitally provided courtesy of CatholicCulture.org