Opportunity Scholarships -- The Rush Is On

The Washington comPost this weekend had an article in the Metro section about the rush to apply for the DC Opportunity Scholarships. Now, did you not that there was no mention of which political party (hint: The Most Merciful Barack Obama is the "head" of it) did whatever it could to kill this opportunity for those in the mostly failing DC public schools.

Nope. Nada. Nothing.

But of course, they take every opportunity to criticize it.

In case you did not get the chance to read it, click here.

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To my readers:

Over the last few weeks, due to a number of personal issues, I have not had the opportunity to post. However, I am keeping a close eye on the doings of the Archdiocese.

For example, did you notice that the Catholic Standard's article on the 150th Anniversary of Providence Hospital neglected to mention that on the Board of Directors is a prominent pro-abortion/pro-gay rights advocate? I wonder why they did not mention this? Do you?

And I wonder if there was a session on how to hide these and other embarrassing facts at the Catholic Media Convention in Pittsburgh last week.

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Click here to sign the petition to REPEAL THE MARYLAND DREAM ACT. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Boehner Supports DC Opportunity Scholarships

The next time the so called "progressive Catholycs" tell you that the Most Merciful, Barack Obama and the Democrat Party care more about children then the GOP, please remember who was out there supporting the Opportunity Scholarships.

Read about Speaker Boehner hosting Cardinal Cardinal Wuerl, D.C. Scholarship Students, Parents, & Teachers in House Gallery for State of the Union.

An today, Boehner will announce plans to reauthorize the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program and provide funds for traditional and charter public schools.

When you go to the ballot box in November, remember who was fighting for students. (Hint: It wasn't B.O.)

The Washington Post - Wrong Again

This Sunday's Washington comPost, has an article on the change in Congress and what does it hold for DC residents.

The writer stated:

But the DC vouchers were quickly rescinded by the Obama administration because of uncertainty over funding from Congress.

Total BS.

Look, the Democratic congress, on the issues of vouchers, had sold themselves like common prostitutes, to the National Education Assn. They did not want any taxpayer funding to go to private schools, but more importantly, there is an anti-Catholic bias in the Democratic Party.

The vouchers program was ended, so to speak, because of the NEA and anti-Catholic bigotry.

Although the Archdiocese of Washington fought hard, and got this Administration to at least keep its commitment to those who had started the program, everyone now has to suffer -- students, parents and taxpayers.

Hopefully, things will change.

Rush once again mentions Obama's failure to support DC Opportunity Scholarships...

Once again, Rush Limbaugh talked (just a few minutes ago) about the hypocrisy of Obama who sends his children to Sidwell, while knocking the DC public schools (although they have improved under Fenty and Rhee), and his failure to support the voucher program for deserving children.

Rush once again talks about the DC Opportunity Scholarships..

A few minutes ago, Rush Limbaugh once again talked about how the Most Merciful, Barack Obama, leader of THE REGIME, has fought against the DC Opportunity Scholarships, which would give other children the same opportunities has his kids.

I hope that all of you who voted for the Most Merciful, with children who could have benefited from a DC Opportunity Scholarship, remember that he and his cronies have basically killed it.

I hope that you throw him and the rest of the Dems out of office.

Catholic Schools - Status

Well folks, with the announcement that St. Mark's in Hyattsville would merge with St. Camillus, it is time to try to recap what is happening.

OPEN - St. Jude's
OPEN - St. Catherine Laboure (at least for another year).
Closed and Merged: St. Hughes with St. Joseph in Beltsville.
Closed and Merged: St. Mark's (Hyattsville) with St. Camillus.
Unknown: St. Michael's in Ridge (Is working on raising a large amount of $$; I hope they make it).
Unknown: St. Jerome's**
Unknown: St. Michael's

(**Update 7am: I received word from a parent at St. Jerome's that they are have achieved 80% of their fundraising goal and have another major fundraiser in Feb. THEY WILL REMAIN OPEN! CONGRATS to the parents and supporters of St. J's. )

The schools that have a heavy number of student's who receive DC Opportunity Scholarships will probably merge/close within the next few years, unless there is some change in the make up of Congress. With the effective killing of the program (even with a valiant effort by the Archdiocese), this will be the death knell for some, if not all.

So, for all those who have their children in this program, or to all those who work in these schools, did you vote for the Most, Merciful Lord High Barack Obama (and the Democratic Congress). Is this the hope and change that you expected?

Got to love it...

Bill Donohue of the Catholic League tells it like it is in their Dec. 15, 2009 press release:

The Congress is now officially on record approving a bill that tells mothers in Washington, D.C. that if they decide to take their baby to term, and elect to send their child to a private school—just like the one that President Obama and his wife have chosen for their own children—they can do it on their own dime: the successful voucher scholarship program that 1,700 poor kids were enrolled in is now dead. But if these same mothers decide to abort their babies, the same government will rush to pay their bills.

Most of those affected are black. The bill will soon be signed into law by America’s first black president. Is there anyone so stupid not to understand what is going on?

You got to love it.

Update: Rush Takes the Most Merciful to Task on DC Opportunity Scholarships

2:10pm (EST): Once again, Rush Limbaugh has taken the Most Merciful, Lord High Barack Obama to task for pulling the DC Opportunity Scholarships from District children.

Once again, we are reminded of how children will be left to suffer in public education. And people call Rush racist.

Two DC Stories - Schools and Gay Marriage

Yesterday, I happened to have CNN on and saw a commerial calling upon the Most Merciful, Lord High Barack Obama to support the DC Opportunity Scholarships. WOW.

Then, I saw this story a short time ago on the Washington Examiner:

Since earning passage in Congress in 2003, the program has granted federally funded vouchers for children to attend private school in the District. But this year, a Democratic Congress is less inclined to renew it.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., chairman of the appropriations subcommittee responsible for the vouchers' funding, has criticized the program for a lack of proof that students are doing any better in private schools than in public institutions.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has recommended continued funding only until the 1,700 students currently enrolled have graduated.
But parents, students and teachers have consistently expressed enthusiastic support.
Wearing a yellow shirt emblazoned with "Put Kids First," Anacostia resident Virginia Thomas shouted support for the program that allows her to send two children to Academia de la Recta Porta International Christian Day School.
"They are excellent children, they are polite, they are mannerable, they don't fight, they don't cuss," she said, explaining that private school offers a more orderly environment than Anacostia's public options.
As she cheered, speakers not often in agreement took to the podium. D.C. Councilman Marion Barry, D-Ward 8, altered the words of the spiritual "Go Down Moses" to "Go down, Mr. President, go down to the Capitol and save D.C. schools."
Barry was followed by President George W. Bush's education secretary Margaret Spellings -- an advocate during her four years in office.
Father Stephen Carter, pastor at Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Mount Pleasant, made the trip with his students.
"There's a lot of praying going on," Carter said, dressed in the brown cloak of Franciscans. "You wait for a miracle. Because it's a long shot -- a very long shot."

According to the Examiner, D.C. Councilman David Catania said he will introduce legislation Tuesday that would legalize same-sex marriages in the nation’s capital.

DC has three Councilmembers who are Catholic. All have supported this effort.

Catholic Standard - Weekly Update

Well folks, it is that time (although late) with our review of the Catholic Standard (July 23rd Edition).

We start off with a Catholic News Story (CNS) on the Pope's injuries.

Then we follow-up with a story about the nominee for Surgeon General. It seems that there is some "speculation about abortion view."

No. It can't be. An Obama nominee who is Catholic and is pro-abortion? It seems to surprise CNS. Let's see, there is Joe Biden, Obama's Press Secretary, Sotomayor, and the list goes on.

What planet is CNS living on? They must have drunk the Obama Kook-Aid once too often. If they were not pro-abortion, NARAL, Planned Parenthood and the rest of them would be yelling and screaming. But you know why they are not, because they know that the Most Merciful, Lord High Barack Obama would only appoint pro-abortion politicians.

Fire the lot of the current CNS group. What a waste!

And what is worse, Sr. Keehan head of the Catholic Health Assn. To me, they are willing to sell their souls for health rationing for all.

We then move on the Opportunity Scholarships and we learn that the US House of Reps., voted last week to keep the program going only for those currently in it. No new funding. Now, I bet if you looked at who voted to limit it, it would be the Democratic Party.

Yet, we do not hear a word from the social justice crowd. Where are they by the way? For all of their talk about education, it is just that -- talk.

We move on to stories about how young teens are doing good things at Encounter the Gospel of Life and how young adults are involved in Christ in the City, at St. Patrick's in DC.

The House of Representatives also passed a bill allowing for locally tax-funded abortions in DC. Gee, I wonder which party supported that one. Do you really think that the DC Council will vote not fund them, even though 41% of all pregnancies are aborted.

We have another story on how pro-lifers who oppose abortion as part of the President's health rationing plan. With the Fr. Reese's, Sr. Keehan's, Joe "insert foot in mouth" Biden (and they talked about Dan Quayle), and Dr. Regina Benjamin's who needs enemies.

Finally, we have a CNS story on Walter Cronkite. Can anyone tell me why he was "the most trusted man in America"? Who gave him that name? He certainly did not deserve it in my opinion, esp. knowing what we now know about the media.

It reminds me of Howard Stern. Do you know how he became "The King of All Media?" He started to call himself that and slowly but surely, as his radio ratings increased, the media started to use that phrase. Reminds me a lot about Cronkite.

As always, if you don't get the Standard, pick one up in your parish. Remember, they are required to carry it -- whether they like it or no.

Rush Limbaugh mentions DC Opportunity Scholarship Program

For those of you who support the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program, it was mentioned on Rush Limbaugh's show yesterday at apx. 12:40pm - 12:45pm.

It was mentioned in the context the Dept. of Agriculture was spending stimulus money and it was a do as I say, not as I do administration. Rush brought up the fact that the Most Merciful, Lord High Barack Obama can send his children to an exclusive private school (Sidwell Friends) but he killed a program for minority students.

I wonder if Rush was reading my blog. (I doubt it, but it would be nice.)

On a side note, I would like to thank everyone who reads this blog. We have reached the 25,000 mark. Thanks!

DC Graduation Rates

It was recently reported that DC High School graduation rates had fallen to 49%.

Of the number of DC Opportunity Scholarship participants, I wonder what is the percentage of students who graduate high school. I would bet that it is more than 50%.

Another reason why DC Opportunity Scholarships are needed.

The next time you go to the voting booth, remember who is supporting DC Opportunity Scholarships (Republican Party) and who is opposed (Democratic Party).

Catholic Standard - Weekly Update

Well, it is that time of the week...the Catholic Standard Weekly Update!!!

First, congratulations to those who celebrated their 25th to 70th wedding anniversaries! Wow, married 70 years! That is truly amazing. What an inspiration for all those who are married, about to get married or even looking to get married.

The Sunday TV Mass is moving to WDCW on July 5th at 10:30am. Although the Standard did not tell you this, the folks over at Public Television decided to enforce a 20+ year old law banning religious programming. MMMM...isn't it odd that it happens when the Most Merciful, Lord High Barack Obama is president. I guess this is what he meant by change -- removal of anything religious. Maybe people should think carefully about donating to public television or voting for him again.

Stories continue to show the value of the DC Opportunity Scholarship program.

Although the story attempts to be upbeat, there is nothing upbeat about the closing of a Catholic school -- Holy Angels Sacred Heart School in Avenue.

Remember, June 13th is St. Anthony of Padua Feast Day. Go to St. Anthony of Padua Church at 12th and Monroe St., NE for Mass (8am & 12noon), Novena prayers, and a blessing w/ a St. Anthony relic. Blessed St. Anthony bread will be distributed.

Finally, did I not call it or did I not call it yesterday -- the centerfold of the Standard is that flier I discussed yesterday on Catholic Education.

As always, if you don't get the Catholic Standard, pick one up in your parish. Remember, they are required to take a certain number of copies -- whether they like it or not.

Have a safe and enjoyable weekend.

Catholic Stanard Roundup This Week

Well folks, this week's edition of the Catholic Standard is chock full of stories.

First, those evil Republicans are at it again. It seems that Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), Rep. Daniel Issa (R-CA) and Rep. Howard McKeon (R-CA) are trying to save the DC Opportunity Scholarships. Don't they know that the NEA and other unions are just trying to stop this waste of money and ensure that everyone suffers equally. Fr. Peter Daly must be really mad about this latest development because he tells us how terrible those Republicans are, and how good the union bosses are, every chance he gets.

Second, the DC Catholic Conference is supporting the DC Defense of Marriage Act (HR 2608) which states: "That in the District of Columbia, for all legal purposes, 'marriage' means the union of one man and one woman." Can you believe that this was sponsored by Rep. Dan Boren (R-OK), Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) and 30 others.

And you know what the best part was, there was no mention in the Standard that all of the Catholic members of the DC Council voted to recognize same-sex marriages. All are Democrats. Fr. Daly must really be really spitting mad at those Republicans for supporting Catholic beliefs.

Third, the Standard finally got around to printing almost a full page story on how the Bishops have reacted to the Notre Dame scandal. Of course, Fr. Reese supported the visite (what else is new). The Standard was a day late and a dollar short on this one.

We have a number of stories on various graduating classes.

We have a great story about Amanda Herndon, a former special education teacher at Our Lady of Mercy (Potomac MD), who founded the Girls Night Out club, so that young women with special needs can socialize in a relaxed setting with other girls her age. What a great pro-life story. And, Ms. Herndon probably did not even think of it in those terms.

As usual, Trinity College really knows how to insult our faith by allowing Maggie Williams (Class of 77) to not only give the commencement address but also an honorary doctor of laws. Who is she? Well, she was the former chief of staff to Hillary Clinton. Please don't tell me she is not pro-abortion.

Congratulations to Wesley Mann, a senior at St. Anselm's Abbey School, who was named the District's Poetry Out Loud champion. Word!

The centerfold is dedicated to those who have received the Sacrament of Confirmation. Congratulations! Live your life by your Roman Catholic faith.

A new Church is being built in Solomons. Wonderful.

But, there are dark clouds ahead for all of us.

Reps. James Sensenbrenner (R-WIS) and Chris Smith (R-NJ) has urged the Most Merciful, Lord High Barack Obama to forgo the rescinding of the conscience clause, which gives federal protection to the conscience rights of health care employees.

I wonder how many of those health care employees, esp. Catholic ones, voted for the Most Merciful. Well, you wanted change. Now you got it. It is possible you may loose your job because of your beliefs. Nice. Reminds me of a Mao's China and Hitler's Germany.

Finally, over 120 priests have convened to discuss the "best effort" to support Catholic education. This article probably would not have been written except for this blog, the posting of the Policy in 2009 paper and the efforts of a number of concerned Catholics (who got hell from their fellow Catholics).

The writing is on the wall folks.

I will discuss more on this later.

But, as Mr. Thomas Burnford (Sec. for Education) said: "the goal is to finalize the policies this summer so some of them can begin to implemented in the schools, this fall."

Have an enjoyable weekend.

Oh, and since every parish is required to have a number of copies (whether they like it or not), pick up your copy on Sunday, if you don't subscribe.

DC Opportunity Scholarships and the future of Catholic Schools.

The Archdiocese of Washington DC has been mounting a public relations campaign to show that the ending of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program will harm children. Bravo! Good Job! Unfortunately, the local media who helped to elevate the Most Merciful, the Lord High Barack Obama, now does what it can to keep him elevated so that all can worship him.

Part of the reason for the campaign is due to the fact that almost 900 of the 1700 children who participate in this campaign go to Catholic schools. The loss of these students will of course mean the closing of a number of schools.

Now, where are the liberal Catholics? Where is the social justice crowd? Have you noticed that they seem to be silent on this issue. Go over to the Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good. Notice all of the public press releases before the election. Notice the number now? (Very few.) Notice how many have to do with giving parents an option to send their children out of failing schools. (None.)

Catholics on the left are very, very silent on this issue. I guess that Catholic education, which I thought was part of the larger social justice issue because they keep talking about money for schools and not for bombs, just isn’t that important when it comes to parents making a choice.

Now, for those of you who do not know, the Most Merciful, the Lord High Barack Obama, has given his blessing, thru his minions, that those who are currently in the program may stay. Those who are not, well, you get to suffer in a system that spends over $11,000 per year per student and still wants more.

Again, it always makes me ask: How many parents of the 800 students voted for the Most Merciful? How many administrators and educators who staff those Catholic schools voted for him? Is this the change you expected?

The next time you go to the voting booth remember who did this to you: The Most Merciful, Lord High Barack Obama and his minions.

PS: For those who keep talking about the cost of educating a child, the DC Opportunity Scholarships cost only about $7500 per student with Catholics picking up the rest of the tab. So, the issue is not about cost, but something much deeper and much more disturbing.

DC Opportunity Scholarships - A Death Sentence for Children and DC Catholic Schools?

This week, the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) sent out an email alert asking all members of the Archdiocese of Washington to help save the DC Opportunity Scholarships.

The Wall St. Journal profiles two of the recipients:

Dick Durbin has a nasty surprise for two of Sasha and Malia Obama's new schoolmates. And it puts the president in an awkward position. (He couldn't give a dead rat's butt about this to be honest. IMHO.)

The children are Sarah and James Parker. Like the Obama girls, Sarah and James attend the Sidwell Friends School in our nation's capital. Unlike the Obama girls, they could not afford the school without the $7,500 voucher they receive from the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship program. Unfortunately, a spending bill the Senate takes up this week includes a poison pill that would kill this program -- and with it perhaps the Parker children's hopes for a Sidwell diploma.

Known as the "Durbin language" after the Illinois Democrat who came up with it last year, the provision mandates that the scholarship program ends after the next school year unless Congress reauthorizes it and the District of Columbia approves. The beauty of this language is that it allows opponents to kill the program simply by doing nothing. Just the sort of sneaky maneuver that's so handy when you don't want inner-city moms and dads to catch on that you are cutting one of their lifelines.

That's the reality that the Parkers and 1,700 other low-income students face if Sen. Durbin and his allies get their way. And it points to perhaps the most odious of double standards in American life today: the way some of our loudest champions of public education vote to keep other people's children -- mostly inner-city blacks and Latinos -- trapped in schools where they'd never let their own kids set foot.

The MCC tells us that of the 1,700 students helped, almost 900 of them attend Catholic schools! Wow. Can you imagine that not only will these students will be given almost a education death sentence (and we all know how the MCC is against the death penalty) but will be the death knell for how many more Catholic schools?

To many of us, this may seem outrageous. How can Dick Durbin (Dem - IL and Senate Majority Whip), Eleanor Holmes Norton (Dem - DC) and the others allow are children to suffer in this manner?

It is easy and something that I have been saying for a couple of years: they know you will vote over and over again for them, no matter how they make your children suffer, no matter how many children are aborted, etc.

So, I have a couple of questions:

If you are an employee of the Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) do you regularly vote Democrat? Did you vote to keep the Democratic Party the majority party?

If you are an employee of the Archdiocese of Washington (or just stationed here), did you vote for the Most Merciful, Lord High Barack Obama and to keep the Democratic Party the majority in the Congress?

Are you Catholic and does your child (children) participate in this program? Did you vote for the Most Merciful, Lord High Barack Obama and to keep a Democratic majority in the Congress?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, they you have gotten what you voted for. You have a choice when it comes to abortion, but no choice when it come to education.

Marc Fisher's Column This Week

The Sunday Metro section of the Washington Post had an article written by Marc Fisher.

To make a long story short, his basic premise was that the DC Opportunity Scholarships (or as he likes to call them - vouchers) were a failure to begin with, since it never covered the complete cost of tuition.



According to Mr. Fisher vouchers were "foisted on the District" by the Federal government. That is one biased way of looking at it.

The problem was that the District schools were failing everyone - everyone. They were failing the children, the parents, and the taxpayers and yet all were heard was the same lame excuse -- "If we only had more money."

So, we now have an option to help some children. Yes, it may only help 1900 children but it was a start. Many of these children were headed for the same cycle of poor education, poor jobs, etc. that many others had before them. Here was the chance to get them out of it.

In fact, I remember reading that for every scholarship given, there were two additional applicants. Tell me Mr. Fisher, was does that say about the failing DC Public Schools? What does that say about how desperate parents are to make certain that they succeed.

Second, we know that the Catholic schools that are closing are due to a number of reasons, not just because vouchers could not pay the full cost. There was a decline in enrollment, an increase in expenses, etc. But the children who attended these schools were doing fantastic and could probably beat the best that the public shools had to offer.

In fact, Mr. Fisher does not make comment on the fact that for every $7,500 given in a scholarship, it saved the DC Public Schools over $2,500. Why? Because it costs over $10,000 per year per pupil in DC. Now, it will cost them the full $10,000 per.


But who cares about that, when your socialist mentality says that everyone should suffer equally.

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