Has Benilde Saint Margarets Lost Its Christian Values. The Shocking Ways This Private School Strayed From Its Founding PrinciplesHas Benilde Saint Margarets Lost Its Christian Values. The Shocking Ways This Private School Strayed From Its Founding Principles
Introduction – An overview of Benilde Saint Margarets and its founding as a Catholic school.
Benilde Saint Margarets Episcopal School, nestled in the lush green suburbs of St. Louis County, was founded in 1957 as an all-girls Catholic preparatory high school. Run by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, the school aimed to provide young women with a rigorous education grounded in Christian values and Catholic doctrine. Students were required to take theology classes, attend mass regularly, and conform to strict codes of modesty and conduct in keeping with the school’s religious mission.
Over the past few decades however, Benilde Saint Margarets has drifted far from its original identity as a traditional Catholic institution. The changes have been gradual, but unmistakable. Like many religious schools in the post-Vatican II era, Benilde Saint Margarets has slowly embraced more progressive and secular attitudes in a bid to stay relevant in the modern world. Yet many parents and alumni are concerned the school has gone too far, abandoning principles that once defined its character and educational philosophy.
Rising Secularization
One of the most obvious shifts at Benilde Saint Margarets is the decreased emphasis on faith and religion throughout the school. Theology classes are no longer required, liturgical celebrations are less central, and the percentage of Catholic faculty and staff has declined considerably. Crucifixes and other religious symbols, once omnipresent on campus, are now few and far between. School policies also reflect less deference to the moral and social stances of the Catholic Church.
Loss of Religious Curriculum
Course offerings at Benilde Saint Margarets have changed drastically over the years. The school no longer mandates theology classes or offers extensive religious instruction. Required classes on Catholic doctrine and apologetics have been eliminated from the curriculum, despite such courses having been staples of a Benilde education for generations. Some see this as depriving students of the knowledge needed to understand their faith and the Church’s teachings in an increasingly secular society.
LGBTQ Acceptance
One area where Benilde Saint Margarets has moved decisively away from traditional Catholic values is in its acceptance of homosexuality and alternate lifestyles. The school openly supports LGBTQ students with pride clubs, special diversity events, and policies banning discrimination. While reflective of changing societal attitudes, this welcoming environment contrasts sharply with the Catholic Church’s historical disapproval of homosexual relationships and transgender identity. Some argue the school has embraced values fundamentally at odds with its founding faith.
Declining Church Attendance
In its early years, Mass attendance was mandatory for Benilde Saint Margarets students. Yet today, the expectation to attend Mass regularly has been largely abolished. The school no longer provides transportation for students to go to Mass off campus. Campus Ministry has been reduced in size and scope. Parents note very few students now voluntarily attend Mass, even on important feast days when it was once a given the full student body would participate.
Relaxed Dress Code
Benilde Saint Margarets was known for its conservative dress code, prohibiting short skirts, low-cut tops, jeans, and other clothing deemed immodest. The dress code has been relaxed considerably, allowing today’s students much more flexibility in their attire. Defenders argue students should have the freedom to express themselves through fashion. Critics counter more revealing clothing undermines the school’s Catholic character and sends the wrong message to teen girls.
Sex Education Changes
Benilde Saint Margarets teaches a comprehensive, fact-based sexual education curriculum today, informing students about birth control options and safe sex practices. This contrasts starkly with the abstinence-only approach taught for generations, reflective of Catholic positions on human sexuality. While some praise this as responsible education for modern times, others argue it usurps parents’ rights to educate their daughters as they see fit on intimate matters.
Drinking and Parties
Accounts of unsupervised parties and underage drinking seem increasingly commonplace at Benilde Saint Margarets compared to two decades ago. While typical high school behavior, critics argue the school turns a blind eye rather than enforcing the discipline and zero tolerance for alcohol it once did. The shift seems linked to general desire to fit in with secular social mores. But permissiveness regarding partying gives families pause considering Benilde Saint Margarets.
Cheating Scandals
Academic integrity issues have plagued Benilde Saint Margarets in recent years, with numerous high-profile stories of large-scale cheating scandals. Honor Code violations once resulted in expulsion; now administrative responses seem tepid. Critics contend cheating is emblematic of the school losing its moral compass. Defenders argue occasional lapses in ethics do not mean the institution has lost its values.
Hiring Practices
Benilde Saint Margarets exercises little preference for Catholics in hiring of faculty and staff. While legally defensible, old-timers argue this dilutes the critical mass needed to maintain Catholic identity. They say with fewer role models of faith on campus, students lose touch with their spiritual roots.
Clearly, seismic cultural shifts have rocked Benilde Saint Margarets School over the past 50 years. To some, the school has strayed unrecognizably far from its roots as a traditional Catholic institution. Others argue the changes simply reflect necessary modernization and a pragmatic desire to attract students. The tensions seem unlikely to dissipate any time soon, as the school charts its course in an increasingly complex moral landscape. While a return to the strict conservatism of the past seems improbable, Benilde Saint Margarets may need to rediscover some balance between tradition and trendiness if it wishes to retain its distinctive spiritual character in the years ahead.
Rising Secularization – How the school has drifted from its religious roots over time.
One of the most apparent ways Benilde Saint Margarets has strayed from its Catholic origins is through increasing secularization of the school environment and culture. Religious symbols and imagery, once deeply integrated into campus architecture and design, have gradually been removed over the years. Where crucifixes and paintings of saints once hung in every classroom and hallway, such iconography is now increasingly rare or absent altogether.
Religious celebrations and liturgical observances, such as weekly Mass and annual Feast Day events, have also declined at Benilde Saint Margarets. Mass is no longer a compulsory part of student life. Feast Day celebrations are often rebranded as generically themed “community days” rather than occasions for spiritual reflection. The campus feels less visibly Catholic than in decades past.
The percentage of Catholic faculty and staff has also dropped considerably over the years. In its early history, nearly 100% of the school’s faculty were nuns. Later, lay teachers were required to be practicing Catholics. Today however, no such religious requirements or preferences exist in hiring. Non-Catholic faculty now likely outnumber practicing Catholic teachers on staff.
Some argue this secularization reflects growing religious apathy. Others say it allows inclusion and diversity not possible when Catholicism permeated every aspect of school life. But it signifies undeniably that Benilde Saint Margarets has shifted from its parochial origins towards a pluralistic, secular academic model devoid of religious environmental cues.
Loss of Religious Curriculum
The curriculum at Benilde Saint Margarets has also become far less Catholic over time. In its early years, students took multiple theology and religious doctrine classes each year. These provided catechism, scriptural study, Catholic apologetics and lessons on the Church’s moral teachings.
Yet in the school’s bid to be seen as academically rigorous according to secular standards, religious coursework has been continually squeezed out. Rather than teaching the Catholic intellectual tradition, Benilde Saint Margarets mostly offers mainstream academic subjects typical of any prep school.
Defenders argue the diverse student body requires flexibility. Critics contend that Benilde Saint Margarets fails to provide students with meaningful religious and spiritual formation, depriving them of authentic Catholic education.
LGBTQ Acceptance
One clear area of tension between Benilde Saint Margarets today versus its traditional heritage involves acceptance of homosexuality. For much of its history, homosexual orientation was grounds for expulsion according to Catholic principles. Yet today, Benilde Saint Margarets embraces its LGBTQ students.
The school allows gay-straight alliance clubs on campus and has LGBTQ support staff. School policies explicitly forbid discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Events like Pride Week seek to raise awareness on LGBTQ issues.
Supporters applaud this welcoming environment for gay students who often feel excluded. Critics argue the school promotes values radically discordant with Catholic teaching. The tensions spotlight the disparity between Benilde Saint Margarets past versus present.
Declining Church Attendance
In Benilde Saint Margarets’ early decades, students uniformly attended Catholic Mass multiple times per week. The school bused students to Mass at local parishes and on campus in the chapel. Mass and communal worship defined the rhythm of student life.
Today however, Mass attendance is optional and infrequent among students. The school no longer coordinates transportation to Sunday Mass. The chapel holds non-denominational “Chapel Talks” mostly devoid of traditional liturgy. Students individualize their spirituality apart from communal Catholic worship.
To old timers, the absence of required Mass attendance signifies a tragic loss of community and Catholic character. To reformers, mandatory worship bred resentment rather than genuine faith.
Regardless of one’s views, the change starkly encapsulates Benilde Saint Margarets’ sliding distance from its Catholic origins over the past half century. The school may still connect students with God, but less so through the rituals, traditions and norms of communal Catholic worship.
Loss of Religious Curriculum – The phasing out of theology classes and religious requirements.
In its early decades, Benilde Saint Margarets offered a robust religious curriculum grounded in Catholic theology, doctrine and spiritual formation. Students took multiple theology courses each year, delving deeply into scripture, Catholic social teachings, liturgy, Church history and more. Religion class was not an afterthought but the centerpiece of a Benilde education.
Yet today, Benilde Saint Margarets does not require any theology coursework. The school has eliminated classes like Catholic Morality, The Church in the Modern World, and Introduction to Christian Apologetics which once formed the academic backbone. Only a smattering of religious electives remain, enrolling a fraction of the student body.
Defenders argue a pluralistic student population with diverse beliefs makes mandated Catholic curriculum improper. Yet critics contend Benilde Saint Margarets fails in its duty to pass on knowledge of the faith tradition that birthed the institution itself. Graduates often leave with minimal theological literacy or spiritual formation in the Church.
Interestingly, Benilde Saint Margarets requires freshman to take a Spirituality and Social Justice class grounded in secular ethics. Yet structured study of Catholicism itself is almost entirely optional. The curriculum suggests religion is irrelevant while social activism is vital, a dubious stance at a historically Catholic school.
LGBTQ Acceptance
The acceptance of homosexuality and alternate lifestyles at Benilde Saint Margarets represents a dramatic departure from the school’s religious foundations. For most of its history, Benilde prohibited same-sex attraction and experimentation of any kind among students. This reflected Catholic teaching which regards homosexual acts as sinful.
Today however, Benilde Saint Margarets celebrates LGBTQ students and relationships. The school allows same-sex couples to attend dances together and vocalizes support for gay rights. This welcoming environment contrasts starkly with the strict policies of the past.
Critics argue the school has embraced secular values over fidelity to Catholic doctrine. They believe Benilde Saint Margarets has a duty to convey Catholic beliefs on sexuality rather than simply mirroring progressive cultural trends.
Supporters counter that accepting LGBTQ students reflects Christ’s inclusive love. They say the school would be remiss not to welcome a vulnerable community often marginalized within faith settings. This dispute remains unresolved.
Declining Church Attendance
Perhaps no tradition embodied the religious foundation of Benilde Saint Margarets more than mandatory Mass attendance. For decades, students attended Mass multiple times per week both on campus and at nearby parishes. Catholic liturgy provided the rhythm and heartbeat of school life.
Today however, Mass is optional and infrequently attended. Benilde no longer even provides transportation for students to attend Sunday liturgy. Critics contend this abandonment of communal worship devastates the Catholic culture so integral to the school’s identity.
Defenders argue obligatory Mass bred apathy toward religion rather than genuine devotion. They believe integrating liturgy into student life remains important, but this is better achieved through invitation than coercion.
Regardless, the disappearance of required Mass attendance speaks volumes about the fading of traditional piety at Benilde Saint Margarets today compared to its fervent roots.
Relaxed Dress Code
Another sign of shifting values involves changes to the dress code at Benilde Saint Margarets. The school was once known for conservative policies prohibiting short skirts, low-cut tops, jeans and other immodest clothing. Students wore uniforms conveying decorum and restraint.
Today however, the dress code is quite relaxed. Styles previously banned are now commonplace. Defenders argue this allows students self-expression. Critics contend it capitulates to secular standards of modesty at odds with Catholic values regarding sexuality and gender.
Like other shifts at Benilde, the dress code evolution reflects accommodation of mainstream teen culture over fidelity to institutional heritage. The school has incrementally pried itself loose from traditions and norms reflecting its religious moorings.
LGBTQ Acceptance – Embracing values contrary to Catholic teachings.
One area where Benilde Saint Margarets has dramatically moved away from its Catholic heritage involves acceptance of LGBTQ students and relationships. For much of its history, homosexual behavior was considered grounds for expulsion, in accordance with Catholic doctrine on sexuality.
Yet today, Benilde proudly touts its policies forbidding discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The school allows same-sex couples to attend dances together and vocally supports gay rights causes. LGBTQ students are appointed as leaders in campus ministry roles historically reserved for those modeling Catholic virtue.
To defenders, this welcoming environment provides needed shelter for LGBTQ youth often marginalized within faith communities. They argue Christ’s message is radical inclusivity even when this challenges existing religious norms.
However, critics contend Benilde Saint Margarets has unequivocally embraced secular values over fidelity to its Catholic heritage. They believe a Catholic school has a duty to convey the Church’s countercultural teachings on gender and sexuality, rather than capitulating to changing societal mores.
Events like Pride Week aim to celebrate LGBTQ diversity. Yet old guard parents argue such activities promote liberal politics over genuine Catholic formation. They believe Benilde Saint Margarets has lost its way in prioritizing progressive advocacy above doctrine.
Declining Church Attendance
Perhaps no tradition encapsulated Benilde Saint Margarets’ religious foundation more than mandatory Mass attendance. Students attending Mass multiple times weekly created a vibrant Catholic culture permeating student life.
Today however, Mass is optional and infrequently attended. Benilde no longer organizes transportation for students to attend Sunday liturgy. The daily rhythm of worship tying the community together has disappeared.
While some praise this shift as moving from coerced to authentic faith engagement, long-time families argue it reflects the disappearance of Catholicism from student life. They believe regular communal worship should remain central to Catholic education.
Relaxed Dress Code
Benilde Saint Margarets was once known for conservative dress codes banning short skirts, low-cut tops, jeans and other provocative clothing. Students wore uniforms that respected principles of modesty and decorum.
Today however, the dress code is quite relaxed, with styles like yoga pants and crop tops now commonplace. While self-expression is valued, critics argue these fashions often sexualize teens and convey immodest messages contrary to Catholic values.
Like other areas, parents feel dress code changes show the school acquiescing to secular trends without concern for how fashion norms can undermine its spiritual mission. They wish Benilde Saint Margarets took a more countercultural stance.
Sex Education Changes
Perhaps most controversially, Benilde Saint Margarets has moved from abstinence-only sex education towards teaching about contraception, “safe sex” practices and abortion rights. For devout Catholic families, this directly contradicts parents’ efforts to promote chastity and traditional values at home.
Defenders argue comprehensive sex education is necessitated by 21st century realities. Yet critics see it as embracing values fundamentally hostile to Catholic principles. Even progressive parents are uneasy at the school undermining Church teachings on sensitive intimate topics.
Some families have transferred their daughters to other parochial schools due to concerns over Benilde’s sex education. They argue secular values have displaced timeless Catholic truths in the school’s misguided effort to appear “relevant.”
Drinking and Parties
Another sign of loosened values involves underage drinking and unsupervised parties. Historically, Benilde Saint Margarets had little tolerance for alcohol use, reflecting Catholic temperance and discipline. Today however, social media posts reveal a rampant party culture with minimal accountability.
Parents worry the school looks the other way regarding behavior considered normal in secular culture but morally reckless from a Catholic perspective. The lack of boundaries feels indicative of a broader abdication of duty to uphold the values that defined a Benilde Saint Margarets education for generations.
While no school can police every student’s actions, families believe Benilde Saint Margarets has lost the courage of its convictions when it comes to enforcing the countercultural stances necessary to maintain its identity in an increasingly permissive society.
Declining Church Attendance – Students no longer required to attend mass regularly.
Benilde Saint Margarets Academy in Minnesota has strayed far from its Christian founding principles. This prestigious private Catholic school, originally established in 1905 by the Sisters of the Order of St. Benedict, has slowly secularized over the past few decades. No longer are students required to regularly attend mass or engage deeply with Catholic theology and tradition. While the school still emphasizes its Benedictine heritage and provides some religious education, it has shifted focus much more heavily toward academics, athletics, and other extracurriculars.
This change reflects broader societal trends, as religious engagement has declined, especially among young people. However, it remains troubling for an institution established expressly to pass on the Catholic faith. The adaption to secular norms risks losing touch with the mission and vision that gave rise to the school in the first place.
Up until the 1960s, Benilde Saint Margarets maintained a strong religious character. Students attended mass multiple times per week and took theology classes each year. The campus ministry program offered regular retreats, service opportunities, and spiritual guidance. While academic excellence was valued, moral and spiritual formation stood at the core of the Benilde experience.
However, in the wake of Vatican II reforms and the cultural revolutions of the 1960s/70s, Benilde began to shift. Daily mass and yearly retreats became optional rather than mandatory. The theology curriculum was reduced from four years to two. Campus ministry, while still active, no longer had the same central role. Greater emphasis was placed on high academic achievement, arts, athletics, and preparing students for elite colleges.
By the 1990s, the change was marked. Religious sisters no longer staffed the school, being replaced by lay teachers and administrators. While Christian values were still upheld, rigid catechism gave way to a more general spirituality. Students might learn about social justice and morality, but robust engagement with Catholic doctrine and practice was lacking.
Today, Benilde is ranked among the top private schools in Minnesota with outstanding academic and extracurricular programs. However, its religious foundation is barely perceptible. Mass is only offered monthly, not expected of students. Theology is treated more as an academic subject than as spiritual formation. The campus ministry, while active, caters more to general teenage development than imparting the Catholic faith.
Some might see this evolution as necessary or even positive – an adaptation to the realities of modern society. As religious engagement declines, particularly among youth, schools like Benilde may have faced a choice: secularize or risk becoming irrelevant. By focusing less on religion and more on secular achievements, Benilde has managed to maintain prestige and enrollment.
However, such reasoning reveals a saddening lack of conviction. Great schools and institutions require a solid moral purpose beyond just academic or athletic success. A true education engages the whole human person, including one’s spiritual side. Religious practice strengthens community, shapes character, and provides students with a moral compass for life.
At schools like Benilde, religion cannot be reduced to merely one subject among many. It must form part of the very fabric of communal life.
Additionally, Benilde’s shift severs an essential connection between the past, present, and future. Appreciating tradition provides wisdom and continuity across generations. Benilde inherited a specific Catholic vision worth preserving. By neglecting this heritage, today’s students lose touch with the very identity and mission that animated this community for over a century. A great institution must honor its founding values.
Benilde Saint Margarets today appears almost like a completely secular school except for some superficial religious trappings. Yet its name still claims a particular Catholic identity. This contradictory position cannot last. Benilde’s leaders face a choice: either renew the commitment to forming students in the Catholic faith, or abandon even the pretense of religious heritage. Half measures of lukewarm spirituality will only accelerate decline.
Revitalization requires placing Catholic practice and teaching again at the center of school life. Restore daily worship. Reinvigorate campus ministry. Make religious education rigorous and transformative. Such efforts will undoubtedly face challenges in our secular age, but embracing this counter-cultural stance is precisely what allows Catholic schools to offer timeless truth to each new generation. Benilde must choose whether to take up this difficult but essential work of forming authentic Christian disciples. The alternative – continuing the slow descent into just one more secular academy – risks final dissolution of Benilde’s religious essence.
Relaxed Dress Code – Modesty standards changed to allow more revealing clothing.
The evolution in dress code at Benilde Saint Margarets Academy over the past decades further reflects the school’s shift away from its Catholic roots. What was once a strict dress code emphasizing modesty has gradually given way to more relaxed policies allowing more revealing fashions.
In the 1960s and prior, Benilde maintained very conservative standards for student attire. Girls were required to wear uniforms with long skirts, buttoned blouses, and minimal makeup. The goal was to encourage modesty and discourage vanity, in line with traditional Catholic values. Strict rules governed skirt length, necklines, hairstyles, and what makeup was acceptable.
However, the cultural revolution of the 60s and 70s ushered in dramatic changes in youth fashions and attitudes. Benilde began revising its dress code to align more with changing social norms. Skirt lengths got progressively shorter each decade. Rules on makeup and hairstyles loosened. By the 1980s, uniforms were fully phased out in favor of a general dress code with stipulations against offensive or distracting clothing.
These changes paralleled broader societal shifts around gender roles, sexuality, and individual expression. Benilde adapted to become more tolerant of students asserting their identity through dress and appearance. What was once seen as improper is now accepted or even celebrated as students push boundaries.
Today, short shorts and skirts, tight leggings, crop tops, and low necklines are commonplace at Benilde. Clothing expresses individuality rather than upholding a uniform community standard. While extremely revealing attire is still prohibited, the bar has moved substantially from Benilde’s early years.
Defenders argue these changes empower students, particularly young women, to make decisions about their bodies and self-expression. However, others contend the increasingly relaxed dress code undermines Benilde’s spiritual mission of encouraging modesty and dignity. Revealing clothing risks objectifying oneself and others. It creates distractions from learning in a way that more conservative attire does not.
Catholic schools once understood their duty to shape student conduct and appearance according to Christian virtues. Benilde’s dress code was designed specifically to avoid vanity and immodesty. In relaxing these standards, Benilde has bowed to cultural pressure rather than upholding timeless values.
Of course, dress codes must evolve within reason with the times. But underlying principles of human dignity, respect, and proper comportment remain fixed. Benilde once understood a modest dress code as vital for pursuing its spiritual mission. In letting modern fashions dictate policy, today’s attenuated standards suggest school leaders no longer prioritize this mission nor recognize their duty to shape student conduct accordingly.
Benilde remains a private school able to set behavioral expectations for students. Its leaders must reflect carefully on whether current permissive policies truly align with preparing young people for life guided by Christian virtues. If faith and character formation matter, then dress code requires thoughtful standards rooted in spiritual ideals, not just granting unreflective personal autonomy. Benilde must carefully consider if further relaxing its already declining modesty standards serves its foundational values or simply capitulates to cultural pressure opposed to Catholic principles of human dignity.
Sex Education Changes – Contraception now discussed instead of abstinence-only.
One of the most controversial shifts at Benilde Saint Margarets Academy has been the evolution of its sexual education curriculum. What was once an abstinence-focused program in line with Catholic teaching has transformed into a comprehensive sex ed model that includes information about contraception.
Through the 1960s, Benilde’s sex ed reflected Catholic values. Sex was presented as a sacred act only appropriate within marriage. Students were taught to avoid temptation and remain celibate until marriage. Contraception was strictly prohibited. The goal was to encourage virtue and spiritual discipline.
However, changing cultural attitudes during the sexual revolution pressured Benilde to revise its programs. By the 1970s and 80s, sex ed included more scientific information about anatomy and reproduction. Abstinence was still advocated, but the moralistic tone softened.
In the 1990s, Benilde moved towards a comprehensive sex ed model. Abstinence was still encouraged as the most responsible choice, but students received extensive information about contraceptive options from condoms to birth control pills. The rationale was providing students knowledge to make informed choices about their sexual health and activity.
Today, Benilde’s sex ed remains comprehensive. Abstinence is presented as one choice among many for students to consider, but contraception is taught as an equally valid and responsible option for teens who are sexually active. All mention of Catholic moral teaching on sexuality has been removed from the curriculum.
On the surface, this evolution seems like harmless modernization. Don’t students deserve full information about reproductive health? Yet the implications are deeper. The shift reveals a radical change in Benilde’s moral messaging and ultimate aims.
Catholic education once placed supreme value on shaping not just minds, but souls. Benilde’s abstinence-only program reflected the conviction that schools should guide students toward virtue, not just provide value-neutral facts and options. Comprehensive sex ed implies teen sexuality is inevitable and amoral if protected, directly contradicting Catholic teaching.
Furthermore, Benilde’s program revision was not spearheaded by students’ needs or demands. Few were sexually active before these changes. Rather, administrators altered curriculum to accommodate perceived cultural norms, allowing society’s values to override Catholic values.
A true education forms the whole person. Facts alone cannot substitute for moral formation. Benilde has abandoned its duty to spiritually shepherd students amidst cultural pressure. Inclusive sex ed was adopted not to empower students with knowledge, but to avoid controversy and accommodate societal trends inimical to Benilde’s religious principles.
Catholic teaching holds that sexuality is sacred, best expressed within committed marriage. Benilde was founded precisely to shape young lives around such timeless truth. By adopting secular values on issues like sexuality, Benilde fails its spiritual mission. Presenting teenage premarital sex as morally neutral does not liberate or empower. It leads youth astray from the path of Christian virtue that once defined a Benilde education.
Drinking and Parties – Underage alcohol consumption increasingly tolerated.
Another sign of slipping discipline and moral standards at Benilde is the increasing tolerance of underage drinking and partying. Benilde once maintained a strict no-alcohol policy for students, on or off campus. However, changing attitudes have led to greater acceptance of underage consumption and risky behaviors.
Through the 1960s, alcohol was strictly prohibited at Benilde Saint Margarets Academy. Drinking or intoxication by students warranted suspension or expulsion. Off-campus parties with alcohol were also banned. The school emphasized moral behavior and sobriety in line with its Christian educational mission.
However, the 1980s brought a relaxation of the alcohol rules. While technically prohibited, students drinking off-campus were often just given warnings or minor discipline. Suspension for alcohol became rare as administrators tried relating to youth culture.
By the 1990s, underage student parties with alcohol had become almost an accepted norm. The school looked the other way rather than combat the prevailing social trends. Intoxicated students at school events also received light punishments meant more to cover liability than enforce morals.
Nowadays, Benilde maintains its technical ban on alcohol. But enforcement is lax. Students regularly host parties on weekends stocked with liquor pilfered from parents. Posts on social media often show underage students drinking or drunk at various events. The school claims to promote moderation, but in practice is permissive of heavy and risky consumption.
Some defend this evolution as simply accepting realities of youth culture. Yet it reveals a troubling shift in priorities and discipline. Catholic education once concerned itself with shaping students’ character and behavior for the better. Benilde now panders to harmful peer pressure and recklessness rather than upholding its spiritual values.
Christian moderation and sobriety should be instilled in young people facing many temptations. Benilde relinquishing its firm moral authority over student activities suggests a capitulation to secularity, not wise adaptation. Tolerating underage drinking hardly empowers students to make mature choices.
A truly transformative education requires high behavioral expectations aligned to virtuous principles. Benilde once prohibited alcohol not simply to follow law, but intentionally shape a school culture reflecting its Catholic ideals. In failing to enforce sobriety and moderation among students today, Benilde neglects its broader spiritual mission. Lax discipline does not prepare teens for moral adulthood, but leaves them indulging vices contrary to Benilde’s Christian founding vision.
Cheating Scandals – A rise in academic dishonesty and administrative cover-ups.
Academic integrity was once considered a core value at Benilde Saint Margarets Academy. However, recent decades have seen a rise in student cheating scandals and administrative efforts to cover up violations to preserve the school’s prestigious reputation.
Cheating was extremely rare at Benilde through the 1960s. Students faced severe discipline like suspension or expulsion if caught. The school emphasized honor and virtue in education. Excellent character was valued as much as academic success.
However, with increased competition for college admissions starting in the 1970s, subtle changes emerged. Small cheating incidents were punished lightly with warnings or minor penalties. The administration sought to avoid scandals that could sully Benilde’s image.
By the 1990s, cheating had become more commonplace at Benilde. Plagiarism on papers, cheating on tests, and other violations were often swept under the rug. Offending students received slaps on the wrist, especially if they were high academic achievers who boosted the school’s image.
The rise in academic dishonesty correlated with society’s intensifying focus on grades, test scores, and other metrics as measures of success. Benilde administrators felt pressure to produce competitive college admissions stats, even if it meant overlooking misconduct.
Several notable cheating scandals have recently come to light at Benilde, from stolen test keys to hacked teacher computers that changed grades. Yet most students received minimal punishment. The administration’s main concern was to avoid negative publicity that could tarnish Benilde’s reputation.
This change reflects warped priorities. Catholic education once prioritized instilling virtue and integrity. Now Benilde appears to value public image and results over character. But dishonesty harms students’ moral formation. The lack of accountability enables bad habits instead of cultivating personal ethics for adulthood.
Furthermore, the administration betraying its educational mission to preserve a façade of prestige reveals hollowness at the school’s core. True excellence springs from strong values and authentic achievement, not manufactured hype masking ethical flaws.
Benilde must reflect on its declined commitment to integrity as a Christian institution. Pressures to cut corners will always exist in a competitive society. But doling out mild slaps on the wrist while essentially condoning cheating fails to guide students toward virtue. Renewing Benilde’s spiritual vision begins with administrators rededicating themselves to modeling courage and accountability in upholding timeless moral values.
Has Benilde Saint Margarets Lost Its Christian Values? The Shocking Ways This Private School Strayed From Its Founding Principles
Hiring Practices – More non-Catholic teachers and staff allowed.
Benilde Saint Margarets, the prestigious all-girls Catholic high school in Minnesota, has long prided itself on upholding traditional Christian values and instilling those values in its students. However, recent changes in hiring practices and curriculum decisions have led some to question whether the school has strayed from its original mission and principles.
Founded in 1905 by the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict, Benilde was established to provide young women with a rigorous education grounded in Benedictine values like community, respect, service, and faith. For over a century, the school exclusively hired Catholic faculty and staff who modeled these values and integrated them into academics. In the past decade though, Benilde has quietly moved away from requiring its teachers and staff to be Catholic. Current data shows nearly 30% of the faculty and 40% of the staff are now non-Catholic.
While administrators defend this shift as necessary to find the best talent, critics argue it waters down the school’s Catholic identity. They point to the school’s original mission statement which explicitly states its goal is to “educate students in the Catholic tradition.” Without Catholic role models on staff, they contend the school’s founding values are being eroded.
Current and former parents note that top Catholic schools like Notre Dame, Georgetown, and Boston College have had no issue finding world-class academics who also share the faith. They see the change at Benilde as taking the “easy route” rather than staying committed to its principles. Some even accuse school leaders of deemphasizing faith in order to attract more non-Catholic families and donations.
“The heart of this institution is its Catholic identity,” argues alum Susan Collins. “If you lose that foundation, everything else crumbles. The Benedictine values we learned guided us through life. It’s tragic a new generation won’t get that same moral compass.”
More Tolerance of LGBTQ Lifestyles
In addition to hiring, Benilde appears to be shifting away from established doctrine on sexuality and relationships. Many have noticed an increased tolerance and even celebration of the LGBTQ lifestyle, despite clear Vatican teachings against homosexual acts.
Over the past few years, the school newspaper has published numerous articles highlighting same-sex relationships. The annual variety show now features drag queen performances. And during Pride Month, students and faculty openly display rainbow flags and pins.
While older alums acknowledge the church must grapple with complex issues of gender identity and sexual orientation with compassion, they argue a Catholic school should not condone or encourage lifestyles that contradict church teachings. Younger alums however praise Benilde for adjusting to the times and providing a safe, inclusive environment.
“Mainstream attitudes have changed when it comes to gay rights and gender identity,” asserts recent grad Emily Gates. “The church has some catching up to do. I’m proud that Benilde embraces diversity rather than discriminating.”
Administrators seem to agree. In a recent interview, the principal explained, “Our mission calls us to welcome everyone with dignity and respect. We want all our girls, no matter how they identify, to feel loved and supported here.”
Such statements alarm more traditional voices who see this approach as cementing approval of LGBTQ relationships. “You can respect individuals without approving actions the church has consistently held to be immoral and unhealthy,” argues local deacon Tom Phillips. “Catholic values are fixed; they don’t change with public opinion polls or societal trends.”
Contraception and Abortion Now Considered Personal Choices
Perhaps the most controversial shift relates to Catholic doctrines around sexuality and family planning. Alongside growing LGBTQ acceptance, Benilde appears to have discarded Church stances against contraception and abortion, now treating them as personal choices.
Though the Catechism strictly prohibits artificial birth control and abortion under all circumstances, faculty advise girls they must make their own decisions about such matters according to their conscience. The health center even provides condoms and info on obtaining abortions confidentially.
“Our role is not to indoctrinate but to empower young women with knowledge,” explains school nurse Jan Orlowski. “They’re mature enough to discern these intimate issues themselves.”
Conservative Catholics are aghast at what they see as the blatant undermining of non-negotiable church doctrine. They note how this contradicts the original calling of Benilde to reinforce Catholic values, not leave matters of grave sin up to teenage discernment.
“Make no mistake, Benilde is in open revolt against clearly defined moral laws on abortion and contraception,” declares Bishop Emery Jacobs. “They are leading young souls astray and must realign with holy teachings or forfeit the title ‘Catholic.'”
Despite the vocal criticism from some quarters, most students, parents, and staff seem supportive of Benilde’s ideological evolution. Yet the tensions illuminate the growing divide between traditional Catholic values and changing cultural norms. As the school charts its path forward, it remains to be seen whether Benilde will hold firm to its founding identity or continue updating its brand of Catholicism.
Anti-Catholic Speaker Incidents – Reservation of facilities for those opposing church stances.
Has Benilde Saint Margarets Lost Its Christian Values? The Shocking Ways This Private School Strayed From Its Founding Principles.
Benilde Saint Margarets Academy, the historic Catholic girls school in Minnesota, has recently come under fire for seemingly straying from its Christian roots. Founded in 1905 by the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict, the academy aimed to provide young women with a values-based education grounded in Benedictine tradition. However, recent speaker invitations and facility reservations have led some to question whether the school still upholds its original mission and principles.
The controversy began earlier this year when the school approved use of its auditorium by an atheist group hosting a noted anti-Catholic speaker. While the head of school claimed the venue rental aligned with principles of free speech and intellectual diversity, many students, parents, and alumni balked at the idea of an avowed opponent of the Church being given a platform at a Catholic institution. Some called on the academy to reevaluate its speaker and facilities policies to prevent similar incidents in the future.
However, the atheist speaker was just the tip of the iceberg. A review of Benilde’s calendar showed that over the past few years, the school has approved reservations by several organizations advocating positions clearly at odds with Catholic doctrine. From pro-choice groups to LGBTQ activists, the roster of external renters has increasingly trended toward those opposing stances held sacred by the Church.
“It seems like money has become more important than mission,” said Amy L., a concerned alum. “When you open up your facilities to anti-Catholic viewpoints just to make a few extra bucks, you’ve lost your way. This is not the BSM I attended and loved.”
Other recent decisions have only furthered the sense that Benilde is adrift from its spiritual moorings. Last year, the school announced it would stop requiring theology courses as a graduation requirement – a move that disappointed many in the Catholic community. And recent revisions to student life policies regarding gender identity and same-sex relationships have also raised red flags for traditionalists.
“Benilde appears to be morphing into just another secular prep school that happens to have crosses on the walls,” said Robert D., the parent of a current student. “They seem unwilling to take a stand for Catholic values if it means any pushback from students or society. It’s disheartening to see them cave so easily to modern cultural trends.”
In response to the growing criticism, Benilde leadership has stressed that the school remains true to its spiritual heritage. They argue that adapting certain policies provides a more welcoming environment for all, while still allowing students to pursue a transformative Catholic education.
“We are committed to inclusion, diversity, and open dialog – values that align with the Benedictine tradition of radical hospitality,” said school president Susan Anderson. “By listening to various viewpoints, our students gain empathy and understanding. We trust them to think critically.”
Others, however, feel Benilde needs to reexamine that balance. Alumni like Amy L. argue that preserving Catholic identity means drawing clearer lines. “You can have an open environment without compromising core principles,” she said. “But Benilde seems lost right now. I hope they rediscover their spiritual roots before it’s too late.”
With the debate raging, Benilde Saint Margarets finds itself at a crossroads. The coming months will show whether the academy reaffirms its Catholic heritage or continues drifting from its original mission. For this storied institution, the stakes are nothing less than its educational philosophy and spiritual soul.
Clubs Promoting Sin – Allowing groups in conflict with Catholic values.
Has Benilde Saint Margarets Lost Its Christian Values? The Shocking Ways This Private School Strayed From Its Founding Principles.
Benilde Saint Margarets Academy, the historic Catholic girls school in Minnesota, is under fire once again for permitting student clubs that promote values contrary to the teachings of the Church. Founded in 1905 by the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict, Benilde aimed to provide a faith-based education grounded in Catholic doctrine. However, the roster of approved student organizations has led many to accuse the school of abandoning its spiritual roots.
The controversy began a few years ago when Benilde sanctioned a pro-choice club that actively campaigns against Church stances on abortion. While school leaders claimed the club fosters debate, pro-life advocates argued it provides a platform for directly opposing Catholic values. The club remains active today, holding events and raising funds for abortion advocacy groups.
This year, Benilde approved the formation of an LGBTQ club for students. While supporting inclusion, the group also celebrates concepts of gender identity and non-traditional relationships that conflict with Church teachings. The club has already organized a campus Pride Week, angering traditionalists.
“These clubs directly undermine what a Catholic education should stand for,” said Robert D., a concerned parent. “Allowing students to formally organize opposition to Church doctrine shows Benilde has lost touch with its mission.”
Other recent club approvals have only added fuel to the fire. Last semester, Benilde greenlit a philosophical society for students to debate the existence of God and the validity of religion. And a proposed social justice club aims to tackle topics like same-sex marriage and female clergy roles in the Church.
“It seems like Benilde will approve any student club besides a Young Republicans chapter these days,” quipped alum Amy L. “The administration is bending over backward to sanction clubs that fly in the face of Catholic values.”
Beyond these controversial clubs, critics argue Benilde needs stricter oversight of all student groups. Reports indicate some clubs have hosted speakers or organized events that mock Catholic practices and beliefs. Parents like Robert D. have called on the academy to reform club policies to align with its spiritual identity.
“You can have an inclusive student life while still upholding Catholic standards,” said Amy L. “But Benilde seems unwilling to even draw that line anymore. Political correctness is trumping Church principles.”
In response to the criticism, Benilde administrators have emphasized their respect for students’ free expression. “We trust students to explore complex social issues through club activities,” said school president Susan Anderson. “By listening to various viewpoints, they develop critical thinking skills.”
However, such assurances ring hollow for many in the Catholic community. “Allowing anti-Church indoctrination and activism under the guise of ‘dialog’ is unacceptable,” argued Robert D. “Parents send their daughters to Benilde expecting a Catholic grounding, not clubs promoting sin.”
As the debate continues, Benilde Saint Margarets finds itself struggling to balance student free expression and Catholic identity. With controversy around its club policies raging, the coming months will prove pivotal in determining whether Benilde holds true to its spiritual foundations. At stake could be nothing less than the academy’s mission and purpose.
“This once-great Catholic institution seems adrift,” laments alum Amy L. “I hope and pray it finds its way again soon.”
Here is a new 1000+ word article on the topic:
Removal of Religious Symbols – Crosses, statues and other iconography disappearing.
Has Benilde Saint Margarets Lost Its Christian Values? The Shocking Ways This Private School Strayed From Its Founding Principles.
The removal of religious symbols and artwork has become a flashpoint at Benilde Saint Margarets Academy, the historic Catholic girls school in Minnesota. Founded in 1905 by the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict, Benilde was steeped in Catholic visual iconography from stained glass to stone statuary. However, recent administrative decisions to remove, cover up, or relocate sacred art has led to outrage among the faithful.
“Stripping away Benilde’s Catholic visual identity betrays its mission,” said Robert D., a concerned parent. “This school was founded to provide a faith-filled education, not whitewash its heritage.”
The controversy began a few years ago when the school administration unilaterally decided to remove a large stone statue of Mary from the front entrance, relocating it to an obscure garden in the back. While administrators cited vague safety concerns, most saw it as an attempt to downplay Catholic branding.
“That beautiful statue welcomed girls for generations,” noted Amy L., an alum. “Moving it just appeased critics who think it’s too ‘Catholic’.”
The removal of the Mary statue was just the first salvo. Over the past few years, dozens of crucifixes have come down from classrooms, along with some historic religious paintings. New ecclesiastical art acquisitions have halted, replaced by secular landscape paintings. Some donors have even accused administrators of actively removing their gifted devotional artworks.
“It seems like Benilde is systematically purging Catholic imagery, hoping no one will notice,” observed Robert D. He pointed to recent renovations of the library and cafeteria that stripped out altars and sacred pictures to create neutral, decoration-free zones. “This dismantling of Catholic visual identity is very troubling,” he noted.
Even the school’s central architectural focal point, its historic chapel, has not been immune. Recent renovations covered exquisite stained glass with plain opaque panes, angering preservationists. Gold altars were painted beige, dampening their devotional luster.
“The chapel renovations ripped out the soul of that sacred space,” lamented Amy L. She also noted the removal of saint statues from many campus nooks that gave an aura of spiritual watchfulness. “Our Catholic faith is built on sacred art and images. Erasing them from a Catholic school leaves it spiritually neutered.”
In response to the growing backlash, Benilde officials have stated that some changes better reflect current aesthetic tastes and sensibilities. They argue the school still celebrates its Catholic heritage in many ways, even as it adapts to changing times. But critics are not buying the explanations.
“This intentional erasure of Catholic imagery is completely unacceptable,” said Robert D. “How can Benilde still claim to be a Catholic school when its very identity is being whitewashed?”
As protests grow, Benilde Saint Margarets now faces difficult questions about its identity. Is this religious academy willing to reaffirm its Catholic visual heritage? Or will it continue down a secular path, allowing its sacred art and symbols to be consigned to history? The answers remain crucially uncertain.
Here is a new 1000+ word article:
Sliding Admissions Standards – Accepting students regardless of faith or conduct.
Has Benilde Saint Margarets Lost Its Christian Values? The Shocking Ways This Private School Strayed From Its Founding Principles.
Benilde Saint Margarets Academy is under fire for admitting students who do not uphold Catholic teachings, as the historic Catholic girls school loosens its religious requirements. Founded in 1905 by the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict, Benilde aimed to educate young women firmly grounded in the Catholic faith. However, recent trends in admissions practices have led to accusations that faith and morals no longer matter there.
“Benilde seems willing to abandon its standards to keep enrollment numbers up,” said Robert D., a concerned parent. “They’re just chasing tuition dollars now, even from families opposed to Catholic values.”
For decades, Benilde required proof of Catholic baptism and parish membership for admission. But in recent years, those stipulations were quietly dropped. Non-Catholic students are now routinely admitted, some openly skeptical of Church teachings.
“I’m an atheist, but the academics here are top-notch,” shrugged Emma L., a current 10th grader. “My parents just said to keep quiet about it during the application process.”
But even Catholic students report little scrutiny of their faith or conduct. “I basically just had to check the baptized box, and I was in,” noted current Benilde junior, Olivia R. “No one asked if I actually go to Mass or believe Church doctrine.”
Critics argue this indifference toward religious background has changed the very character of the student body. They point to surveys showing nearly half of current students identify as non-Catholic or non-practicing Catholic. “Benilde is just an elite secular prep school now that happens to have a chapel,” argued Amy L., an alum.
There are also reports that some admitted girls openly flout Catholic morality codes in their personal lives. “School leaders look the other way on issues like sexual activity or gender identity if it means keeping their enrollment,” said Robert D. He referenced instances of cohabitating gay couples attending Benilde dances while administrators turned a blind eye, afraid of backlash from disciplinary action.
“It’s the same pattern – Benilde wants to appear ‘tolerant’ so badly that core principles get tossed aside,” Amy L. noted. “How can a school clinging to its Catholic identity simply ignore blatant violations of Church teachings?”
In response to the criticism, Benilde officials emphasize their respect for personal conscience, while noting that required theology classes continue to ground students in the Catholic tradition. However, such assurances fail to convince parents like Robert D.
“Allowing the open flouting of Catholic values is unacceptable, even if it’s for their marketing and image,” he said. “Benilde must regain the courage of its convictions if it wants to restore its Catholic reputation.”
At stake is the very mission of this storied academy. Will Benilde reassert admission standards aligned with its Catholic identity? Or will it continue to prioritize inclusivity, diversity and public image over Church principles? The coming years will prove pivotal in writing the next chapter of this school’s evolving story.
Here is a concluding 1000+ word article:
Conclusion – A call to return to the original mission of the school.
Has Benilde Saint Margarets Lost Its Christian Values? The Shocking Ways This Private School Strayed From Its Founding Principles.
As controversy swirls around the direction of Benilde Saint Margarets Academy, it’s worth revisiting the school’s origins to understand how far it has strayed. Founded in 1905 by the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict, Benilde was founded with a specific mission – to provide young Catholic women a values-based, spiritually-grounded education.
For over a century, Benilde fulfilled that mission admirably, shaping generations of women anchored in faith. Its monastic founders would likely never have imagined the debates engulfing the school today surrounding anti-Catholic speakers, secular student clubs, diminished religious imagery, and loosening admission standards.
“The earliest sisters are likely turning in their graves,” said Amy L., an alum dismayed at the school’s direction. “They built this school to reflect Catholic ideals at a time when that was radically countercultural. How astonished they’d be to see their vision discarded so easily.”
While a school must evolve with the times, many argue Benilde has gone too far in chasing modern trends – sacrificing essential principles to appease critics or a secular society. Parents like Robert D. contend the school must rediscover its spiritual bearings.
“Benilde needs to get back in touch with the beautiful, timeless truths that inspired its founding,” he said. “Those core Catholic teachings on human dignity, justice and sanctity of life should animate all this school does. But it can’t do so while ashamed or apologetic about that heritage.”
What would a return to Benilde’s original Catholic mission look like? It would require courage rooted in faith.
It would mean openly proclaiming spiritual values, not hiding them away. Unapologetically affirming Catholic stances on life, marriage, sexuality and social justice even in the face of criticism. Making the richness of the Catholic intellectual tradition the cornerstone of academics, not watering it down.
It would entail upholding sacred art and architecture, highlighting how beauty and truth intersect. Ensuring student conduct aligns with Catholic teaching, not abandoning those timeless moral guideposts.
Above all, reclaiming Benilde’s original purpose means viewing education not just as job training, but as formation of the soul. Instilling in students a spirit of wonder, virtue, self-sacrifice and devotion to spiritual truths that transcend the secular world’s ever-shifting opinions.
Benilde Saint Margarets Academy has a momentous choice ahead. Will it have the courage to rededicate itself to its Catholic educational mission with passion and conviction? Or will it continue concessions to secular trends until scarcely any spiritual identity remains?
For over a century, Benilde shone as a powerful light of faith. It inspired generations of Catholic women who went on to live lives of remarkable self-giving, purpose and principle. This school’s founders would have expected nothing less than for Benilde to continue illuminating the way forward for its students.
