One curious thing about SSPX schools is that their handbooks state that students are required to attend all planned school activities and functions (eg., plays, field trips, etc).

Conversely, the public schools always provide opt-out alternatives if a parent would prefer his child to not participate in this or that class or field trip.

The SSPX schools argue that not only is there no need to opt-out of this or that activity, but go further still, and allege that doing so would be detrimental to the child (and therefore implicitly that the parent is acting against the child’s true best interest), adducing a whole array of concerns, such as causing division, building resentment in other kids when they see some don’t have to participate, causing confusion by contradicting the staff, etc.

In the public schools, none of those concerns ever arise, but in the SSPX schools, it’s almost as if they know better than you what’s best for your child, and if you occasionally question participation in various plays, field trips, or whatever, then you have some kind of problem.

I’m wondering what’s behind this demand for absolute conformity, and I’m wondering if it’s the fact that many SSPX vocations come out of the schools, and that being the case, they want to ensure that said vocations are already well-formed in habitual conformity and blind obedience?

Shouldn’t final authority over the child’s formation rest with the parents?

Obviously, the average SSPX school is vastly superior to public schools in practically every other aspect, but this demand for 100% conformity/participation (agreed to in advance, before you even know what activities will be scheduled) is a head scratcher.

Maybe I'm just being obtuse, but shouldn't such activities be seen as an extension of the school's curriculum?  To my knowledge, if you're enrolled in any school, barring some highly mitigating circuмstances, you can't opt out of, for instance, English or math class, "because you don't like the way it's being taught", "it's a waste of time", "my child doesn't need to know that", and so on.

I'm more inclined to side with the SSPX this time.  If you have an issue with how a school functions, and how they tend to the child's education --- of which these activities and field trips are presumably a part --- then don't send your child to that school.  You can't have everybody just "doing their own thing".

A personal note, my son did not like participating in school plays, concerts, and so on, basically stage fright and anxiety.  He actually became physically ill and could not go to one of them.  When it happened a second time, the teacher did comment on it, and she was within her rights.  He wasn't forced to do it, but the message was clearly "this isn't quite the thing".  I had no issue with that assessment.

I have never given anyone a blank check, especially regarding my children, and I never will.

Is this o.k. with you?
https://novusordowatch.org/2017/09/sspx-school-sɛҳuąƖ-perversion-policy/

Quote from: SeanJohnson 6/17/2022, 9:40:57 AM
But as crazy as that was, at least it was out in the open and visible to parents before they signed up their kids.

But with plays and field trips, it’s the blank check policy.