Re the Archdiocese of Philadelphia report recommending 49 school closings:
Peter Zaleski PhD, a 25-year veteran professor of economics at Villanova University who has co-written papers on "the economics of churches," has sent Archbishop Chaput a respectful letter questioning the "economic sense" of closing the two Upper Darby-area high schools, Monsignor Bonner (boys) and Archbishop Prendergast (girls). One of his sons is a Bonner grad, but Zaleski's children are now grown, he told Chaput, "so I do not have a personal stake."
Among the economist's points:
- The "capacity" ratio used as one tool to measure whether buildings are under-used relies on an unrealistic denominator. The report estimates Bonner/Prendergast's top potential enrollment at more than 3,000. Based on his own visits to the schools, Zaleski says that ought to be lower. With nearly 1,000 students now enrolled, a more realistic calculation could put the schools closer to the archdiocese target of 54% capacity, even without students who might transfer from similarly doomed West Catholic.
- Why not close one building and move everyone into the other, as the Archdiocese did in South Philadelphia by merging St. Maria Goretti (girls) and St. John Neumann (boys)? This would address another of the report's findings: high operating costs at the aging Bonner/Prendie campus, partly a result of years of deferred maintenance.
- The report's focus on falling "feeder school" enrollment at nearby parish schools is less relevant now that the Archdiocese has removed school enrollment district boundaries; many of today's Catholic high school students went to non-Catholic grade schools.
Zaleski also notes that Bonner/Prendie is less distant from West Catholic (also targeted for closing) than other surviving suburban high schools like Archbishop Carroll or Cardinal O'Hara. (Carroll was a focus of school-closing talk in the middle 2000s but was saved when an alumni committee raised cash and helped boost enrollment. I've heard similar points from alumni of the former North Catholic who worry that their school lost clout after rival Roman Catholic mobilized its graduates, and the resources of the Cahill foundation, to prevent Roman's threatened closure a decade ago.)
Zaleski also notes that Carroll, which abuts the Radnor train station close to the Radnor Financial Center office park, might be an easier property to sell than the more urban high schools. Not, he adds, that he's recommending closing Carroll; just that such comparative factors, which he says are absent from the report, make the Bonner/Prendie closing seem less justifiable on purely economic grounds.
Both Chaput and one of his aides "responded very promptly and cordially," Zaleski tells me. Maybe there's stills something to hope for. (Revised)
This man should've been on the Blue Ribbon Committee. Hopefully the Archbishop will agree to re-look at the numbers and allow an independent board to examine and probe the data. between this and what was published this morning about the faulty data used in the St. George decision, I am beginning to question the integrity of the process and the validity of the decisions that were made.— ExplorerFan- This is a silly piece. This "economist" is merely the father of Bonner children who has an axe to grind against rival (and better in every measurable category) Archbishop Carroll High School.— Comrade Noodlehead
- why would anyone send their children to carroll instead of Radnor, Harriton or Lower Merion? #1 those high schools are light-years better; and #2, they free
— laphroaig - Noodlehead, why the "quotes"? He's a pro economist. What are you? I went to Carroll but I don't know enough about either school today to choose one over the other on merits or demographics. Do you?
— Joe D - Laphroaig, ask Radnor and LM property-owners if their schools are free. Amazing but hundreds and hundreds of Main Line families still prefer non-public schools. That new Episcopal campus is pretty fancy.— Joe D
- "laphroaig" Maybe it would be better to find out how all the graduates of Archbishop Carroll made out after graduation first and besides nothing is free "check your tax bill" and as time goes with these school closings you better really check your tax bill especially after the Chester school distict starts transferring to your area then what are you going to do.Oh I know, You will move to Upper Darby or West Philadelphia.— tastycake
- I read somewhere that there is already a deal in place to sell the Bonner/Prendie land to the hospital next door. So his argument about the land value is probable skewed since he is a Bonner grad or at least the parent of a Bonner grad.— dankil13
- Dankil, I've heard rumors that one of the hospitals and also Neumann College covet that campus. Maybe one of those uses might be compatible with keeping a scaled down school in place? But, rumor. Delco Times printed and labeled it as a rumor that DCMH might buy the site. So far as I know the hospital has Not confirmed.— Joe D
- my point was if you live in wayne, you're paying for Radnor HS (through property taxes) whether you use it or not, so why pay tuition at carroll when you have to support Radnor anyway, and Radnor is a top-notch HS
it's a different story if you live in buxco, and your options are wood or tenant, basically similar academic institutions, but comparing Rador/LM with Carroll is like comparing Penn with Penn State— laphroaig - Why not ask were the money is going ???....and why can't it be shifted to schools versus paying for cover-ups, attorney fees and golden parachutes for all those in the other issue....— nuggett
- Bonner is so close to O'Hara that it just doesn't make sense to keep it open. Sell the land, keep the best teachers, upgrade O'Hara and everyone is better off.— OldCityJoe
- I agree with this economist. The cut schools were a very drastic and sudden event. It may have been very necessary to rein in to balance the problems with the fiscal problems of a Church run, Private school system that must charge tuition and keep up enrollment. I went to public school, I admit, and this event bodes very badly for every teacher and student in the Public School System. Charter schools can suffer the same fate. Education is not a given. I was a Music Education major and I never followed through and taught. I realized that I wasn't up to the challenges that were coming up in the Public School System for the Arts curriculum . Now teachers of standard academics and students who need this stuff to go on and make a life for themselves are at risk. Is it just the numbers? Or is something else happening too, in the Catholic School Closings?— jfo12
- st.. huberts is also puzzling. ryan is 1000 students and coed and open, st. huberts is 675 girls and closed? what's up with that?— pointguard
- The closing of schools will provide millions of untaxed dollars. If the money is not returned to those schools that are opened it should be taxed as income for the Archdiocese. And, if Pa doesn't have such a law, and the IRS ignores that income, it is time for a change. Taxpayers paid higher taxes for tax exemptions, it is no time to make a profit off of it when it is not being used for the purpose it was originally intended. I call it fraud if it is used for any other purpose.— Bob Washick
- They cannot sell the land these schools are built on. The only money gained will be from operational costs. The Drexel Estate will makes it clear that at least the building Prendie is in must be used for educational purposes.— CMc62480
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