Just What the Cardinal Ordered: A Tax Credit

UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL, March 18—After hearing the testimony of Cardinal Francis George and others at hearings, leaders of the Illinois House “engaged in political maneuvering to ensure the passage of a controversial measure giving income tax credits to the parents of children who attend parochial and other private schools,” reported UPI.

The House voted 74-41 for a state income tax credit of up to $500 per year for parents who pay at least $2,500 per year toward their children's' educational expenses, said the report.

“The bill was the focus of an intense lobbying effort this spring by the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. The archdioceses says its private school system faces further financial problems unless it can increase enrollment,” said the article.

Cardinal Francis George appeared at the Statehouse earlier this week to urge lawmakers to back the idea, saying he thinks tax credits could persuade more parents to put their children into private schools, it reported.

Student Uprising

TORONTO STAR, March 15— Catholic schools are known for their excellence. When that fails, students are the first to notice.

One Canadian Catholic school district has fallen on such hard times, students have resorted to civil disobedience, reported the Toronto Star. At one school in the Peel Catholic school district, 25 of 127 teachers have resigned, and students protested by refusing to wear their school uniforms, and making a list of complaints, said the story.

Those same complaints have been heard at all 18 high schools in the district:

● 112 of the district's 1,504 teachers have resigned to take jobs elsewhere.

● Students and staff say they are demoralized.

● Students have been without extracurricular activities for much of the school year.

● Discipline, security, and supervision has eroded.

● Unqualified instructors and even senior students have been pressed into service to supervise classes and lunch rooms.

Vince Nichilo, superintendent of employee relations for the Peel Catholic board, shared their disillusionment.

“I can tell you this is a frustration shared by all board employees,” Nichilo said.

“We have an aggressive teacher recruitment campaign to ensure that qualified teachers are in place for our students,” he told the newspaper.