Job Discussion Forums

carrizales · Joined: 21 Dec 2008 Posts: 28 Location: FL

Hey, I just got called in to interview at this colegio. It's a catholic school and I was just curious what your experiences with it were. Were they open to letting in teachers who weren't so hardcore catholic or what was the situation like?
As for myself, I was raised catholic and had my communion and everything, but I kind of just stopped going to church and I'm not that religious or anything. I just hope this isnt a problem or anything.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

It depends greatly on the particular school or association.

There's a colegio in DF I know very well run by Opus Dei...hardcore Catholic. Their schools are either boys-only or girls-only so only male teachers and female teachers respectively. Despite being Opus Dei, the school will not hire specifically along religious lines and most teachers aren't asked to teach religion in any way.

Teachers there are asked to participate in some Catholic services and one is expected to not express certain opinions and beliefs openly on campus - the usual suspects such as homosexuality, abortion, etc.

carrizales · Joined: 21 Dec 2008 Posts: 28 Location: FL

I think we're talking about the same school. Yeah, I have no problem keeping my opinions to myself. Nor would I care in participating in Catholic services, I do it to amuse my mother. heh. Thanks.

Phil_K · Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 2041 Location: A World of my Own

Is this kind of discrimination legal in Mexico? It certainly isn't where I come from!

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Prof.Gringo · Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 3:13 pm Post subject:

Phil_K · Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 2041 Location: A World of my Own

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Interesting...I don't see it as very different from Catholic schools in my part of Canada. If you go to a Catholic school (or rather if your parents send you), you are exposed to Catholic beliefs. I went to Catholic school all through primary and middle school.

I can't see an Ontario Catholic school teacher hanging on to their job if they were to stray from doctrine into areas considered taboo by the church. Church and state are different realms.

Phil_K · Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 2041 Location: A World of my Own

I was refering to being denied employment due to religious beliefs.

However, it seems I'm wrong. A UK Government website addresses exactly the point we're discussing:

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

That's religion for you...but...

Sashadroogie · Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 6:06 pm Post subject:

It's not always discrimination and it's not automatically illegal to deny employment based on background, even in the enlightened western world. There is a legal concept thingy that covers this - genuine occupational qualification.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genuine_Occupational_Qualification

It is presumably for this reason that the king or queen of England cannot be catholic.

TeresaLopez · Joined: 18 Apr 2010 Posts: 601 Location: Mexico City

FreddyM · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 180 Location: Mexico

The particular school being discussed here does not necessarily discriminate on religious grounds. They've hired atheists in the past. There are several non-Catholics working there, particularly the foreign teachers.
There are a lot of forms of discrimination in this country, regardless of whatever laws are in the books. And private institutions (including private schools) have even more wiggle room to hire, fire, promote and whatnot whoever they want.