The Archdiocese of Boston will spin off its eight regional high schools into independent schools, weaning them off the budget. Of course, the Boston Globe‘s coverage is dominated by questions of fairness to inner city students. What if, they ask, the inner city schools can’t raise money for themselves like those in the rich, white suburbs?
Yesterday’s announcement prompted some observers to raise questions of equity, a constant worry among the 169 schools in the Boston Archdiocese, where suburban schools have thrived while many urban ones have closed their doors because of dwindling enrollment and spiraling costs.
If the enrollment has dwindled, then why keep the schools open? If people aren’t sending their kids, then the reason for the school is what?
I have a solution, but I know the Globe won’t like it. How about school choice? Let parents use the taxpayers’ money that is set aside to educate their kids and use it on the qualifying school of their choice. That popping sound was the collective exploding heads of the Globe editorial board and the leaders of the teachers’ unions.
Of course some people are going to make it an anti-Catholic thing.
“We all know why the church needs to save money, but the schools and children are affected by this,” Silva said. “The archdiocese doesn’t have the children in mind at all. They are doing what they have to at the expense of children.”
So is the archdiocese supposed to make money appear out of thin air? Just a few weeks ago, everyone was applauding the $85 million settlement. Where is the applause now?
This is just like all the people complaining about the government cutting spending. The money to run all these programs comes from somewhere. If you don’t donate to the archdiocesan fundraising, where do you think the money is going to come from?
