Academia, Bizarre, Free Speech, Politics, Religion

Catholic Bishop: Hitler and Mussolini Would Love American Public Schools

The Catholic bishop of Harrisburg, Pa., Bishop Joseph McFadden is being criticized for comments where he compares American public schools to the system that Hitler and Mussolini sought to create. I actually think that part of the criticism of McFadden is misplaced, though he is certainly worthy of criticism. McFadden’s controversial statements follow a call for Catholics to organize against President Obama and his health care program by leading Catholic leaders.

In an interview with the ABC affiliate in Harrisburg, McFadden was objecting to the lack of school vouchers in Pennsylvania and the lack of choice for many parents: “In the totalitarian government, they would love our system,” McFadden said. “This is what Hitler and Mussolini and all them tried to establish — a monolith; so all the children would be educated in one set of beliefs and one way of doing things.” The Anti-Defamation League has condemned the statement and said “he should not be making his point at the expense of the memory of six million Jews and millions of others who perished in the Holocaust.”

I understand the sensitivity to such a comparison, but I do not think that the Bishop was referring to the Holocaust. People should be able to make comparisons to aspects of prior totalitarian regimes without fear of being call insensitive to the Holocaust. The Nazi regime was a worldwide tragedy with many aspects and precursors that are the subject of historical and political discourse.

Where McFadden is wrong is that the comparison is wildly misplaced. First, Hitler was raised by a devout Catholic mother and many Nazis were taught in religious schools. Indeed, the Vatican was criticized by some for not doing more to confront the Nazi regime. Second, the fascists sought to use schools to indoctrinate children to accept narrow values to the exclusion of other values and the objectification of other people. American public schools do the opposite. They are motivated by pluralistic principles to help shape citizens who are tolerant and well-rounded. They are the antithesis of what fascists want from education.

Finally, this is about vouchers and whether the people of Pennsylvania should subsidize alternative schools, such as Catholic schools. With the church experiencing severe shortfalls in attendance and donations, they need more from the state more than ever. However, there are very good reasons for opposition to vouchers. I attended Catholic schools for part of my earlier education and I am very thankful for the education that I received in those schools. However, Leslie and I are committed to the model of public education. While we can afford a private education, we have kept our children in public schools where they are taught in a more diverse class. I have long been an advocate for public education, particularly in the elementary and middle school levels, as a critical part of shaping good citizens. While I have often been critical of the curriculum particularly on civics, I believe that the public schools have always been the key to maintaining a citizenry that is educated and tolerant.

The comparison to Hitler and Mussolini reflects less disrespect on the part of Bishop McFadden than it does a lack of understanding of the fascistic agenda on education: dogma and exclusionary learning. While I believe Catholic schools are excellent choices for learning, it is outrageous to compare fascistic systems to our public schools. Hitler and Mussolini would find our current curriculum in public schools to be a threat to their type of indoctrination model for children.

Source: ABC

151 thoughts on “Catholic Bishop: Hitler and Mussolini Would Love American Public Schools”

  4. id707,

    I only steal from those who have something worthwhile to say. 😉

    As to link givers … anon nurse, SwM, and lotta are always worth a click.

    Mike S., Gene, mespo, Mike A., Bob S., and others just know so damn much they don’t often need links but they will listen. Oh, gbk who posts infrequently, can always be taken to the bank and one guy from a while ago … Vince Treacy, had a wonderful mind and if he ever returns I’m going to throw a welcome back party that’ll knock your socks off.

    1. AY,

      Thanks for coming back to me with another John Prine. It wasn’t until you mentioned “Sam Stone” that I had thought of him for years. I really loved his music way back when, but other musical passions put him out of mind. It’s time to bring him back into my life. I think “Sam Stone” was the all time great song dealing with Viet Nam and what we put our soldiers through for nothing, only to forget them when they returned. Sort of like Iraq I think.

      1. Mike S.,

        Somethings in the 70/80’s were forgotten as soon as they happened…..but some memories will neverbe erased…..hearing even the Doors evokes sentimental memories…… Thanks….

  8. Elaine M.,

    You must have been a great teacher (and librarian).
    You and Blouise come with the best links of all here.
    Thanks for helping me with PBS link. Google does a lot, but it can’t read my mind; although it anticipates a lot of needs.
    But you find, as Rumsfeld said, “the things we didn’t know that we don’t know—and thus the greatest dangers”. The pendang iafter the dashes is my own.

  10. Your picking up Bron’s thread just shows that one of you is a pseudonym for the other. You forgot which one you were representing I think
    You took up the Hamilton-Burr duel from Bron, and forgot that what I said to you was about the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, not about Bron’s thread.

    Will you admit you got at least two covers here, maybe more?
    Or will you say you decided to help Bron defend his position.
    What is yours? Mine is radical cynicist who believes (there is that word again) in humankind in its non-combative form.

  11. Declaration to AY and others:

    I don’t identify myself with the ideas I espouse. Abandoning ideas for better ones is no threat to my sense of self-esteem or personal wholeness. Ideas are just ideas, preferably empirically grounded; and never based on faith.

    So if there comes proof that Obama was born outside the USA, then I think I could still support him. A citizen is a citizen, born or naturalized. It’s his qualities I liked.

    And justtot surprise you, it is strongly likely that Mitt Romney was born in Mexico. His grandfather was there for many years, and made a very nice pile before his son returneed much later. Check it out….. Common knowledge among AZ folks whose grandparents were there competing with Romney grandpere.

  13. id707,

    “someone whose opinions were formed before knowledge was acquired” … I really like that wording and am hereby informing you that I have every intention of stealing it.

  14. id707,

    Pray tell what do you ever mean….You want links to the 10$ spot, Lincoln, the National Bank, Hamilton Burr duel…..or what?

    Just remember John Prine say….His Grandpa voted for Eisenhower cause Lincoln won the war…..then Sam Stones alone….every since the Vietnam war…..

    2. Hey I thought you were kinda suspect, and particularly today.
      Hate to descend to this level. What exactly did I say that rattles your chain?

      But anyway, I want links, not conserved taling points. The worst I know is the smell when you open the can.

      So what are you hitting on today. Go back and hit again and get some shuteye. Maybe you’ll wake up in better form.

      Or as they said in TV’s B/W era on the then famous police program:
      “Just the facts, ma’am; just the facts.”

  19. id707,

    Do not we have Hamilton to thank for dueling being out lawed in the US to settle a dispute? That is a Burring statement I know….. The next time you spend a 10$ spot…. thank Alex for the National Banking system…..

    1. AY
      Hey thanks, got any good links?
      Some believe the Fed started in 1913. It’s been around earlier in different versions Even Lincoln is said to have fought it. And the different foots.
      “do not crucify man on a cross of gold”. Can you summarize in ten sentences or less?
      Irony is great isn’t it? Sarcasm is even better. And ridicule is best.
      What’s your plain vanilla?

  20. raff,

    The problem with most folks….. They fail to read history as relevant today…. when the were coming for the unions…. I did not care…. I was not a unionist…when they came for the street vendors, I did not care….I was not a street vendor… when they came…. the jobs were all gone and I was too afraid to ask what happened….

    The above can be changed to just about every aspect of our lives….if you think about it… everything is neither good nor bad….it is how its balanced…Its like trying to sit on a two legged stool…it can be done… but it takes more effort than three… hence the three branches of government….

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