Italian School’s Headmaster Cancels Traditional Catholic Mass; Politician Calls It “Reverse Racism”

At an elementary school in northern Italy where a Catholic mass has long been the traditional way to begin the school year, the headmaster’s decision to eliminate the ritual is angering several parents — and a local politician — who have gotten used to the idea of their faith being pushed on the children.

Varesi Chiara, the new leader, says she’s just thinking about all the students instead of just the ones who share her faith:

“No religious service is mandatory during school hours. I just became the headmaster of this school. I only suspended a tradition.

“I decided to suspend the mass and do it outside school hours. I am Catholic, but I run a secular school and I have to protect the right of all children. The law is clear: if a student has another religion, the whole class can’t attend mass.”

Wow… Those are some powerful words right there — and good on her for not caving in under pressure.

One local politician is joining in on the attacks, calling her decision a form of “reverse racism,” whatever that means in this context.

Paolo Grimoldi, from [political party] Lega Nord… said: “It is shameful that a headmaster in Domodossola has decided to abolish the mass held traditionally to open the school year, simply, as she explained, not to exclude a pupil that has another religion.

“This is an example of reverse racism, yet another example of racism towards our history, our culture and our tradition.“

If your religion is so weak that you have to foist it upon students during the school day to keep it going, maybe there’s a problem with your religion. It’s not racism. It’s not bigotry. It’s just the end of an unnecessary tradition that never should have been there in the first place.

(Image via Shutterstock)