Letters: Efforts to save Catholic parish elementaryschools in Philadelphia

Posted: March 19, 2012

THERE IS no good time for the closure of an elementary school that is safe and provides a quality education to our children, but in Philadelphia there could be no worse time for schools of choice to close. The School Reform Commission appears rudderless, and the tumult is likely to continue as the search begins for a new superintendent. Charter schools are operating at capacity; many have long waiting lists.

The neighborhood parish schools slated to be closed at their current locations include St. Bridget School, in East Falls; Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Sacred Heart of Jesus, in South Philadelphia (which wants to merge at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel location); Immaculate Conception, in Jenkintown; and Nativity BVM, in Media. The loss of these schools would be devastating to their communities. Let us show faith in the future by taking the necessary steps to save these elementary schools.

We need a new partnership, akin to the one that saved our Catholic high schools, to be extended to the Catholic elementary schools. We have watched how the high schools have been saved by the hard work of concerned students, alumni, parents, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and a new independent foundation to support Catholic education called Faith in the Future: The Fund for Educating Tomorrow's Leaders. The leaves and branches of the tree have been saved, but a new model needs to be developed immediately to "Save Our Roots."

The energy from the alumni, parents and friends in the community of the elementary schools that have been impacted has been extraordinary. The energy is found in the hills of East Falls, along "Two Street" in South Philadelphia, in Media and in Jenkintown. Now is the time to build on this deep, grass-roots commitment and demonstrate faith in the future of these parish schools fighting to be the schools of choice for their neighborhoods. The commitment in these communities can be directed to the fight for expanded funding for Educational Improvement Tax Credits and school vouchers, termed "opportunity scholarships."

Ed Hanway, a member of the Blue Ribbon Commission and the chairman of the new educational foundation, described the announcements concerning the high schools as marking "the dawn of a new era of Catholic education in Philadelphia." My strong suggestion is to include the parish schools that have been fighting desperately to preserve strong schools of choice in their neighborhoods in this new era of Catholic education in the Philadelphia area.

Without strong roots the tree will not survive.

Sean Patrick Stevens

Parent of a St. Bridget student