Blame For School Closing Belongs To Catholics

BillLawrenceOnline.Com ^ | 1-7-11

[Tribune7]

The Philadelphia Archdiocese announced, yesterday, that the 49 of its schools will be shut forever come June.

(snip)

Who is to blame? A lot, maybe most, of the parents who send their kids to these Catholic schools are died-in-the wool Democrats who'd rather have a toenail ripped out than vote Republican, as are a lot, maybe most, of the teachers at these places. They cannot even begin to get their minds around the fact that their party is the puppet of the PSEA, the union that represents most Pennsylvania public school teachers (and nurses and librarians etc.) and that fights like a rabid badger for every penny of the education budget regardless of who it hurts.

[Former Fetus]

A lot, maybe most, of the parents who send their kids to these Catholic schools are dyed-in-the wool Democrats [...] as are a lot, maybe most, of the teachers at these places.

That certaily was true of the Catholic school here in SC where I taught for a while. I never was able to understand how people with such strong pro-life values could go and vote Democrat! But they did!

[EDINVA]

My comment was based on the excerpt above at post #4: Others will enter the public school system further increasing the tax burden on property owners of those unlucky districts.

And my comment was, in essence, cry me a river. Maybe you didn’t understand that? Or maybe you didn’t read beyond the excerpt you extracted from my full comment? The part about Catholic school parents having paid taxes to fund the public schools for all the years their own kids were in those Catholic schools without any return?

[Shery]

Once JFK won the presidency, it almost seems to have become anathema for a Catholic to change parties. As if there was something sacred in that (his winning the presidency, that is). But Catholics are not the only group that change parties slowly, if at all. The Jews are the same, as are other groups. It seems more a matter of family pride to stay within the family’s party. The sad thing is that one does not have to think about issues to make choices. Hence we have generations that will not hear the Truth any longer. They are seemingly born “deaf” to anything but their family’s preferences.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

In Canada, Catholic schools are publicly supported.

[Rashputin]

"It would be like switching to bicycle and being forced to pay the gasoline tax."

Well, you drive a car and pay the bicycle tax. Just last month some local SOB was bragging about the bicycle paths and land for bicycle paths that had been purchased with funds that should have been going to the highway trust fund since it was tax on highway use fuel. Money from highway use fuel also goes to a lot of other trash so if you want to start the "pay tax only on what you use" ball rolling, be my guest. Just don't be among those who then complain that there's not a large enough bicycle tax base to make special bicycle accommodations, or enough kayak owners to pay for kayak rest areas along the river somewhere.

[RedMDer]

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[Lonesome in Massachussets]

The pedophile priest scandal lowered enrollments and cost the dioceses untold millions. That probably has as much to do with it as anything else. I went to Catholic school for 12 years and am grateful, but I don't know if I would send a child to Catholic school today.

[Rashputin]

"But Catholics are not the only group that change parties slowly, if at all."

No kidding. Half the folks in the South couldn't mention LBJ without spitting after they said his name but the kept voting democrat except for President. It was another couple of decades before Republicans and Independents started making inroads in State offices and State Legislatures. Now there are so many transplants in most Southern cities that the metro areas still often go democrat while the majority of the State goes Republican. That's to be expected, though, since the democrat fascist party always sets the hog troughs up in metro areas instead of spreading it around the way they used to.

[fatima]

Thanks.

[afraidfortherepublic]

I have always resented the very thought that Catholics Have to pay twice for their children’s education and not use the public schools education at all.

What about senior citizens and people who have no children? Do we get to stop paying taxes to the schools too?

I used to think as you do, but I realize that we all benefit, all our lives, from an educated populace. The employer (hopefully) gets to hire an educated worker, etc., etc. You get to be treated by a medical professional who can read when you are hospitalized. The contractor you hire for that roo addition can use the basic math he learned in school to correctly figure the materials he needs and charges you accordingly.

What we should be demanding is a high level of education for all, no matter the name of the school they are attending. That depends a lot on the input of the parents. My daughter teaches in a Catholic school and you wouldn't believe the number of parents who demand high grades for their little darlings, even when the kids have not turned in their work. I'm sure that it is even worse in the public schools.

No, no. Many American people have become lazy, even in the nicest neighborhoods. Many of us demand high rewards for nothing.

[Tribune7]

I used to think as you do, but I realize that we all benefit, all our lives, from an educated populace. The employer (hopefully) gets to hire an educated worker, etc., etc.

You are right of course but it comes down to ends and means.

If you are giving money to an institution promising to provide educated workers and they don't but they say that's only because they need more money so they get it but still don't, while the institution that had been providing educated workers suddenly finds itself short of money because its customers can no longer afford it due to the money they are now paying (in taxes) to the failed institution, there is a really big problem.

And, of course, if the seniors have to sell their homes and can no longer pay for their health care because they have to keep chipping in for the failed but holy public schools, it seems the contract for the seniors has been broken regarding the benefits of an educated population.

[afraidfortherepublic]

You have a good piont. But it seems to me that we need a wholsale re-vamping of the public school, starting with their budgets and the school boards. It should be illegal for members of the great educational monopoly to serve on school boards (teachers, administrators, college professors) If not illegal, there should be an enforced minority rule. (Only 2 members out of 5 can be former teachers, etc.).

Then, business people should comb the budgets for savings. In the mean time, the curriculum needs to be examined and better teachers should be rewarded while poor teachers should be replaced. That’s where I’d start, anyway.

[leapfrog0202]

[Tribune7]

It should be illegal for members of the great educational monopoly to serve on school boards (teachers, administrators, college professors)

Excellent point. That's a huge problem here in Pa. Teachers & administrators are encouraged by the union to run in the districts in which they live, and, of course, they are obvious rubber stamps for union supported policies.

The big problems here, though, are at the state level not the local ones as bad as they. It is almost impossible for a local school board to either fire a bad teacher or beat the union at contract negotiations do to state laws.

[LibertyRocks]

Blame For School Closing Belongs To Catholics Democrats"

NOW it's correct! It's definitely not CATHOLICS who have gutted the public for school funds only to spend the majority of it on administrative and bureaucratic red tape and financing. Not to mention the union power. The Catholic schools are suffering the same as ALL Union competitors do. It's just more visible than in most areas of "business".

If we want to get even more philosophical about it the Catholic schools in particular are also suffering because the Democrats (no matter how much they wail about the children) DO see education as a "business opportunity" in many ways - unlike most private institutions which view education as a duty and honor to provide (and one to receive as well). At least that's what the parochial school I went to was like.

We were ahead academically than our public grade school counterparts and it wasn't due to "class size" - it was better quality instruction and concentration on the basics. The atmosphere was a lot different in Catholic school than public school as well - much more conducive to learning. I don't know if that has changed as I have homeschooled my own children.

PS - I wanted to say to public school teachers here; I know there are those of you out there that are very good. Please don't take anything I said above as a personal attack - I do believe you to be the exception to the rule in GENERAL though. And, I do want to say that I had the worst teacher I ever had when I was in private school, so it swings both ways in that regard as well.

[Domestic Church]

2 schools being closed in Chester County, one is St. Patrick’s in Kennett Square.This is the Unionville area too which is not blue collar.

[xzins]

There are no such things as bicycle paths anywhere near where I live. I remember seeing them in Germany. I’ve never lived near them in the US.