The nuns at Marin Catholic High in Kentfield walked out their classes in protest over gay non-profit

sponsoring anti-bullying Day of Silence.

The divisions within the Bay Areas Catholic community over gay rights hit Marin Catholic High School
full force the other day, when a group of nuns walked out of their classes to protest the sponsors of a
program intended to protect gay and lesbian teens from bullying.
The five members of the Dominican Sisters of Mary order exited their classrooms Friday as students
began handing out flyers at the Kentfield school promoting a nationwide Day of Silence.
Their walkout came one day after 100 prominent local Catholics attracted national attention by taking
out a full-page ad in The Chronicle calling on the pope to oust Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, in part
for trying to get teachers at Catholic schools to sign off on a morality clause that characterizes
homosexual relations as gravely evil.
Marin Catholic High President Tim Navone and Principal Chris Valdez tried to put out the latest brushfire
with a letter to parents about a challenging day on our campus resulting in both students and faculty
feeling confused about our mission.
At issue was Fridays annual Day of Silence, promoted by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education
Network whose corporate sponsors include McDonalds, Target, Disney/ABC, Wells Fargo, Morgan
Stanley, Google and the NBA. It bills itself as a group of students, parents, and teachers that tries to
effect positive change in schools, but the nuns at Marin Catholic High see it as anti-Catholic.
The school declined to participate in the Day of Silence. Instead, a morning prayer was read over the
schools PA system to acknowledge and pray for students everywhere who have the experience of
being ostracized, marginalized or silenced by bullying, school officials wrote in their letter.
Our intention was not to take part in a Day of Silence, but rather take a moment in the morning to pray
together as a school community, the letter to parents said.
Unfortunately, the administrators said, the schools message was compromised and misinterpreted
the night before when it was linked on Facebook to the campaign by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight
Education Network, an activist group with which we are not affiliated.
When some Marin Catholic High students began handing out Day of Silence-related stickers and flyers
on campus Friday morning, the five nuns felt felt compromised, offended and uncomfortable, Sister
Clare Marie, one of the teachers, later wrote in a lengthy e-mail to her students.
She said the sisters do not support bigotry or any kind of prejudice, but that they were compelled to
act out against an event promoted by a group that believes actively in promoting homosexuality in all
classrooms, K-12.

Her e-mail also accused the groups members of speaking out against Christians who do not share their
views and handing out materials that say that any church which teaches homosexuality is sinful is an
'oppressor and should be opposed.
Valdez told us in an interview that the sisters who make up a small portion of the schools 60 teachers
stayed away from the campus for the rest of the day, but had informed him of their intentions before
they left.
Kari Hudnell, a spokeswoman for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, denied that the
group actively promoted homosexuality in the classroom.
We are not trying to convert anyone, she said. We are just trying to make sure schools are a safe
environment for all kids.
Hudnell pointed out that the group has pushed for antibullying and antidiscrimination laws that apply to
religious beliefs, as well as race, gender and sexual orientation.
School officials told parents that the walkout by the five nuns further confused the students and
created some false rumors about the sisters not caring for students who feel bullied, ostracized or
marginalized.
Valdez told us that the school is working hard to cut through the politically charged atmosphere to
bring authentic dialogue to the campus in hopes of healing any rifts between the students and sisters.