A Catholic boarding school in California is catching heat for removing Catholic statues from public view at its campus.
According to the Marin Independent Journal, the San Domenico School in San Anselmo has moved several statues and other religious artifacts and symbols associated with Catholicism to the basement in order to create a more inclusive atmosphere.
"Articulating an inclusive foundation appears to mean letting go of San Domenico's 167-year tradition as a Dominican Catholic school and being both afraid and ashamed to celebrate one's heritage and beliefs," wrote Shannon Fitzpatrick, whose 8-year-old son is a student at the school, in an email to administrators.
One removed statue that has parents particularly upset depicts Mary and Baby Jesus. A parent told the Independent Journal that students would place a crown on Mary during a ceremony. That statue was previously located in the courtyard of the primary school on the campus.
Amy Skewes-Cox leads the school's board of trustees and told the Independent Journal the removal of statues is in line with the school's forward-looking plan. She added that 18 religious icons are still in place around campus.
Said head of school Cecily Stock: "San Domenico is both a Catholic school and an independent school . . . We want to make sure that prospective families are aware that we are an independent school."
The majority of American Catholics, meanwhile, did not support President Donald Trump's performance in the White House in a poll taken earlier this summer.
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