A Catholic-School Veteran Tells All

Here's another article Mr. Noonan may want to consider writing, 'What kids really learn when there is no discipline'. Aside from the multi-million dollar lawsuit that would inevitably follow a teacher physically disciplining a student today, there's the real possibility that student would return with a 9mm and shoot the teacher and any classmates who might be in the way at the time. Too many kids today are learning that they are not accountalbe for their actions, that they do not have to study or do homework, they do not have to behave or pay attention in class, they can be disruptive ensuring that no one else can learn, and they do not have to respect anyone including family, neighbors, teachers, or themselves. I read an article recently suggesting that Catholic schools were likely to disappear in the near future. That's just wonderful...we'll be left with a decrepit public school system where metal detectors and armed off-duty police are necessary for security. Where teacher's aides (like my sister) have to wash students clothes at school because their parents send them in with the same dirty, smelly clothes they've been wearing for three days. Let's be clear, no one wants to see kids beaten/abused by sadistic adults, but we have in this country clearly swung 180 deg in the other direction where kids rule the school under the threat of lawsuits and violence.

What a pathetically weak article - Noonan you can do better on the facts thanks to those nuns that you decided to trash. Sure there were some who were too quick with the slap or the whack on the butt - but to infer that we now cringe in daily fear - how absurd. Not every nun was this way, yet you portray it as such despite any disclaimer. You turned out well as did I as did millions of school kids. For the act of a few - you condemn all nuns. Tenn again - you did the same with Priests - caliming that ALL priests are pedofiles. Disgraceful. You'll get to heaven , but your seats at the box office are now for bleacher seats and on on sides will be nuns sitting with their rulers at the ready - enjoy eternity.

I was also a lifer of various Catholic institutions in multiple states and two countries. My experience was that the Jesuits were the most sadistic. In latter years, in discussions with my father, when I would comment on their sadistic tendencies, his response was always, "Yes, they do tend to be intellectual>" and he would always use that term. One day I angrily told him I found it odd that he equated sadism with intelliect. Overall, my conclusion is that the single biggest destructive element in bringing down the Catholic church has been the misdeads of the clergy over the years. Of all the people I know who grew up in Catholic schools, I can only point to a slim few who have in turn sent their own kids to a Catholic school.

I spent 13 years in the catholic school system in the 50's & 60's in Massachusetts. It was horrible. The nuns had no problem smacking around boys or girls. In 7th grade, I got "beat up" in the coat room because I coulden't draw a picture. When I told my grandmother what happened, she made a phone call to the school. To this day I don't know what she said to them all I know is from that day on, they left me alone.

Boy, did this article bring back memories. I, too, was slapped by a nun for giving a boy a goody-by peck on the cheek. In first grade, a teacher (not a nun) that I was so found of, make my friend & leave the room for talking & pulled our hair. I will never forget one of the nuns, hitting a kid with a ruler on his hands -- he was a gifted pianist who was blind! Yet, some of the nuns I had never did that, especially during my high school years. This is why I sent my own kids to public school. I am 54 years old & I can still vividly recall these memories.

For every bleeding heart liberal who thinks the nuns were "bullies" for enforcing a set of practical guidelines and rules that were designed to make us better persons, there are ten-fold as many solid, conservatives who have become leaders in business, the military, and politics who understand that without order and discipline, there is a chaos. So when I read this blithering nonsense it is immediately apparent that this is an individual who did not ascend to a position of authority and leadership - but another whining, complaining, little drone in life (read that "liberal") who finds that attacking and degrading practices, our country, and our endeavors is always much easier than defending them. Simple question - did you have the chaos and uncontrolled behavior in your school... the school in which the nuns maintained respect and discipline... that you have in today's classrooms? The answer is irrefutable - NO!

I remember limbo, and adopting 'pagan babies'. I also remember getting whacked across the knuckles with a text book, and getting hauled out of line by the short hairs near my neckline. I can't recall a single nun who didn't know exactly how to hair pull or whack knuckles to extract the maximum amount of pain. I think elementary school involved much more physical punishment than high school. but that may be because high school was all girls. At the boys school down the street, there were all variations of physical abuse as well as perversions from the priests teaching there, but I don't think that there was a single lawsuit files when it was in vogue to do so, a few years ago.

Most of my Catholic school friends are no longer Catholic, whether it's the result of an abusive relationship with the church, or just a realization that too many of the church principles were based upon money, I'm not sure. I'm pretty happy as a practicing methodist today.

My daughter is a freshman in a Catholic high school after attending a Catholic grade school for nine years. The fire and brimstone religious teachings in the Sacramento Catholic grade schools do a disservice to the students. What child needs to lie awake at night wondering if they'll get into heaven unless they go to mass each and every Sunday and holy day plus be forgiven only by the form of confession? Now I'm happy to see her thriving in her Catholic high school where religion is not just about whether you'll get into heaven if you follow the strict teachings of her grade school instructors. As we've told our children their whole lives, heaven isn't just for Catholics.

I went to public schools during those years and can vouch for the fact public school students endured the same treatment--- not making an excuse just pointing out that back in those days corporal punishment was an accepted part of discipline. I had a sixth grade math teacher that chose scapegoats and those poor souls suffered daily humiliation--- I was one of them---- and I never stepped foot in a Catholic school.

A bully is a bully no matter what. It just hurts a little more when our representatives of Chirst choose to bully children and can get away with it. At least in the secular world, bullies are more often than not called into accountability and dealt with. Not so for the church. She can do anything violent in the name of our Lord and get away with it. No wonder folks are leaving the church in droves.

If I could find the graves of some of my old nuns I would pour a six pack of guiness over them. After first running it thru my kidneys.

jr

Maybe school violence would be cut in half if some of the arrogant, fearless, disrespecting bullies were knocked down the minute they stepped out of line. But then we might be harming their little psyches like your was so we'll worry about that instead and hope they grow out of it. Boo hoo.

I attended Catholic school from 1955 to 1967. I got hit a few times true and so did girls with a swift to the rear end. But, it was not overly pervasive and certaily stopped by the 7th grade. Did you get hit or humiliated by your parents back then, yes. Did you get into fights and humiliated by peers, yes. This is what is wrong with the article. Back then that was the norm and we did show respect. I am not an advocate of physical violence in schools or anywhere. It seems the article should be addressed to that time frame and not just nuns. Back then there was hitting but 98% usually went onto college. Today there is no hitting in Catholic schools and guess what!!!!! 98% go onto college. Hmmm, imagine that!!!!!

Maybe school violence would be cut in half if some of the arrogant, fearless, nonrespecting punks in our present day public schools were knocked down the minute they stepped out of line. Ah, but then we would be damaging their little psyches like your was. Waaaaa.

i used to get whacked all the time.if you were a boy in catholic school back in those days.there was nothing funnier than watching your buddy get a beating.especially if you got him into the trouble in the first place.we had an old nun,sister iphegenia,she would be teaching behind her podium ,that she could barely see over,and she would start to fall asleep and drool all over her white bib.she would call you by name and she could never remember anyones name so she would call you by something else,and you had to know that whatever she called you that day was your name.and if you didnt answer her she would come down the aisle and say "give me a stick"your friends would be fighting to hand her rulers and metal scale rulers to hit you with.a nun in 8th grade broke a yardstick over my forehead and my father made me buy her a new one

Waaah.

I was taught by Sisters of Mercy nuns in Jefferson City, Missouri. They were strict and occasionally swatted brats that weren't behaving. I did not grow up to beat my kids or hate myself.

In public school, in 1968-69, I was called to the front of my Raleigh NC classroom and cracked on the knuckles EVERY DAY because I talked like a "damn Yankee". We had just moved there from Pennsylvania.... of course this teacher wasn't doing it in the name of religion, but it was done.

And what was it about that left handed business? Talk about one of the crazier prejudices ever!

David, you're just another self absorbed *** baby boomer. Get a life. It is really sad that you feel the need to smear the Church. Too bad you didn't mention how much good most of the nuns you encountered did, how well you were taught, that they ensured there was a discplined environment conducive for learning. I'm so tired of intellectually dishonest morons like yourself. Hope your Woodstock alums enjoyed your rant. You are and will always will remain, the most indulgent, materialistic, irreverent and worthless generation in American history. Good luck. Oh, and go see a shrink and get over it.