Last One Out Turn Off The Lights

A couple of weeks ago, the Archdiocese announced that they would be closing thirteen local Catholic schools at the end of this year. It shouldn’t have really come as a surprise since sixteen other area schools have been closed since 2002. But with the scheduled closings of St. Rose of Lima and Cardinal Gibbons, it struck a personal chord this time.

It’s no secret that there’s no lost love between St. Rose and me. I have my personal reasons for my disgust with them, but that’s another story. However, I truly feel for the parents who now have to scramble to find a new school for their kids next year. These people include my own family and several close friends.

I was truly saddened (and shocked) when I heard that my alma mater, Cardinal Gibbons, was included in the latest closings. There will always be a special place in my heart for Gibbons. I met a lot of great people during my four years there. And the teachers really cared about our success, not just in academics, but in life as well. There’s no doubt that I’m a much better person because of Cardinal Gibbons High School.

Aside from my personal experiences at Gibbons, it is also has a bit of history. After all, it was where the legend of Babe Ruth was born. For those who don’t know, way before it was a high school, Gibbons was the site of St. Mary’s Industrial School (a school for troubled youths). The Babe was eventually “committed” here and it didn’t take long for Brother Matthias to notice his natural baseball talent. And, as they say, the rest is history. Many times, I sat on the wall overlooking the baseball field at Gibbons and visualized the Babe knocking one out of the park.

So, the big question is: Why are these schools being forced to close? The first thing that comes to my mind is the average tuition for these places. If I’m not mistaken, the annual cost of sending a child to St. Rose today is roughly $4000. And this is an elementary school! This is roughly four times the cost of my senior year at Gibbons! And from what I understand, the high school tuition rates are now $10,000 a year (and up!).

With the unemployment rate continuing to rise (no matter what bullshit the politicians are feeding you) and the overall state of the economy, how can parents continue to afford this? People are having a hard enough time just paying the mortgage and putting food on the table. And people wonder why enrollment is down?

And let’s face it, money may be the root of all evil but it’s near and dear to the heart of the Catholic Church. The Church , in many respects, is run like a large corporation. If there are parts of the business that are losing money, they will inevitably have to go. Could the Church “spread the wealth” and keep the struggling schools afloat? Probably. But again, it all boils down to money. And, in my humble opinion, there is a glaring double standard when it comes to our money and the Church’s money.

I don't have any proof of it, but the rumor is that a lucrative real estate deal was struck a couple of years ago between the Archdiocese and St. Agnes Hospital (which directly across from Gibbons on Caton Avenue). If this turns out to be true, it just reinforces my belief that it's always about the money.

One of the more absurd things that I’ve heard about the school closings is that it was racially motivated. The fact that most of the schools that were closed were in Baltimore City (which has a predominantly black population) quickly got the attention of the usual race baiters. Let me explain something to these fools: It doesn’t matter if you’re black or white, when it comes to business decisions, the only color that matters is green!

So, many parents are now faced with the decision to send their kids to nearby Catholic schools or send them to their local public schools. Sending them to other private schools will likely translate into higher tuition rates. And, in some parts of the city, the public schools are more like a breeding ground for future prison inmates. So, this doesn't even factor in as an option.

I truly feel for these parents and sincerely wish them the best of luck…..

KW