Several people have asked me recently, “What is the difference between the Pono Choices curriculum, a “safe-sex” and pregnancy prevention program for Hawaii’s public middle schools now under public scrutiny, and what is taught in the Catholic schools?” My answer is, “You can’t even compare Pono Choices with our Family Life Programs. They have different goals and are based on different views of human sexuality; two different views of the world.”
One of the essential characteristics of any Catholic school curriculum, including matters related to biology and human life, is that the curriculum is imbued with the Catholic world view.
Our call is to help parents train their children to live as children of God. If we are to do so, we must educate the whole person and all curriculums should support intellectual, physical, psychological, moral and religious growth. Certainly, concepts related to intimacy and sexuality fall under this call to educate in the light of the Gospel.
A student in our Catholic schools will receive a family life curriculum, which provides a comprehensive moral catechesis which is either imbedded in the curriculums or is designed to complement the religion curriculum in our schools.
Partnering with parents, teachers present concepts related to sexuality, intimacy and healthy living that have a proper place in our Catholic schools. That “place’ is imbued with the Catholic world view and is based on teachings found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church such as:
- The family is an icon or image of the church.
- The church helps us to know and live by the Truth.
- Grace helps us to freely choose what is true, good and beautiful.
- Human life is sacred.
- Parents have the responsibility to care for their children.
- God created men and women equal in dignity and complementary in gender.
- Marriage is a sacred relationship between a man and a woman.
Mike Rockers is the superintendent of Hawaii Catholic Schools
