Opposition Grows to Archdiocese Plan to Convert Seven DC Catholic Schools to Charter...

Opposition Grows to Archdiocese Plan to Convert Seven DC Catholic Schools to
Charter Schools

More Than 800 Parents, Parishioners Sign Petition Opposing the Charter Schools

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Opposition is growing to the
Archdiocese's decision to convert seven Catholic schools in the District of
Columbia to charter schools, as more than 800 parents and parishioners have
signed a petition against the conversion.

The mounting opposition represents a blow to the Archdiocese, which needs
two-thirds of the schools' parents and teachers to approve the conversion. The
controversial plan by the Archdiocese is largely seen by many parents, alumni
and community leaders as backing away from providing a Catholic education to
African American children.

"We are not giving up without a fight," said S. Kathryn Allen, spokesperson
for the Committee to Save Black Catholic Schools, a branch of Black Catholics
United. "The Archdiocese is turning its back on the parents who want a
Catholic education for their children, and the students who are thriving in
this environment with some of the highest test scores among the schools in
this city. The more people realize the conversion is detrimental to their
children, the more they are supporting our effort to keep the schools open as
Catholic institutions."

Parents and community leaders opposing the conversion have been "appalled" by
the strong-arm tactics deployed by the Archdiocese, such as giving little time
for the parishes to come up with viable plans to keep their schools open,
discontinuing any Archdiocese funding to those parishes for the schools and
threatening punitive action against priests who oppose their conversion plan.

Those tactics have continued. Recently, parents have complained that they are
not being allowed to transfer their children from the schools targeted for
conversion to other Catholic schools. Parents say they suspect that the
Archdiocese "is holding these children captive" so that the enrollment numbers
at the public charter schools will be artificially boosted to support their
charter conversion applications.

Moreover, the Archdiocese recently named Jack Griffin, who headed the
Archdiocese's consortium board that administered donor financing of these
Catholic schools, as chairman of the entity that will operate the seven
converted schools. Mr. Griffin also headed the steering committee that
recommended that the schools be closed and converted to charter schools.
Supporters of the schools see his appointment as a huge conflict of interest
since he was the chief architect of the plan to convert the schools in the
first place.

"Once again the Archdiocese is showing its lack of judgment by placing the
person responsible for ending Catholic education at the schools in charge of
the charter schools," said Ms. Allen. "It's a conflict of interest to push
for a policy change and then be rewarded with a contract to operate the
Catholic Schools as public charter schools. It is yet another example
displaying how the Archdiocese is out of touch with the community."

The Committee to Save Black Catholic Schools is developing alternative funding
mechanisms to complement a consortium payment to these schools. Efforts to
raise funds have been complicated by the action of the Archdiocese, but the
group is persevering because these Catholic Schools teach black children of
all religions.

"We are very disappointed that the Archdiocese has engaged in a flawed process
from the beginning," Ms. Allen said. "They should have discussed the schools'
future with the schools and parishes and helped to jointly come up with a plan
to keep these schools open as viable Catholic schools. We are still hoping
that dialogue can take place so that once the charter idea is rejected, we can
continue to provide a Catholic education to our children."

Contact:
S. Kathryn Allen
202-204-0600
202-321-6890

Michael K. Frisby
202-625-4328

SOURCE Black Catholics United

S. Kathryn Allen of Black Catholics United, +1-202-204-0600, +1-202-321-6890;
or Michael K. Frisby, +1-202-625-4328, for Black Catholics United