More Catholic schools closing across US

[buffalo]

My kids have always attended public schools, and I ‘homeschool’ them on the RCC, and so does my husband. I believe that teaching children begins in the home, regarding the faith. While the school can be seen as a valued supplement, I don’t feel that it’s the school’s job to help my children get to heaven–it’s my husband’s and mine. I have always given to the schools wherever we have lived, as part of our tithe, but the tuition rates for highschools here in Florida, where I live, are like around $12-16k per child…that’s a bit much. Just my thoughts, but I don’t fully agree that sending one’s child to Catholic school, makes that child grow up to be a ‘better Catholic.’ I didn’t attend, and I’m quite devout, now, in my 30’s–and so are quite a few of my friends who never attended. On the other hand, there are quite a few I know who attended Catholic school, and left the faith–so I don’t believe it will guarantee a child to grow up being devout. I am living proof that one doesn’t need a Catholic school formal education to live a devout life.

It’s a Catholic Schools job to assist you the parent - agreed. It should be enhancing.

Now, most parents don’t spend 5 hours a day teaching their kids. They cede that to the school. So, expectations are in order.

A Catholic School done right will form children in a way that they will be faithful Catholics. (there will always be some that drop out) It will give them the intellectual tools and heartfelt faith. It will teach them love, etc…

Proverbs 22:6 Train [teach] a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

 

[whatevergirl]

It’s a Catholic Schools job to assist you the parent - agreed. It should be enhancing.

Now, most parents don’t spend 5 hours a day teaching their kids. They cede that to the school. So, expectations are in order.

A Catholic School done right will form children in a way that they will be faithful Catholics. (there will always be some that drop out) It will give them the intellectual tools and heartfelt faith. It will teach them love, etc…

Proverbs 22:6 Train [teach] a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

The Catholic schools are not teaching the faith either for 5 hours. And, from what I have seen of schools up north, they were falling apart, barely had a gym to support athletics, no clubs, not much in the way of advanced teaching methods…I don’t disagree that the right school ***could ***supply a good Catholic education, but in finding that good school comes a hefty price tag, and many parents simply cannot afford $15k per year for high school tuition for one child. I also think it’s how we live our lives as examples of the faith that count.

I see it as a strong supplement, but it will not determine the future of one’s faith if he/she attends/doesn’t attend. I also like vern’s suggestions, because if the Church highly suggests this to parents, they should find ways to help all Catholic parents be able to send their kids there.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The Catholic schools are not teaching the faith either for 5 hours. And, from what I have seen of schools up north, they were falling apart, barely had a gym to support athletics, no clubs, not much in the way of advanced teaching methods…I don’t disagree that the right school ***could ***supply a good Catholic education, but in finding that good school comes a hefty price tag, and many parents simply cannot afford $15k per year for high school tuition for one child. I also think it’s how we live our lives as examples of the faith that count.

I see it as a strong supplement, but it will not determine the future of one’s faith if he/she attends/doesn’t attend. I also like vern’s suggestions, because if the Church highly suggests this to parents, they should find ways to help all Catholic parents be able to send their kids there.

I agree, but it has to be recognized that we are now on the second generation of “loving, caring and sharing”. The parents of the kids who are now grade school age and high school age had no catechesis worthy of the name, for the most part.

I guess it is silly to expect this, but I fail to see why Catholic schools cannot function without frills. Certainly, if the discipline is sufficient, kids can learn very well with the right books and a conscientious teacher. When I went to Catholic grade school, the nuns had two to three classes right in the same room and made it work. Looking at my grandchildrens’ homework, etc, it isn’t anywhere near the grade level ours was.

I do agree with Vern’s suggestion that perhaps some classes could be televised if the teachers aren’t strong enough. But there is also the problem of teacher certification. My state is a “Blaine Amendment” state. Besides prohibiting state aid to parochial schools, the “upside” is that the state purports to have no jurisdiction at all over them. Consequently, parochial schools can do whatever they want, and don’t need teachers who have education degrees. Yet, the schools typically require them. It’s crazy. My brother has a master’s in electrical engineering. Thought he would take early retirement and teach math. Even in the Catholic high schools, he had to have a teaching degree. That deprived students of two years of the best math education that could be imagined, and him of a fair amount of money. And he once taught engineering to undergraduates at Rice University!

I think some of the Catholic schools have gone astray in other ways. In some places, they are really “private academies”, with sky-high tuition and a plutocratic student body. Only the privileged can go to those places.

Catholic schools were initiated to provide Catholic parents with an alternative to public schools which,then, were virtually “protestant schools”. Now, public schools are “secular relativist” schools; just as harmful to children. I think the Church in the U.S. has really blown it in the last 40 years when it comes to Catholic schools.

I don’t understand the following either. Maybe there can never be enough teaching sisters and brothers to provide a significant teaching staff to Catholic schools. But there are teaching orders of a traditional bent, some of which can’t take as many applicants as apply due to lack of facilities, funds, etc. And yet, many many chanceries are full of super-secular nuns who are drawing salaries as diocesan bureaucrats. It just makes no sense at all to me.

 

[whatevergirl]

Someone in another thread – another topic altogether–brought up a brilliant point. That at some level, we as taxpayers, should be allowed to state where we want our tax dollars going, as it relates to education. If you prefer your kids to go to Catholic school, then your tax dollars should be alloted there…at least there would be choice. I always thought that was brilliant, and although at first it could prove to be an administrative nightmare–I think over time, the benefits would outweigh the obstacles. Just my thoughts on it.

The way things are now, just don’t work. And won’t work. My husband and I make a nice living together–but to send both kids to Catholic schools here in Florida would be close to $20k yearly…and that doesn’t include fund raisers, field trips, etc…so, although I’d like to, with trying to save for their college education, and other things, it is not feasible right now for us…and again, I think that my husband and I do (we try) a good job in raising them to be good Catholic adults. I hope they will be, anyways! I think the rest is done through prayer.

 

[KathleenElsie]

First of all, let our bishops accept responsibility for the Catholic School System.

1. Let them take responsibility, and call on all their resources. There is no reason that my church (which is too small to support a Catholic school) should not be called upon to assist in the support of Catholic schools elsewhere.
2. Let them lead – explain to Catholics what our responsibilities are. If the Bishops ask, we will respond.
3. Let them manage – show us the results of our charity and efforts. When we see we are making a difference, we will increase our efforts.

Let’s innovate – we can develop internet-delivered, computer aided courses, and pipe them into all Catholic schools.

We can enroll individual families, as well, so they can home school. We can put one homeschooler together with another, to “grow” Catholic schools.

We can create new Catholic orders – perhaps welcoming married couples, for a limited committment. Let people donate a year or two to working in Catholic schools.

Vern these ideas were presented to those responsible for our schools. Even those of us that have degrees in education were turned down as volunteers. We were told that the diocese required a living wage be paid to ALL those in positions of responsibility.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Vern these ideas were presented to those responsible for our schools. Even those of us that have degrees in education were turned down as volunteers. We were told that the diocese required a living wage be paid to ALL those in positions of responsibility.

Just crazy. But, that’s consistent with a lot that we have seen over the years. Gotta pay lip service to “social justice” even where it serves no purpose, never mind the religious education of the children. Truth be told, that’s probably a bureaucrat protection plan aimed not so much at protecting teachers as protecting chancery functionaries.

 

[KathleenElsie]

Just crazy. But, that’s consistent with a lot that we have seen over the years. Gotta pay lip service to “social justice” even where it serves no purpose, never mind the religious education of the children. Truth be told, that’s probably a bureaucrat protection plan aimed not so much at protecting teachers as protecting chancery functionaries.

Look the PA public school teachers make good money and benefits. Check this out on the internet if you don’t live here. The catholic schools have placed their teachers and staff on parity with these unionized workers. So the only ones that can afford to send their children to these schools have mothers that work outside the home and limit the sizes of their families to what “they” can afford. Also the financial help is not given to Catholics first it is managed by a secular corporation not based in PA that holds to “equal opportunity”. So IMHO the schools are not Catholic but catholic in the universal sense.

 

[vern_humphrey]

Nicely done vern! I applaud these ideas. I am wondering why no one has thought of these??? It makes such perfect sense, it’s scary.

I suspect it’s for the same reason each bishop doesn’t set aside one day a month to pray the rosary in front of an abortion clinic – and require each priest to do it once a year (and their flocks would follow them.)

 

[OriginalJS]

Having gone to elementary and secondary schools from 1946 to 1958 I have an observation or two. First, the cadre of nuns who selflessly devoted their lives to teaching has been thinning out since the early 1950’s. Those women provided high quality instruction at minimal expense. And, while not clergy, they suffused with traditional Catholicism that they transmitted daily to pupils. Sure, some have memories of abuse (slapping open hands with rulers, etc.) but that was the exception. When schools had to replace the nuns with lay teachers, the expense simply became to great to bear.

Second, one of the complaints I heard from parents even as early as the 1960’s was that, yes, they sent their children to parochial school, but the instructors were just lay teachers, not religious. The religious - priests, brothers, and nuns- taught and exemplified the faith in word and action every minute of every day. That kind of role model is not easily replaced, if it can be replaced at all.

Third, it is obvious that the schools for the middle and lower middle class continue to close but parochial schools for the well-to-do who can afford the tuition and costs seem to be flourishing. Here in the Twin Cities for example we have the Providence Academy. Check it out. It is an excellent school, but too expensive for many.

 

[vern_humphrey]

Third, it is obvious that the schools for the middle and lower middle class continue to close but parochial schools for the well-to-do who can afford the tuition and costs seem to be flourishing. Here in the Twin Cities for example we have the Providence Academy. Check it out. It is an excellent school, but too expensive for many.

There are two Catholic Churches – one for the wealthy and powerful, and the other for ordinary people.