He's got no problems with the drinking and sex, just the spending of money.
Uh....who made him the royal exchequer?
Just damn.
If you want on the list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...
Posted on 10/17/2005 7:21:55 AM PDT by Millee
Brother Kenneth Hoagland had heard all the stories about prom-night debauchery at his Long Island high school: students putting down $10,000 to rent a party house in the Hamptons; pre-prom cocktail parties followed by a trip to the dance in a liquor-loaded limo; fathers chartering a boat for their children's late-night "booze cruise."
Enough was enough, Hoagland said. So the principal of Kellenberg Memorial High School canceled the spring prom in a 2,000- word letter to parents.
"It is not primarily the sex/booze/drugs that surround this event, as problematic as they might be; it is, rather, the flaunting of affluence, assuming exaggerated expenses, a pursuit of vanity for vanity's sake - in a word, financial decadence," Hoagland said, fed up with what he called the "bacchanalian aspects."
"Each year, it gets worse - becomes more exaggerated, more expensive, more emotionally traumatic," he added. "We are withdrawing from the battle and allowing the parents full responsibility. (The school) is willing to sponsor a prom but not an orgy."
The move brought a mixed, albeit passionate, reaction from students and parents at the Roman Catholic school, which is owned by the Society of Mary (Marianists), a religious order of priests and brothers.
"I don't think it's fair, obviously, that they canceled prom," said senior Alyssa Johnson of Westbury. "There are problems with the prom, but I don't think their reasons or the actions they took solved anything."
Hoagland began talking about the future of the prom last spring after 46 Kellenberg seniors made a $10,000 down payment on a $20,000 rental in the Hamptons for a post-prom party. When school officials found out, they forced the students to cancel the deal; the kids got their money back, and the prom went on as planned. But some parents went ahead and rented a Hamptons house anyway, Hoagland said.
Amy Best, an associate professor of sociology and anthropology at George Mason University in Virginia and the author of "Prom Night: Youth, Schools and Popular Culture," said this is the first time she has heard of a school canceling the prom for such reasons.
"A lot of people have lamented the growing consumption that surrounds the prom," she said, noting it is not uncommon for students to pay $1,000 on the dance and surrounding costs: expensive dresses, tuxedo rentals, flowers, limousines, pre- and post-prom parties.
Edward Lawson, the father of a Kellenberg senior, said he and other parents are discussing whether to organize a prom without the sponsorship of the 2,500- student school.
"I don't think they have a right to judge what goes on after the prom," he said. "They put everybody in the category of drinkers and drug addicts."
Some parents picking up their children on a recent afternoon said they support Hoagland.
"The school has excellent values," said Margaret Cameron of Plainview, N.Y. "We send our children here because we support the values and the administration of the school, and I totally back everything they do."
Yes I went to an upper middle class high school this goes on in the public schools also.
That's true.
If what I have seen is true the school must be subsidized by the church.The tuitions are ridiculosly low.I saw $7600.
They need to double the tuition and then offer scholarships to parish families who really desire a Christian education for their kids.
I would suspect that families that are renting $20,000 houses for kids parties are tipping the church and in effect stealing the subsidized tuition from the church.
So those that are bashing the Catholics you should know what you are talking about before you start bashing
agreed
"If what I have seen is true the school must be subsidized by the church"
Actually, not at all. The school is run by the Marianists and funded by tuition. The tuition cost for high school is not $7,600 - it is $6,025/year...I agree, comparatively speaking, this is a low rate.
"They need to double the tuition and then offer scholarships to parish families who really desire a Christian education for their kids."
They actually do assist a Catholic grammar school for just that purpose....low income families. The enrollment has doubled in the 2 years since they've taken it over. They provide tutoring, free lunch, after care and most especially, a strong religious and moral foundation for the students. Not all of the students are Catholic...although enrollment in the high school is offered first to baptised Catholics.
"I would suspect that families that are renting $20,000 houses for kids parties are tipping the church and in effect stealing the subsidized tuition from the church."
One would hope not. Again, the tuition is not subsidized. Hope this clears up your questions.
He's got no problems with the drinking and sex, just the spending of money.
Uh....who made him the royal exchequer?
Just damn.
If you want on the list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...
Good point
that is exactly true. although the Falls Church VA public school system is among the best in the country, there is a line of parents waiting in the pre-dawn hours to sign their kids up for the local Catholic school. and they are not all catholic parents by a long shot. people send their kids to catholic schools for lots of different reasons. Unfortunately, not so many for the catholic religious education aspect.
read the letters from the school. that spin is not the correct one, as it turns out.
It's a private school the parents did.
ok so instead of the kids going to the stupid dance and then leaving to do go whatever, they will just skip the dance and go out on their boats that THEY have rented.....
Liberals are so stupid....
Talk about generalizing. Apparently you have another liberal trait in addition to labeling critical speech you don't agree with as "bashing". Stating a fact about my personal experience is generalizing "to include all Catholics" in your mind.
Are you sure you're on the right forum? Maybe DU would be a better fit for you.
20 grand is lot of cash, particularly in Zim these days, an accurate rifle and a motivated shooter can achieve amazing results, not that I'm advocating assassination...
"Just damn."
How profound.
"He's got no problems with the drinking and sex, just the spending of money."
Not the case, as has been noted repeatedly.
Please read the actual letters sent by this principal to the parents...they've been posted.
that's pretty funny.
Ahhh, another socialist liberation priest in the Catholic church. Moral decadence not an issue just having money that's the problem.
>Catholic school either because it is the best school in the area or the most affordable private school in the area. <
I would be very upset if my tithes were going to subsidize the education of people just looking for a bargain in secular education.The top Catholic school in our area is over $10,000 per year but as far as I know it is not subsidized.One of the strongest moral influences on campus is a Southern Baptist.
You obviously didn't read very carefully. He has loads of problems with them. In a prom context, though, those things are set up by the elaborate and very expensive parties, and he's absolutely right that spending $20,000 on a wild party is completely wrong from a Christian POV even if everyone behaves themselves (which they never do).
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