Bishop should heed words of students

The following editorial appeared in the Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice, May 4, 2008:

Bishop should heed words of students

Give the students of Holy Redeemer High School credit. They have determination. And they are learning the strategies of civic activism.

A group of about 100 students, teachers and parents this week marched from the high school to Public Square. They did so to protest the decision of the Bishop of the Diocese of Scranton not to recognize the teachers union, the Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers (SDACT).

On the Square, students set forth the argument that the Catholic Church not just allows, but encourages working people to form unions. It is contrary to church teaching, they point out, for the bishop to refuse to recognize SDACT.

The students got their message across without bringing punishment on themselves as they had in a demonstration in February when they walked out of classes and got detention for doing so.

It is rare to see a group of young people gain the high moral ground on a bishop. He would do well to heed their words.