Illinois, Maryland, New York debate state funds for Catholic schools

Published: 2008-01-24

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- While officials in Illinois hailed a victory that will allow Catholic schools there to use state funds for health and safety improvements, others in Maryland and New York decried decisions of their governors that would reduce the assistance available to Catholic schools and their students. The Illinois measure, included in the budget implementation bill signed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich in early January, allows nonpublic schools to spend their share of the $75 million Educational Improvement and School Safety Block Grant on mandated teacher background checks, fire safety, automatic defibrillators and other items designed to protect the well-being of students. "This victory is huge," said Zachary Wichmann, associate director for education at the Catholic Conference of Illinois. Meanwhile in Maryland, Catholic school leaders criticized Gov. Martin J. O'Malley's decision to cut $400,000 from a state program providing nonreligious textbooks and technology to nonpublic school students. In New York, an official of the state Catholic conference expressed disappointment that Gov. Eliot Spitzer failed to follow through on a public pledge last October to include a tax deduction for tuition expenses at independent and religious schools in his budget proposal released Jan. 22.

Copyright (c) 2008 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .