To the editor:
The May 2009 Catholic Courierreports the great success of the diocese’s efforts to raise money to provide tuition assistance to eligible students in diocesan schools in Monroe County.
The increasing inability of families to pay private-school tuition on top of state and local taxes that support public schools was given as the major reason for the decline in enrollment in Monroe County Catholic schools which resulted in the closure of a number of them last year. Hence reducing tuition in the Catholic schools would be more beneficial than giving tuition assistance only to families the diocese deems income-eligible.
Money raised in the future to provide tuition assistance to students in diocesan schools could be used to reduce tuition in the schools, if it is made clear to donors that the money will go to that purpose.
Grace K. LaDouce
Auburn
EDITOR’S NOTE: Tuition for Monroe County Catholic Schools was reduced by 27 percent for 2008-09 — to $2,950 for the first student of a parish-affiliated family — and held constant for 2009-10.
