Holy See Recognizing Women of the Home

Holy See Urges Rewarding Women's Roles in Homes

Says Education Lies at Heart of Empowerment

NEW YORK, MARCH 3, 2008 (Zenit.org).- The Holy See is calling for "courageous policies" to reward the work of women within the home.

Archbishop Celestino Migliore, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, made this suggestion today to the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women.

The issue under discussion was follow-up to the 4th World Conference on Women, and U.N. initiatives on gender equality and the empowerment of women, including financing measures leading to those goals.

"The last decade has seen greater involvement of women in all aspects of decision making, especially in economic development," Archbishop Migliore noted. "Indeed, the empowerment of women requires their participation in the decision-making process to ensure that their specific insights are heard and taken into account, their concerns adequately addressed and that these concerns are reflected in the decisions taken and in the programs adopted."

The prelate particularly focused on the need for equal access to education at all levels, saying this "lies at the heart of the efforts to empower women."

He noted the work of the Church in this regard, explaining that "Catholic institutions of learning continue to have enrollments which are predominantly female and work to empower women within society."

More than teaching

Still, Archbishop Migliore affirmed, the empowerment of women through education "cannot work in isolation."

"Disenfranchisement of women and discriminatory practices must be addressed and eliminated," he said. "Women must be guaranteed equality of opportunity, equal pay for equal work, fairness in career advancement, equal access to health care and legal structures and equality in property and family rights. Programs, many of which are faith-based, providing assistance to needy women, in particular to victims of sexual and physical abuse, must remain a priority.

"Policies and initiatives which foster women's ability to participate fully in the workplace have resulted in an ever increasing presence of women in the formal work sector. However, this reality has created new challenges for women, such as exploitation in sweatshops and trafficking of women and girls for economic and sexual purposes. Thus, the increasing number of women working outside the home challenges governments to enact laws, implement programs and enforce measures to protect women from unscrupulous predators, subhuman working conditions and dehumanizing work."

Unrecognized

The archbishop also gave attention to the contribution of women in households and families, in their role as wives and mothers, something that "often goes unrecognized and unrewarded."

"Women face the challenge of simultaneously raising children and trying to achieve economic security," he acknowledged.

Archbishop Migliore then called for "greater resources" and "more courageous policies" to reward the socio-economic contribution of women within the home.

"Rewarding it in some way particularly helps poor women and those who are less able to enter the labor market," he said. "It would also be a concrete way to enable women to benefit from public expenditure from which oftentimes and in many places they do not get their fair share or are even excluded. Obviously, men must assume their responsibility within the home and family."

"Finally," the archbishop concluded, "governments, civil society and faith-based organizations would do well to work together to find creative ways of promoting full access of women to development programs and financing schemes. Initiatives such as microfinance programs for women demonstrate that human ingenuity has the ability to create new and innovative solutions in this area."

Partial-birth Abortion Banned in Arizona

Arizona now has legislation protecting those like my little niece/nephew!!! Hopefully other states will follow in Arizona's foot steps.

Arizona passes partial-birth abortion ban

3/28/2008
Catholic News Agency
Catholic Online

The bills now require the approval of Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano. She has vetoed other abortion laws in the past, including one involving parental consent for minors.

PHOENIX (CNA) - The Arizona legislature on Tuesday passed two bills regulating abortion in the state and sent them to Gov. Janet Napolitano for her consideration.

One bill clarified the circumstances that override the need for a minor seeking an abortion to obtain parental consent, while the other bill established state penalties for partial-birth abortion. House Bill 2769 builds on a federal law outlawing partial-birth abortions. It makes performing the procedure a Class 5 felony, which cannot be pleaded down to a misdemeanor. Senator Linda Gray described in detail on the Senate floor how a partial-birth abortion is performed. “This is a horrible, horrible procedure,” she said.

Ron Johnson, Executive Director of the Arizona Catholic Conference, called the bill “important pro-life legislation.” He said a state ban was needed so that Arizona citizens did not have to rely upon the United States Justice Department to prosecute violators. “Additionally,” Johnson said, “a state ban is helpful because federal prosecutors attempting to enforce the current partial birth abortion ban must first show that interstate commerce is somehow impacted.”

Senator Paula Aboud said the bill "claims to copy the federal law but it goes too far." She said it creates a situation where a doctor could be prosecuted under both state and federal law. The other bill, House Bill 2263, outlined the critera a judge should consider when deciding if there is “clear and convincing” evidence that a minor has the maturity to undergo an abortion without parental consent. A judge can consider whether the minor has worked and lived outside the home, handled her personal finances, or made other significant decisions on her own.

Senator Aboud criticized the bill for burdening minors already in a difficult position. "For some, speaking to their parents is not an option," she said. "It is not changing the law or adding any new burdens," said Cathi Herrod, president of the Center for Arizona Policy, a conservative think tank. The Arizona House of Representatives also approved a bill that bars nurses from performing surgical abortions. The bills now require the approval of Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano. She has vetoed other abortion laws in the past, including one involving parental consent for minors.

"The Holy See on the Empowerment of Women"

Holy See on the Empowerment of Women

"Part of the Effort to Ensure That the Dignity of All Persons Is Respected"

NEW YORK, MARCH 3, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Here is the address delivered today by Archbishop Celestino Migliore, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, to the Commission on the Status of Women.

The issue under discussion was follow-up to the 4th World Conference on Women, and U.N. initiatives on gender equality and the empowerment of women, including financing measures leading to those goals.

* * *

Mr. Chairman,

As we approach the Doha Review Conference on financing for development, this year's priority theme provides us with an opportunity to discuss and assess the impact of financing programs on women. The Monterrey Consensus rightfully calls on countries and all stakeholders to make sound economic decisions and ensure that economic growth and poverty eradication benefit all men, women and children.

The last decade has seen greater involvement of women in all aspects of decision making, especially in economic development. Indeed, the empowerment of women requires their participation in the decision-making process to ensure that their specific insights are heard and taken into account, their concerns adequately addressed and that these concerns are reflected in the decisions taken and in the programs adopted. Through this participation, the individual and collective strengths and talents of women are effectively employed.

As the Millennium Development Goal number 3 rightly acknowledges, equal access to education at all levels lies at the heart of the efforts to empower women. In its work of promoting education for all and at every level, the Holy See remains fully committed to investing in the education of women and girls. In many parts of the world, Catholic institutions of learning continue to have enrollments which are predominantly female and work to empower women within society.

However, empowering women through education cannot work in isolation. Disenfranchisement of women and discriminatory practices must be addressed and eliminated. Women must be guaranteed equality of opportunity, equal pay for equal work, fairness in career advancement, equal access to healthcare and legal structures and equality in property and family rights. Programs, many of which are faith-based, providing assistance to needy women, in particular to victims of sexual and physical abuse, must remain a priority.

Policies and initiatives which foster women's ability to participate fully in the workplace have resulted in an ever increasing presence of women in the formal work sector. However, this reality has created new challenges for women, such as exploitation in sweatshops and trafficking of women and girls for economic and sexual purposes. Thus, the increasing number of women working outside the home challenges governments to enact laws, implement programs and enforce measures to protect women from unscrupulous predators, subhuman working conditions and dehumanizing work.

The tremendous contribution of women to society within households and families as wives and mothers often goes unrecognized and unrewarded. Women face the challenge of simultaneously raising children and trying to achieve economic security. There is need for greater resources and more courageous policies to reward the socio-economic contribution of women within the home. Rewarding it in some way particularly helps poor women and those who are less able to enter the labor market. It would also be a concrete way to enable women to benefit from public expenditure from which oftentimes and in many places they do not get their fair share or are even excluded. Obviously, men must assume their responsibility within the home and family.

Finally, Governments, civil society and faith-based organizations would do well to work together to find creative ways of promoting full access of women to development programs and financing schemes. Initiatives such as microfinance programs for women demonstrate that human ingenuity has the ability to create new and innovative solutions in this area.

Mr. Chairman,

This is not merely a struggle to advance equality and empowerment of women. Even more fundamentally, this is an integral part of the overall effort to ensure that the equality and dignity of all human persons is fully respected.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Homeschoolers under Persecution in California

The following is a travesty for all homeschoolers in America.

Homeschoolers' setback sends shock waves through state

Bob Egelko and Jill

TuckerSan Francisco Chronicle

March 7, 2008

A California appeals court ruling clamping down on homeschooling by parents without teaching credentials sent shock waves across the state this week, leaving an estimated 166,000 children as possible truants and their parents at risk of prosecution.

The homeschooling movement never saw the case coming. "At first, there was a sense of, 'No way,' " said homeschool parent Loren Mavromati, a resident of Redondo Beach (Los Angeles County) who is active with a homeschool association. "Then there was a little bit of fear. I think it has moved now into indignation." The ruling arose from a child welfare dispute between the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services and Philip and Mary Long of Lynwood, who have been homeschooling their eight children. Mary Long is their teacher, but holds no teaching credential.

The parents said they also enrolled their children in Sunland Christian School, a private religious academy in Sylmar (Los Angeles County), which considers the Long children part of its independent study program and visits the home about four times a year. The Second District Court of Appeal ruled that California law requires parents to send their children to full-time public or private schools or have them taught by credentialed tutors at home. Some homeschoolers are affiliated with private or charter schools, like the Longs, but others fly under the radar completely. Many homeschooling families avoid truancy laws by registering with the state as a private school and then enroll only their own children.

Yet the appeals court said state law has been clear since at least 1953, when another appellate court rejected a challenge by homeschooling parents to California's compulsory education statutes. Those statutes require children ages 6 to 18 to attend a full-time day school, either public or private, or to be instructed by a tutor who holds a state credential for the child's grade level. "California courts have held that ... parents do not have a constitutional right to homeschool their children," Justice H. Walter Croskey said in the 3-0 ruling issued on Feb. 28. "Parents have a legal duty to see to their children's schooling under the provisions of these laws." Parents can be criminally prosecuted for failing to comply, Croskey said. "A primary purpose of the educational system is to train school children in good citizenship, patriotism and loyalty to the state and the nation as a means of protecting the public welfare," the judge wrote, quoting from a 1961 case on a similar issue.

Union pleased with ruling

The ruling was applauded by a director for the state's largest teachers union. "We're happy," said Lloyd Porter, who is on the California Teachers Association board of directors. "We always think students should be taught by credentialed teachers, no matter what the setting." A spokesman for the state Department of Education said the agency is reviewing the decision to determine its impact on current policies and procedures. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell issued a statement saying he supports "parental choice when it comes to homeschooling."

Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute, which agreed earlier this week to represent Sunland Christian School and legally advise the Long family on a likely appeal to the state Supreme Court, said the appellate court ruling has set a precedent that can now be used to go after homeschoolers. "With this case law, anyone in California who is homeschooling without a teaching credential is subject to prosecution for truancy violation, which could require community service, heavy fines and possibly removal of their children under allegations of educational neglect," Dacus said.

Parents say they choose homeschooling for a variety of reasons, from religious beliefs to disillusionment with the local public schools. Homeschooling parent Debbie Schwarzer of Los Altos said she's ready for a fight. Schwarzer runs Oak Hill Academy out of her Santa Clara County home. It is a state-registered private school with two students, she said, noting they are her own children, ages 10 and 12. She does not have a teaching credential, but she does have a law degree. "I'm kind of hoping some truancy officer shows up on my doorstep," she said. "I'm ready. I have damn good arguments." She opted to teach her children at home to better meet their needs. The ruling, Schwarzer said, "stinks."

Began as child welfare case

The Long family legal battle didn't start out as a test case on the validity of homeschooling. It was a child welfare case. A juvenile court judge looking into one child's complaint of mistreatment by Philip Long found that the children were being poorly educated but refused to order two of the children, ages 7 and 9, to be enrolled in a full-time school. He said parents in California have a right to educate their children at home.

The appeals court told the juvenile court judge to require the parents to comply with the law by enrolling their children in a school, but excluded the Sunland Christian School from enrolling the children because that institution "was willing to participate in the deprivation of the children's right to a legal education." The decision could also affect other kinds of homeschooled children, including those enrolled in independent study or distance learning through public charter schools - a setup similar to the one the Longs have, Dacus said. Charter school advocates disagreed, saying Thursday that charter schools are public and are required to employ only credentialed teachers to supervise students - whether in class or through independent study.

Ruling will apply statewide

Michael Smith, president of the Home School Legal Defense Association, said the ruling would effectively ban homeschooling in the state. "California is now on the path to being the only state to deny the vast majority of homeschooling parents their fundamental right to teach their own children at home," he said in a statement.

But Leslie Heimov, executive director of the Children's Law Center of Los Angeles, which represented the Longs' two children in the case, said the ruling did not change the law. "They just affirmed that the current California law, which has been unchanged since the last time it was ruled on in the 1950s, is that children have to be educated in a public school, an accredited private school, or with an accredited tutor," she said. "If they want to send them to a private Christian school, they can, but they have to actually go to the school and be taught by teachers." Heimov said her organization's chief concern was not the quality of the children's education, but their "being in a place daily where they would be observed by people who had a duty to ensure their ongoing safety."