Letters: Preserve Catholic schools

Something is very wrong when schools are being closed that are educating Long Island children far better and far cheaper than the public system ["School parents stunned," News, Dec. 8]. There should be a way to keep these schools open and thriving.

One solution is to use vouchers to allow parents to send their children to the school of their choice. But politically powerful public education unions have so far blocked the widespread use of vouchers, even though it would provide a sound basic education at a fraction of the cost, an education in many cases superior to that provided by school districts in lower-income communities.

Public charter schools are a stopgap solution. Only choice in education will make schools improve: Good ones will thrive, and bad schools will close.

For centuries, American education was based on diverse and local schools, in many cases run by religious communities. In the private-school sector, Catholic schools were unique in that they have not educated the elite but the children of the middle and immigrant class.

The problem here is that the property taxes levied to support the high cost of Long Island's schools has made it impossible for middle class parents to make the choice to send their children to the schools they themselves attended.

I believe that some day, vouchers will be available to all who need them. But for now, lowering school taxes would help.

Andrea Vecchio, East Islip

Editor's note: The writer is an activist with the East Islip TaxPAC and Long Islanders for Educational Reform.
 

The diocese is asking Long Island Catholics to belong more deeply to Jesus and the Church, and to commit to stewardship. One group of people who are doing just that are the Catholic school children and their families.

We have committed our stewardship by finding the money to send our children for the past eight years to a Catholic school. We are not wealthy, but yet choose to do this so that we can belong more deeply. Education for us goes beyond test scores, school sports and a fancy playground. We pay for what we can't see: morals, values and the teachings of Christ.

Well, we have committed, and yet, more Catholic schools will close! Catholic high schools are turning children away at the door, while the elementary schools struggle.

When will there be vouchers? What about discounting tuition and creating incentives to obtain a high school seat? The Midwest has implemented these tactics in their Catholic elementary schools, and they are working.

Why in New York is the only answer to close the schools?

Catherine Catanese, Sayville