Friday evening Channel 10 News aired a story on the first full week for Catholic schools in Monroe County.
The mother of a former Catherine McAulley student who now attends Our Mother of Sorrows didn't sound all that happy with her family's current situation.
I don't want to say forced, but some parents really didn't have a big option and their children went back into the public school system and that's unfortunate because I think the choices were so limiting.
After mentioning that her son's new school is both further away and lacks a gymnasium, the parent added,
We got together with the moms at Holy Cross. And we hoped that if we joined together over there, we would fill the school, which we were able to do in numbers and commitments. But the Diocese still refused to keep the school open over there.
Reporter Ray Levato caught up with Bishop Clark at a sneak preview of the new organ at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Levato reports that the Bishop "would not talk about the Catholic schools situation."
The Bishop can stonewall all he wants but it doesn't look like that tactic is going to silence all those parents and other parishioners who still have dozens of unanswered questions.
And the CMA drive is starting in a couple of months.
3 comments:
If he truly believed he made the right decision, he wouldn't be afraid to address it.
Someone should look into the numbers of inner-city children turned away from St. John Neumann and St. Pius the first week due to unpaid tuition and lack of financial aid.
I have to say, my son's new school has made a tremendous effort. We have no complaints so far, except that the diocese won't allow the principal to hire NECESSARY staff. It's as if they are trying to make a profit off the schools, not just break even.
Despite their best efforts in the school, our son is unhappy and praying for miracles that will never happen until we get a new bishop, which will be too late for him.
CathParent,
Regarding the Bishop's stonewalling, GSS over at The Sad Saga pretty much summarized my outlook:
"Yes, a leader should make sometimes drastic, harsh decisions, even in the face of massive criticism. But at the same time, that same leader should be among his flock, working hand-in-hand with them to search for alternate solutions, explaining his decision pathways, and always, always listening. Likewise, a leader should replace or re-educate staff whose poor decisions are at the root of an issue. Bishop Clark exhibited none of these qualities; instead, he hoped prayed that the matter would simply disappear with time."
Regarding poor students being turned away and understaffed schools, I'd be happy to post any reports from parents that come my way. I'm sure that any comments from the diocese on these or similar issues will be highly slanted in their favor.
There will be no spin here.
I spoke with the person who told me about the former WIN students - She is on the staff of one of the schools and doesn't want to jeopardize her job by speaking out.
Besides, she feels that the city schools were a drain on the system and we're better off without them. As time goes on I'm meeting many people who feel the same way.It's very disheartening.
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