Today, August 21, 2012, the Archdiocese has moved in an unprecedented direction. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput has announced that it will be turning over ALL Philadelphia Archdiocesan High Schools and Special Education Schools to a private management organization known as the Faith in the Future Foundation. Some believe that this is a way for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to take full advantage of the the new voucher system in Pennsylvania.
I happen to be one of those people. I also happen to be one of those people who is a Catholic school parent and a public school teacher. I am 100% opposed to the voucher system as a Catholic school parent, and I am 100% opposed to the Charter School movement.
Big business is apparently at it again. Any organization that is already making money will make more with the privatization of public entities. In some places, public water systems, public electric, etc. have also been turned over to private enterprises, who have jacked up prices and caused problems for the residents of those areas.
The big question is: Where did the Charter movement begin? Well, that is easy: When politicians sold their campaigns to private management firms. And you better believe that both Democrats and Republicans are guilty to allowing private entities like Goldman Sachs manage their political offices, that at one point in time were managed by the people (remember when the phrase, "government of the people, for the people, by the people" actually meant something - if you do, good! I am too young to have ever seen that).
Everyone from President Barack Obama to Governor Mitt Romney to PA's Governor Tom Corbett, et al have allowed private entities run their offices and campaigns. And what has that led to? A failed economy that will not be able to recover for a long time. The private management of public entities, which is a proven failure. The publicization (turning private entities into publicly funded ones) of Private Schools and failing businesses (with NO strings attached). And so on.
It's time to turn this around. Unfortunately, most people will continue to vote for the two party system. It is also unfortunate that third parties and Independent candidates are not as strong a candidate than anyone in the two party system. So, let's continue to raise taxes on the middle class to pay for the privatization of the public sector and the for the publicization of the private sector, while also cutting taxes for the rich.
