Perceptions of Catholic School Superintendents on Same-Sex Issues in Catholic Schools: A National Study

• In Event: Developments in and for Catholic Schools Concerning System Leaders and University Change Efforts

Abstract

Media reports have shown same-sex issues in Catholics schools emerge in three ways: (1) same-sex parents who have children in a Catholic school, (2) same-sex students, and (3) same-sex teachers. From a national sample of 59 Catholic school superintendents, this study used repeated measures ANCOVA to examine the extent to which same-sex issues as they relate to parents, students, and teachers influence Catholic school identity, while controlling for attitudes towards persons with same-sex attraction. We framed the findings within sense-making theory. The findings showed that a same-sex issue related to a teacher negatively influenced Catholic school identity statistically significantly more in comparison to a same-sex issue related to a parent. However, no other comparisons were statistically significant.

Authors

• Collins Andrew Adutwum, Diocese of Rockville Centre

• Gerald M. Cattaro, Fordham University