WASHINGTON (September 22, 2005)— The U.S. Bishops’ Secretary for
Education, Sister Glenn Anne McPhee, OP, said Senator Edward Kennedy’s
opposition to hurricane relief aid for private and religious schools
“makes no sense.”
“Denying educational aid to victims of Katrina because they attended
Catholic schools is like denying home repair assistance to anyone who is
not in public housing,” said Sister McPhee.
“Congress needs to reach out to help all afflicted by disaster, whatever
their race, economic level, or school ties,” she said also.
Her full statement follows.
Denying educational aid to victims of Katrina because they attended
Catholic schools is like denying home repair assistance to anyone who is
not in public housing. It makes no sense.
Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), ironically, stands as the premiere
politician opposed to helping these young people. It is at best incredible
that the senator who has built his government career on helping the
disadvantaged can turn away from them in what may be their hour of
greatest need. Who can be poorer than a young person who has lost his
home, his school, his pet, his neighborhood and even, in some cases,
members of his very family? Must such a young person be denied educational
aid because parents chose to enroll him or her in a Catholic or other
nonpublic school?
Senator Kennedy said he is “extremely disappointed” that in President
Bush’s plan for hurricane relief aid would go to students no matter where
they attend school. He’s not half as disappointed as his fellow citizens
who see his attitude as discriminating against what amounts to 45 percent
of the students in New Orleans, many of them African-American and
underprivileged by anyone’s standards.
Catholic schools have been heroic in meeting the needs before them. In
Houston, where the school year began in early August, Catholic schools
have hired extra teachers and employed volunteers to work with incoming
students from Louisiana, where the school year had not even begun when the
hurricane struck. They’ve not only taken them in, they’ve gone the extra
mile to bring them up to speed. One Jesuit high school, which usually
enrolls 900 students, increased its enrollment by 46 percent. It
established a second session to accommodate students, even keeping
together classmates from the school they left so they would feel less
alone.
In the Diocese of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the Catholic school population
increased by more than 24 percent overnight when the school absorbed 4,000
student evacuees. In the Diocese of Shreveport, Louisiana, it increased by
more than 26 percent. It is estimated that 12,000 new students poured into
Catholic schools in a matter of days.
Just as insupportable as Senator Kennedy’s position is that of Senator
Michael Enzi (R-WY) who, similarly, seems to want to ignore the Catholic
and other nonpublic schools which have opened their doors to evacuees. He
has introduced a bill in Congress to help public schools defray the cost
of accepting new students. He conveniently ignores the fact the Catholic
schools in Texas and Louisiana also have opened wide their doors. In fact,
while the influx of students into Texas has meant an increase of one
percent for public schools, it has meant an increase of four percent for
Catholic and other private schools. This is no surprise given that while
11 percent of students nationwide attend private or religious schools, in
the Gulf coast area over 20 percent of students attend Catholic schools.
Young people in Catholic schools nationwide have undertaken fundraising
for those hurt in this disaster. They hold car washes and cookie sales and
sponsor drives for everything from backpacks to school supplies to
clothing. They send the money to Catholic Charities USA, the American Red
Cross, United Way and individual schools in order to aid people whether
they go to public, private, or no educational institution at all. Schools
which have enrolled evacuees have provided books, meals, clothes and, most
of all, friendship, to other young people in need.
Children and teens have shown they instinctively know what to do. They’ve
taken the lead. The least the powerful members of Congress can do is
follow their good example. Congress needs to reach out to help all
afflicted by disaster, whatever their race, economic level, or school
ties.
Sister Glenn Anne McPhee, OP
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Secretary for Education
September 21, 2005
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