Wrong Conversion

If this happened to St. Joseph School in Santa Ana, CA - where my kids go - I'd find a way to do homeschooling.

Over the summer Holy Name, along with six other financially troubled Catholic schools here, had converted into a charter school, packing up crucifixes, redesigning uniforms and expunging religion from its curriculum. But virtually the entire staff and much of the student body stayed the same through the transition, and they had come to expect lessons in faith and values alongside algebra and literature.

Where mornings at Holy Name began with the Lord’s Prayer, Trinidad students start each day with a recitation of the school honor code: “I will arrive at school each day on time and ready to work. I will treat all with respect and dignity. I will solve any conflicts that arise peacefully. I will care for and protect our environment.”

Many here are grappling with a question of mission: Is it possible to impart centuries-old values of Catholic education without crossing the line between church and state?

The answer is no. The value found in Catholic - that's "Catholic" with a big "C" - education was not only academic but integral to that is the formation of the soul. The two together make for a Catholic education.