ARCHDIOCESE SURVEY PRESS RELEASE - FINALLY!
Recipients of the Archdiocesan survey
were requested to complete and return it by August 28, 2006.
After eleven (11) weeks and 3 days, a press release was
issued by the Archdiocese on November 16.
Quoting Bishop McFadden from that release,
“Our parents have spoken through this survey,
indicating that support exists for these high schools. They
have demonstrated an interest in enrolling their children,
an enthusiasm for the importance of Catholic education
within a state-of-the-art facility and a willingness to pay
an increased tuition to provide their children with this
educational experience.” Really?
First of all, the survey did not contain an option
whereby the parents could weigh-in for a refurbished and
expanded Lansdale Catholic. Second, only 50% of
those who responded to the survey who have children
currently enrolled in Parish elementary schools expressed
their intent to choose the new facility in Hilltown for
their children. And, only 32 % of those with children
participating in parish religious education programs voiced
their interest in sending their children to a new school in
Hilltown. This hardly seems decisive! Third,
why does the press release only contain percentages.
What are the actual numbers?
It is amazing how they could put such a positive spin on
such poor results! (Note: At one point it was rumored
that the survey results needed to be 80% in favor of
'relocating' to the Hilltown site before proceeding - what
happened to that requirement?)
Is this ANOTHER cover-up? In light of an issue in
the past decade, does the Archdiocese need yet another round
of bad press? What is REALLY driving this 'relocation'
of LC to Hilltown?
Click here to link to the
release!
Of interest, when the Archdiocese conducted a somewhat
similar survey in 2000, it offered an option for an expanded
and refurbished LC, and the results at that time were about
even, with 50% for a new school in Hilltown, and 50% for
staying at LC. And now, without an LC option, the
combined results for Hilltown are well below 50%.
Read that: 'A decline in the support for the Hilltown
site!'
If the current enrollment at Archbishop
Carroll, the second newest high school within the
Archdiocese, located in heavily populated and affluent
Radnor, has dropped below 900, how can they expect to get
1200 (let alone 1500) in Hilltown?
Click here to read about
what's happening to Catholic high schools in the Scranton
diocese.
