Bishop Duca Addresses Pastors, Principals, and Parents of Children in Catholic Schools

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To the Pastors, Principals, and Parents of Children Enrolled in Catholic Schools:

On 14 July 2021, the Diocese of Baton Rouge published a series of guidelines for returning to school this fall using the same process of consultation as was done for the 2020-2021 school year.  The creation of these guidelines was based on those that had been recently published for schools by the state of Louisiana and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This preparation included a process of consultation with a team from Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center.  It was our expectation that public, parochial, and private schools would apply these or similar guidelines and protocols to begin the school year.  These guidelines suggested that all non-vaccinated students should be masked and, for those who are vaccinated, masks would be optional.
 
As you know, the reaction from some was immediate and impassioned. The ensuing reaction surprised me in intensity, conviction and breadth of reasons which were based on both medical and political opinions, and in some few cases, in the rage and disrespect (though possibly not intended) shown to the parish secretaries, pastors, and the staff at the Catholic Life Center.  I felt this personally, not because of the disagreement about guidelines or proposed protocols, but because of the explicit assumption that the diocese was not acting in the best interest of our children or that I was being influenced by a political narrative that was obstructing personal or religious freedom.  I want to be clear and assure you that such thoughts are not true. There have never been, nor are there now, nor will there ever be any secret motives on my part or on the part of our Catholic schools’ leadership.

As I write this, reported COVID numbers, particularly the Delta variant cases, are rising.  The CDC has expanded substantially its guidance with respect to the wearing of masks. I feel it necessary to speak to you directly so that you will know my mind in these matters and clearly understand the principles that will guide any future decisions made by me and those who work with me regarding COVID policies for Catholic schools as we account for a surge in spread of COVID in our state.

Catholic schools in our diocese successfully opened in the Fall of 2020 on time and in person and remained open for the entire school year because of the tremendous work of administrators and teachers who remained flexible in serving the needs of students.  Throughout that time and now, my leadership team and I have been guided by only two goals:

1. Ensuring that each day everyone in our schools (especially children, faculty, and staff) is as safe as possible; and,
2. Keeping our elementary and high schools open for in-class learning with minimal disruption.

These two goals were our only ones, and each of the protocols and procedures used last year were implemented to successfully accomplish them.  Any assumptions about any other motivations are mistaken.  Procedures were effective because masking, static cohort groups, and physical distancing greatly limited the number of students who needed to quarantine in the event of infection due to exposure in the classroom.  The infection rate within Catholic schools averaged in the single digits, and the origin of infection came mainly from events outside of the classroom.
 
We have approached this year’s school opening with the same two goals.  
After publishing our procedures for this school year, the state superintendent of schools stated that the published procedures and protocols for returning to school were considered best practice recommendations, not mandates. Further, the state Department of Education this week delegated to each school district the authority to implement protocols as it deems fit.  This clarification changed how we could proceed and, after hearing from some parents and stakeholders, we set out to create a different set of procedures and protocols for our schools, making masks optional and eliminating the need to confirm vaccination status.  Currently, this is how the decision stands.
 
When our plan for reopening schools changed, some sent me thank-you notes for listening to parents.  While I appreciate this acknowledgment, please know that for every parent who does not want his or her child to wear a mask, there is a parent who believes that masks are still important to ensure safety. I believe that both views come from concern for our children. These disagreements in viewpoint will not be settled by any decision we make.  I accept this fact, and so I will move forward with a focus only on keeping our schools open and everyone safe. These two goals remain at the core of my motivation.

It is possible that if COVID cases continue to increase, we will need to change our procedures and protocols to accomplish our goals.  Any changes in protocol will be made public by next Monday, 02 August 2021 at the latest.

Let us remember that Catholic schools are a mission of our Church, and we are called to protect those under our care.  While I do not have at this time a specific plan going forward, my focus will be to do what needs to be done to keep students, faculty, and staff safe and to keep our schools open in service to families. If we update any protocols, even if it means wearing masks some or all the time, I hope you will better understand my reasoning. I hope that despite our differences of opinion, our love for our schools and our common Catholic faith will allow us to work together and support our teachers and principals so our schools remain open for our children again this year.

Hope in the Lord!



Most Reverend Michael G. Duca
Bishop of Baton Rouge