An Italian primary school teacher who was suspended after her lesson good and evil left a class in tears has won the support of Pope Benedict XVI.
The Daily Mail is reporting that Cristina Vai, 55, a teacher for 30 years, was suspended from her position at the Bombicci primary school in Bologna after parents complained that her teaching on the Apocalypse left their children frightened and in tears. They claimed her graphic descriptions of the battle between good angels and the devil terrified her class of five and six year-old children.
Cristina Vai - photo by The Daily Mail
Rather than just disciplining her, Mrs. Vai was shocked when the headmaster suspended her over the incident. She immediately wrote to her local representative to protest the move as well as to Pope Benedict XVI.
She was soon to be even more shocked when she received a reply from the Vatican within days of sending her letter.
The reply was written by Monsignor Peter Wells, an assistant with the Pope’s Secretary of State, who said:
“The Holy Father thanks you with all his heart for your faithful gesture and for the sentiments that have inspired you. His Holiness also sends you from his heart an Apostolic Blessing which he also extends in particular to the young children in the class.”
‘This is such a wonderful letter and it really puts my heart at ease,” Mrs. Vai told the Mail. “Now I am convinced that nothing bad will happen to me. I was accused of upsetting the children by explaining to them good versus evil and how evil is always punished but that is what is in the Bible. There is good and bad in every story and this was not a fairytale. The children needed to hear about good and evil so they know the right choice to make.”
Mrs. Vai not only won the backing of the Pope, but her local representative, Fabio Garagnani, is also in her corner.
“I hope that with this letter from the Pope matters will be cleared up and it will become obvious that her lesson was in perfect accordance with Catholic teaching,” Mr. Garagnani said.
However, the school’s principal, Stefano Mari said: “This was not an easy decision to make. We had parents complain that their children were scared by the way she explained the lesson and so after discussions she was suspended.
“I am aware of the letter from the Vatican but I don’t see what difference it makes. My decision was based solely for the benefit of the children but the teacher has decided to make it an issue.”
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