Catholic Schools closing / merging

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

So what are peoples thoughts on this?

[NY The Vampire State]

You can thank the teachers unions of the public schools for being in the back pocket of the politicians. Parents are not able to take their money elsewhere. Not too many people can or want to spend money on something twice. Its another monopoly the government has forced down our throats.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

You can thank the teachers unions of the public schools for being in the back pocket of the politicians. Parents are not able to take their money elsewhere. Not too many people can or want to spend money on something twice. Its another monopoly the government has forced down our throats.

The cost of Catholic schools has always been there...even in the glory days for the system. Furthermore, the voters are the ones who elect the School Board and looking at the board in Buffalo, the voters need to take some responsibility as well.

[nogods]

How are they paying twice? Parents aren't paying public school districts to provide a parochial education. The purpose of public schools is to offer educational opportunity to all members of the public. that has nothing to do with whether a person even has kids. An educated public is a community benefit which is a community expense.

People are free to decide whether or not to have children, and if they have children, whether or not to avail themselves of that community benefit.

What they are not free to do is opt out of the community cost of providing a community education, any more than someone can opt out of the cost of community police or fire protection by purchasing private police or fire protection.

If they aren't happy with the quality of the community education then their options are to work to improve the quality of the community education, buy additional education in the market place, or both. But opting out is not not an option.

[nickelcityhomes]

My kids' school is on the closing list. Luckily my son will be going to Canisius HS next year, so it doesn't impact him, but my daughter isn't very happy about it. Most of her friends will probably just go to public school, but that's not an option for us.

Homeschooling is probably the best alternative at this point.

[NY The Vampire State]

Ok Gonads, why should parents be forced to pay into the dreadful failing Buffalo Public Schools? Seems criminal to force people to buy a bad product. This government has jailed peoplein the private sector for scamming. Double standard I see.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Ok Gonads, why should parents be forced to pay into the dreadful failing Buffalo Public Schools? Seems criminal to force people to buy a bad product. This government has jailed people in the private sector for scamming. Double standard I see.

1 - Parents are not forced to pay into any specific school system. They have the option to leave that district.

2 - Most of the funding in Buffalo comes from outside of Buffalo.

3 - Catholic schools are a luxury. Just like a private school.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

My kids' school is on the closing list. Luckily my son will be going to Canisius HS next year, so it doesn't impact him, but my daughter isn't very happy about it. Most of her friends will probably just go to public school, but that's not an option for us.

Homeschooling is probably the best alternative at this point.

That's a shame.

One question I have for you. I noticed that the school I went to offers an 'active parishioner' discount of almost 60%. The discount needs to be approved by the priest. Did they mention how this would work with the consolidation? In other words, if you're an 'active parishioner' at a parish that has a school closing, do you get the discount at the new school?

[nickelcityhomes]

I really have no idea lefty, but it's a good question. Never been a member of a church nor received any discounts because of it.

I do know several families that have 3+ kids in the school and they are active in the church. It's probably going to hurt them financially to the point where they will have no choice but to send the kids to the local school.

[NY The Vampire State]

Yes your correct, the smart people leave town. So what are we left with?

And its all taxpayer money funding the BPS. As far as I know there is no money tree in Albany. Its even more of a scam that everyone from Albany to Youngstown, Saranac Lake to Binghampton are funding a schjool district in a community they may never set foot in. You want to run that thing about "obligations to your locally community" by me again Gonads?

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Yes your correct, the smart people leave town. So what are we left with?

And its all taxpayer money funding the BPS. As far as I know there is no money tree in Albany. Its even more of a scam that everyone from Albany to Youngstown, Saranac Lake to Binghampton are funding a schjool district in a community they may never set foot in. You want to run that thing about "obligations to your locally community" by me again Gonads?

Those who are left can vote!

[Genoobie]

The catholic system is SO superior, they should be able to work miracles...

Take the bottom 10% of standardized test performers from 8th grade (including 16 year olds and all...) and let them have at it. Let's look at their graduation stats in 4 years (of course those students cannot be exempted from passing grades on the five Regents exams required to graduate public high school). Seriously, I'm willing to go toe-to-toe with teachers anywhere with the same demographic.

However, that's not what they are proposing. Instead, they want some sort of voluntary program (that implies the parents have an interest in their children's education) where they are likely to take already higher performing students.

If they followed my suggestion, I'd be all for the "competition". Let's let the experiment play out because I am DYING to see the "we get superior results for less" system really have at it.

[WNYresident]

The catholic system is SO superior, they should be able to work miracles...

Take the bottom 10% of standardized test performers from 8th grade (including 16 year olds and all...) and let them have at it. Let's look at their graduation stats in 4 years (of course those students cannot be exempted from passing grades on the five Regents exams required to graduate public high school). Seriously, I'm willing to go toe-to-toe with teachers anywhere with the same demographic.

However, that's not what they are proposing. Instead, they want some sort of voluntary program (that implies the parents have an interest in their children's education) where they are likely to take already higher performing students.

If they followed my suggestion, I'd be all for the "competition". Let's let the experiment play out because I am DYING to see the "we get superior results for less" system really have at it.

What is the catholic systems graduation rates in general or average grade for the students?

If the parents had what ever amount of their "school taxes" refunded to them to add to the tuition they are pay how much more revenue would the catholic schools have to work with?

Geoobie? Don't you agree that all teachers are create equal? If so why would any BPS/suburb teacher object to having tax revenue going to "Catholic School Inc" versus "Public School Inc". Both businesses supply a service of educating children. Right?

[nogods]

What is the catholic systems graduation rates in general or average grade for the students?

If the parents had what ever amount of their "school taxes" refunded to them to add to the tuition they are pay how much more revenue would the catholic schools have to work with?

Geoobie? Don't you agree that all teachers are create equal? If so why would any BPS/suburb teacher object to having tax revenue going to "Catholic School Inc" versus "Public School Inc". Both businesses supply a service of educating children. Right?

No they do not.

Public schools exist to provide educational opportunity to the community. Catholic schools exist to provide a parochial education to those willing to pay for it.

Geoobie's point is not about funding, its about the community being serviced. He is postulating that Catholic schools would far no better, and perhaps worse, if they had to service the same population under the same rules.

When a child has issues that impact on education a Catholic school can simply refuse to service the child and can kick him out of the system. Public schools have to deal with all children, whether their parents are non-existence, whether they have emotional or mental issues, whatever their circumstances, a pubic school system has to deal with the issues, not run from them.

[Genoobie]

What is the catholic systems graduation rates in general or average grade for the students?

If the parents had what ever amount of their "school taxes" refunded to them to add to the tuition they are pay how much more revenue would the catholic schools have to work with?

Geoobie? Don't you agree that all teachers are create equal? If so why would any BPS/suburb teacher object to having tax revenue going to "Catholic School Inc" versus "Public School Inc". Both businesses supply a service of educating children. Right?

Well Catholic teachers are not paid as much as public school teachers, but they also don't have to have the same education requirements (so that's problem #1). Many Catholic school teachers are retired public school teachers (and as such already have an income stream), or Catholic school teachers provide a second income that a family doesn't depend on as much as a primary income.

Then there's a tricky issue of separation of church and state.

However, the end result would ultimately be the same as the present day system. Parents would elect to send their kids to "exclusive" schools. They manage this now by selecting neighborhoods in "exclusive" districts. Those with means would simply select "exclusive" schools. You go into some BPS schools or Williamsville, Clarence, East Aurora, OP, Iroquios and you can see the class / race integration experiment has FAILED in the most obvious way

So let's call it what it is. The country is racially divided and attempts to integrate have truly failed (especially in "established" communities). Separate but equal might be a better option in today's Amerika.

There's evidence to suggest that given like for like demographically Catholic and private schools perform worse than their public counterparts.