<p>*This topic is for discussing all budget cuts/teacher strikes, ect. The following is my experiences with Catholic schools (since I go to one): </p>
<p>I noticed that Catholic schools in New York seem to be having a lot of issues. The Lay Faculty Association is still deciding whether to go on strike or not, and they had that sickout in January. (I think the Archdiocese should give them the money-they have the most difficult job!). </p>
<p>A bunch of Catholic elementary schools got shut down.</p>
<p>At my school apparently they're building a Church on the property, taking away the sports fields for it, which will cost around $4million. Yet they are cutting the budget at my school so almost all the new teachers will be fired and won't come back next year. That's stupid.</p>
<p>My conclusion is that the Church is being a bit selfish when it comes to school. They shouldn't. Those being educated are the future of our country and, for some, the future of the Church. Driving them away with all this won't do anything. </p>
<p>Thoughts?</p>
<p>It's not just Catholic schools. In case you haven't noticed, by far most public schools have suffered huge budget cuts as well, and it's a bit unfair to single out the church.</p>
<p>I wasn't aware of that actually, in which case I'll edit the topic for all budget cuts. I really think it's unfair in general. I mean, we are the future and they're limiting our education.</p>
<p>EDIT: Anyone know how to edit a thread title?</p>
<p>You can't change a title without a moderator if I'm not mistaken.I went to Catholic school 30 years ago, and my kids go to a small "Christian" school. It was not until I read here about how much kids pay for private "prep" schools , that I realized how good a deal religious schools could be! They do have their limitations, but it cost a lot to run a school!</p>
<p>Well, while there are probably many very good Catholic schools out there, the general experience in my area is that they are below the standard of our public schools. I guess in an area where the public schools are bad, even an OK Catholic school would be fine. Also, I have heard about how stingy they can be with their funds. My Geometry teacher always talks about his first miserable years getting paid just a few thousand dollars a year to teach at a Catholic school in the 1970s.</p>
<p>My school, a Catholic High School, keeps raising the tuition. It's got good teachers (actually, the newer ones getting fired weren't all too good, oddly enough) and a nice sports program, but it could get so much more if the Church gave them more money instead of taking it away. </p>
<p>Actually, we had this debate in Religion class. The Archdiocese of New York is (apparently) in debt (probably why they won't raise the teachers' salaries) and they're not getting any money from anywhere else in the church. One student said the the Vatican is "loaded" and I have to agree-it's very elaborate and they charge to get in-and thousands of people visit each day! They could give some of that money to the archdiocese/schools that need it.</p>
<p>My Religion teacher (who's also an English teacher in the school) from last year thought that the school didn't pay enough, but he most likely won't leave. He wouldn't last a day in the public schools because, somehow, he'd end up talking about God and Catholicism to his students.</p>
<p>I live in a fairly small city with one catholic HS and two christian HS. The tuition catholic HS charges is HIGHER than the state flagship. However, academically the school is not strong enough to attract top students. Those tend to go either public/charter way or choose to commute to a nearby larger city to attend a much better catholic HS.
Teachers at the catholic HS make slightly less than public, but the kids tend to be easier to manage.
It is kind of a closed circle. School can't grow and improve because best students choose to go elsewhere, they do so because catholic HS is small and can't offer many classes .
One thing worth commenting on is the fact, the the schol's GC is extremely good at securing scholarship money for the graduating class.
^^ As to the post above, I do not think that the money from admission to the Vatican should support US catholic schols. After all, we live in the richest country in the world. Vatican has to take care of much poorer nations.</p>
<p>Yes, but certain archdiocese are going bankrupt. </p>
<p>Speaking of them, their was an announcement from our school that went like this: "As a gift for the Pope's visit, all Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York will have off the 17th and 18th." This is such a lie. They're giving us off because they know the teachers want to strike-that decision was actually being made today. So now I wonder what the teachers are going to do. I really think they should just get the extra 2% raise.</p>