Omaha Archdiocese Issues Revised Transgender Policy, But Still Faces Criticism

Archbishop George Lucas of Omaha

A U.S. archdiocese has issued a revised gender policy for Catholic schools after withdrawing a detailed six-page policy on the same topic earlier this year because of intense pushback from Catholics.

The Archdiocese of Omaha, Nebraska, issued a new, one-page policy to be enacted in the coming school year. Crux reported:

“The move comes after the former policy, which the archdiocese said was ‘prematurely shared’ in August, generated pushback. Unlike the former, the revised policy doesn’t mention possible dismissal or disciplinary action for transgender students, and drops the portion that applied to school employees and volunteers.

“Archbishop George Lucas of Omaha said in a statement that the revised policy ‘balances the pastoral needs and obligations of parents, guardians, students, and school leaders within the mission of the Church,’ and ‘acknowledges our responsibility to uphold Catholic teaching in our schools.’ . . .

“The revised policy was formulated with the help of more than 150 people, including school leaders, priests, deacons, mental health professionals, professors, pediatricians, community leaders, parish leaders, and individuals with first-hand experience of gender dysphoria, according to the archdiocese.”

The new policy states that students will be treated according to their assigned sex, not their gender, including when it comes to “pronouns, dress code, use of public bathrooms, and participation in school-sponsored activities.” While transgender students would not be denied shool admission, the poklicy states that “if at any time, parents, guardians or students desire accommodations or accompaniment that do not follow this policy, it may be necessary to begin the school transfer process for the good of the student and the school community.”

Other changes include, according to Crux:

“[T]he original policy stipulated that behaviors that cause disruption or confusion regarding the church’s teaching on sexuality is prohibited, and that social media conduct by students must not endorse a view contrary to the church’s teachings. It also stated that a student showing hostility or defiance towards church teaching in the classroom could face dismissal.

“Further, the original draft policy stated that a child whose parent(s) permit gender-affirming care and medications, or authorizes sex procedures or surgery, cannot be enrolled in an archdiocesan school, and that every current and prospective student and his or her parents must respect Catholic teaching.

“The revised policy expresses more of a desire to work with parents, and only goes as far as to say that a possible transfer should be explored if a situation becomes untenable for both sides.”

The initial policy made public earlier this year instigated intense backlash from Catholics in Omaha that led to the delay in instituting the directives. This pushback included three Catholic schools in the archdiocese saying they would not abide by the gender policy and two theologians at Creighton University, which is in the archdiocese, strongly condemning the policy.

Part of that reaction was also the establishment of Catholic Families for Love, a group of people affiliated with Omaha Catholic schools and parishes. The group has largely rejected the revised policy, too, saying in a statement:

“While we are grateful the archdiocese revised the policy from an earlier, farther-reaching version, we fear without further understanding of the proposed implementation, training and resources, the new policy has the potential to further stigmatize transgender and non-binary children, push them out of their school communities, and cause them harm.”

Robert Shine (he/him), New Ways Ministry, December 16, 2022

2 replies
  1. DON E SIEGAL
    DON E SIEGAL says:

    Omaha Archdiocese Issues Revised Transgender Policy

    The words may have changed but the tenor remains the same. For example,

    “The new policy states that students will be treated according to their assigned sex, not their gender, including when it comes to ‘pronouns, dress code, use of public bathrooms, and participation in school-sponsored activities.’”

    If this statement is true, “The revised policy was formulated with the help of more than 150 people, including school leaders, priests, deacons, mental health professionals, professors, pediatricians, community leaders, parish leaders, and individuals with first-hand experience of gender dysphoria, according to the archdiocese,” then the voices of Michael Lawler and Todd Salzman, two particularly important voices from Omaha, were not included. Therefore, their statement about the previously withdrawn policy still remains true of the revised policy.

    “This policy does not reflect a positive vision of synodality, and certainly not Francis’ vision of finding unity in diversity. It more accurately reflects, rather, the divisive cultural and political perspectives poisoning the country and apparently shared by the leadership of the Omaha Archdiocese.”

    Reply
  2. Loretta
    Loretta says:

    At the beginning and end of the day, how excluded does the trans student feel in these schools? Does it make them feel accepted? I don’t think so.

    Reply

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