The Catholic Example

The New York Sun ^ | 12/31/02

[henderson field]

This is slightly off the subject of catholic schools, but a couple of years ago there were figures showing that the state of Utah was 4th from the bottom in school expenditures but 4th from the top in test scores, so there must be more to it than just money.

[Willie Green]

Don't forget the nuns! My second grade teacher, a nun, was quick with a ruler on the back of one's hand.

She must've been a novice,
the older ones used yardsticks and went for the rump.
Yardsticks weren't too bad, but heaven help you if they decided to use one of those round, wooden "pointers" that were about the same length. Those suckers hurt.

[Salvation]

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[Salvation]

**They choose to accept the difference in salary because the students are there to learn and the job is more fun and rewarding.**

This one factor makes a huge difference for any teacher!

[Salvation]

**Are the Feds dictating the curriculum at Notre Dame because of the GI Bill?**

Good analogy.

[Lady In Blue]

Thanks very much for this thread! When I was in grade school and high school in Chicago(many moons ago),only nuns(Sisters of Mercy)taught and back then,they were the greatest group of sisters! God bless them. There was one sister,I remember who while at the blackboard when abruptly turn around when she heard the girls start whispering and giggling.She'd walk down the each row with that long pointer in hand and her long rosary beads swinging on her side belt and believe you me, you could hear a pin drop! Sister Mary Margaret never hit you but she made you BELIEVE THAT SHE WOULD! hehehe!

[SWake]

Are the Feds dictating the curriculum at Notre Dame because of the GI Bill?

About two years ago, a lawsuit was brought by two small seminaries against the state of Texas. These two schools were denied the right to confer undergraduate degrees because they refused to be accredited. They refuse accrediation because they claim it will result in a change of thier chosen curriculum, therefore destroying their academic focus.

So, maybe the Feds won't do it, but some government entity probably will.

[Blue Collar Christian]

Please!

[Blue Collar Christian]

It can happen, especially as our country becomes less and less Christian, that's what I'm talking about.

[ninenot]

In Milwaukee area, teachers earn (after about 5 years) in the upper $30's/low $40's.

What makes the compensation worthwhile is that health insurance is 100% paid and there is almost no deductible/copay required. In addition, the school districts contribute 12% of the teacher's gross income to a pension plan.

And, of course, there's the 6-months vacation/holiday time.

[sneakers]

My second grade teacher - also a nun - was, in my eyes, an angel. I never knew her to wield a ruler. Now, my third grade teacher - not a nun - was the meanest you-know-what you ever saw. She was handier with a handle brush than any nun could ever be! Only attended Catholic school for three years - (1st thru third grade) but it brings back wonderful memories.

[nina0113]

but heaven help you if they decided to use one of those round, wooden "pointers" that were about the same length. Those suckers hurt.

I had a ballet teacher that used one of those:

"You're sickling your ankles!" Whack!

"Tuck in that butt!" Whack!

A pointer to the ankle bone really hurts.

[Cap'n Crunch]

This subject gets me fired up.

In our city the public schools have been in a state of "academic emergency" for at least three years. Only 55% of high schoolers enrolled in the city schools attend.

So, what do the powers that be suggest will fix the problem? Brand new school buildings!

We had another tax increase for the schools. This is one of many tax increases and they keep telling us that everything will be fine with the schools as soon as they get more taxes coming in to fix the problem.

My kids go to catholic school. The building is old and in worse condition than many of the public schools they are going to tear down.

Politics.

[ninenot]

Blue Collar is right; the only question is how long it will take for the State to assert control.

That's more or less the 'good news;' it probably won't happen until your kids are out of the school of your choice.

Why is Blue Collar right?

Think as a taxpayer. For the tax dollar, you expect a certain level of performance, whether measured by ACT, SAT, or any other standard you can name. You also expect accountability: the recipient of your dollars should be able to tell you exactly what your dollar went toward.

Well, in what will be the ONLY time in HISTORY, the States will demand accountability. Of course, in this case, the accountability will be demanded from "voucher schools." (Heavens, not from other State employees!!!!)

Ultimately, the State will wrest control to themselves.

[ninenot]

I, for one, am perfectly willing to bet decent dollars that 75%+ of the public school teachers would do a very good job and be happy as clams with an arrangement similar to the one in the Catholic schools.

The bureaucrats, the State mandates, and the general silliness that public schools throw money away on is just mind-boggling, and the faculty doesn't like it one bit...

[ninenot]

Not quite.

But they are dictating the sports program's priorities.

There's another thread somewhere regarding the "women's participation" requirement forced on schools which accept ANY KIND of Federal dollars.

By the way, Notre Dame is not all that Catholic, either. Any school which sponsors "The Vagina Monologues" is simply NOT a Catholic school.

[ninenot]

In my High School, the Jesuits used a sawed-off golf driver. THEN they made you bend over and hold your ankles while they applied it.

When that broke, they fashioned a paddle about 8" wide, and drilled holes in it to decrease wind resistance.

[1john2 3and4]

If we don't let the public funds into our private schools

my money! NOT public funds. that's the crucial element...so, i demand accountability, ok, the gov. has no business here. theyre out of the loop.

i do grant your point that govt will seek to regulate, co-opt, interfere, and propagandize. theyre becoming quite efficient indeed. BUT with vouchers, what USED TO BE public money is now the original owner's (of that money). it is NOT public money, therefore not subject to the same control. (somethin smells fishy when you keep opposing vouchers based on an erroneous premise)

[thedilg]

Are the Feds dictating the curriculum at Notre Dame because of the GI Bill?

Exactly! you can expand that to 10's of thousands of schools after WW II. This even included semenaries.

Of course the money went to the students not the schools.
It was the students that supported or withdrew from a curriculum, not the government. Precisely the same is true of vouchers.

Godspeed, The Dilg

[Salvation]

**My kids go to catholic school. The building is old and in worse condition than many of the public schools they are going to tear down.**

Aand I daresay their education is much improved over the public school system. Another point of view -- parochial and private school kids are there to learn, not play, socialize, learn about the opposite sex, dance, play football and basketball (although some Catholic schools have excellent teams) or date.

They are there to learn........and their parents keep tabs on them because the parents pay and are invovled in one way or another.

And the most important factor of all.........these kids pray!