Tuesday, November 01, 2005

School drops American Girl show

I suppose some people would be shocked or disappointed that a Catholic school should decide to drop a planned American Girl Fashion show. After all, the whole point behind the dolls and other products (books, esp.) is to demonstrate that girls can be strong, brave, and independent and still be girls. But I can understand why the school opted out. The American Girls product line includes support for an organization which offers room for two things which are big no-nos to the Catholic Church: homosexuality and abortion.

American Girl (even before it was bought out by Mattel) has donated a substantial amount, annually, to Girls Inc. (formerly Girls Clubs of America). Girls Inc, in turn, has offered information on contraception and abortion and acceptance to lesbians ... it's sort of a junior Family Planning, in that regard. Except that they don't have clinics. And they offer other educational programs in the sciences, to encourage girls to be something beyond cheerleaders and cookie whores.

Girls Inc is a pretty good urban program (out here in the boonies, though, 4-H would whup 'em but good). There are worse things a neighborhood could have. But St. Luke School in Brookfield, WI., has the right to say that they have sufficient disagreement with the program, that they can opt against sanctioning it. They are alowed to stand on principle. Even though I disagree with the pastor who made the decision, he has my respect.

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