Don't be distracted in the Catholic sex-abuse scandals

[metapunditedgy]

Regarding the sex abuse scandals in the Roman Catholic church.

A few years ago, I remember reading a talking point that molestation was also found in public schools, and the percentage of abusive priests was about the same as for public school teachers.

Fair enough, in the narrowest sense that bad apples will be found in any large batch.

But how many school teachers (or pick any other profession) abuse tens or hundreds of children? How many are then protected by their school districts? Moved to different schools where they can continue their abuse over decades? Any administrators moved out-of-country so they don't have to testify in US courts?

Bottom line: the Catholic sex-abuse scandals are an institutional failure of vast proportions, not a random collection of "errant priests."

This is important because conservative Catholicism is all about the institution. If it weren't for message control and short memories, we'd all be laughing in the bishop's faces over such claims.