Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What surprises me is how the OP was surprised that there would be alcohol consumption at a social event attended mostly by Catholics, many of whom are of Irish extraction.

One wonders what else the OP doesn't know about Catholic culture. Assuming that everyone is like we are is an easy mistake to make.

Does the OP know how relatively insular a community this is? Or that there is such a strong desire to have their children marry into the Faith? Or that sports is such a big deal? Or that they hold so many things as truths that others might feel are superstitions?

"One wonders" why you have have to post multiple times in every thread about Catholic schools to share your offensive and stereotyped views of Catholics.

Not the PP, but assuming he/she posts it because IT IS TRUE. Sign me, A Recovering Catholic

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi, OP

I get what you are saying. I grew up Catholic and at one point looked at Little Flower in Bethesda for my child. The attitude towards alcohol really turned me off (
one of the moms indicated that during many of the events parents hung in the back drinking). I have a lot of alcoholics in our family's history and I try to stay away. I knew our family wouldn't' fit in and that ultimately would affect my child. I'm not trying to pass judgement on parents who have different values than myself. If it works for them and they are happy, good for them!

I call BS, no way before you become a school family are parents going to say that...

Different pp but how can you possibly know? There are idiots everywhere, spouting all kinds of shit from their silly faces. This could simply be another one of those.

Anonymous wrote:Italian Catholic here. I don't like alcohol myself, but honestly I think the issue is less catholics specifically than white people as a whole. White professionals cannot socialize without alcohol. It's unfortunate.

+ It's pathetic. I drink, but get tired of the centrality of alcohol to social events in DC culture. Not sure other races are less alcohol-centric, but if so, good for them.

Anonymous wrote:This talk about drinking in schools during non-social events (back to school night, teachers conferences, etc.) is ridiculous. My kids have been in three different Catholics in Montgomery County, and never have I seen alcohol served at a back to school night. We even have done many social events that also include the children and I have not seen any alcohol served at these events. The alcohol consumption has been limited to adult only events...and I have not seen anything out of the ordinary. Adults drink socially...there is nothing unusual about that. I, personally, prefer to have a drink or two when I socialize.

I don't believe for one second that alcohol is served at any school for teacher conferences - although I sure hope the teachers have a chance to imbibe afterwards!
But I think back to school night means different things at different schools. At my kids school now, it seems to be very academic focused and a very classroom-based. Makes sense there wouldn't be alcohol. But my Catholic high school growing up had a back to school night that was more of a party/social hour/get to know everyone event, and there was alcohol there.

This talk about drinking in schools during non-social events (back to school night, teachers conferences, etc.) is ridiculous. My kids have been in three different Catholics in Montgomery County, and never have I seen alcohol served at a back to school night. We even have done many social events that also include the children and I have not seen any alcohol served at these events. The alcohol consumption has been limited to adult only events...and I have not seen anything out of the ordinary. Adults drink socially...there is nothing unusual about that. I, personally, prefer to have a drink or two when I socialize.

Italian Catholic here. I don't like alcohol myself, but honestly I think the issue is less catholics specifically than white people as a whole. White professionals cannot socialize without alcohol. It's unfortunate.

Anonymous wrote:No, there is no alcohol at my child's Catholic school at back to school night. I would find that ridiculous. Fall festival? yes. The annual auction? yes. But not back to school night. Give me a break.

[b]


Try back to school night at The Heights. Would you like white or red wine?

Our Catholic school in Arlington has wine available before every PTO meeting and most social events like pot luck suppers are BYOB. There is a lot of responsible drinking going on. There are also a lot of adults not drinking, some because they are pregnant/nursing and some because they choose not to. I don't think anyone feels any pressure to drink and all adults watch out for all of the kids so the kids are not drinking. This all seems very normal to me and it is very much like my Catholic grade school was 30 years ago on the west coast.

I think the attitude toward alcohol is pretty normal/healthy at our Catholic school. There is wine served at some adult-only events, but only those that are strictly social events (auction, class parent dinners, occasional fundraising events/receptions). The school serves wine/beer at alumni events as well. Never at BTS night or other education-related events (for lack of a better term).

I'd be curious to hear if the experience is different for folks at non-Catholic private schools? Is there appreciably less booze at schools like Landon, Norwood, GDS, Sidwell, etc.? I never thought of this as a "Catholic thing" before, maybe just a DC thing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What surprises me is how the OP was surprised that there would be alcohol consumption at a social event attended mostly by Catholics, many of whom are of Irish extraction.

One wonders what else the OP doesn't know about Catholic culture. Assuming that everyone is like we are is an easy mistake to make.

Does the OP know how relatively insular a community this is? Or that there is such a strong desire to have their children marry into the Faith? Or that sports is such a big deal? Or that they hold so many things as truths that others might feel are superstitions?

"One wonders" why you have have to post multiple times in every thread about Catholic schools to share your offensive and stereotyped views of Catholics.

+1

The same statement made about any other religious or ethnic group would be reported immediately. Why do people think that the Irish and Catholics are fair game?

Anonymous wrote:What surprises me is how the OP was surprised that there would be alcohol consumption at a social event attended mostly by Catholics, many of whom are of Irish extraction.

One wonders what else the OP doesn't know about Catholic culture. Assuming that everyone is like we are is an easy mistake to make.

Does the OP know how relatively insular a community this is? Or that there is such a strong desire to have their children marry into the Faith? Or that sports is such a big deal? Or that they hold so many things as truths that others might feel are superstitions?

"One wonders" why you have have to post multiple times in every thread about Catholic schools to share your offensive and stereotyped views of Catholics.

Anonymous wrote:Nobody drinks like Episcopalians. We have the bishops in jail to prove it. So stay at the Catholic school.

+1.

My book club drinks at each meeting and my MOMS Club has regular nights out. From what I can tell, drinking is part of socialization here. I only drink very rarely but it doesn't prevent me from attending.

What surprises me is how the OP was surprised that there would be alcohol consumption at a social event attended mostly by Catholics, many of whom are of Irish extraction.

One wonders what else the OP doesn't know about Catholic culture. Assuming that everyone is like we are is an easy mistake to make.

Does the OP know how relatively insular a community this is? Or that there is such a strong desire to have their children marry into the Faith? Or that sports is such a big deal? Or that they hold so many things as truths that others might feel are superstitions?

Anonymous wrote:Hi, OP

I get what you are saying. I grew up Catholic and at one point looked at Little Flower in Bethesda for my child. The attitude towards alcohol really turned me off (
one of the moms indicated that during many of the events parents hung in the back drinking). I have a lot of alcoholics in our family's history and I try to stay away. I knew our family wouldn't' fit in and that ultimately would affect my child. I'm not trying to pass judgement on parents who have different values than myself. If it works for them and they are happy, good for them!

I call BS, no way before you become a school family are parents going to say that...