Statement from Benilde-St. Margaret administration

Administrators at Benilde-St. Margaret's School in St. Louis Park issued this statement in response to concerns raised by its student newspaper staff. The paper had published several items last week regarding the Catholic Church's opposition to same-sex marriage, and an essay written by a gay student. The paper removed the pieces at the request of the administration.

Text of statement

Benilde-St. Margaret's School is committed to ensuring that all students are safe, respected, and protected. As a Catholic school, our responsibility is to respect and uphold the dignity of the vulnerable, including students who are attracted to the same sex. Section 2358 of the Roman Catholic Catechism says that men and women with homosexual tendencies must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity.

As educators, we encourage student dialogue in a responsible way under the supervision of caring adults. As a Catholic high school, we have a responsibility to uphold the teachings of the Catholic Church. All high school administrators, public or private, have the right to regulate the standards for the school newspaper.

The online comments regarding the editorial and the opinion piece in question were creating a disrespectful environment as well as confusion about the teachings of the Catholic Church; therefore, the administration exercised its prerogative to have the material removed from the website.

Dr. Bob Tift

President, Benilde-St. Margaret's School