[StBernard] Don't Leave Faith Based Schools Behind!

[Westley Annis]

Send a message to Governor Blanco and the Louisiana Recovery Authority:
Don't Leave Faith Based Schools Behind!

Over the next few weeks, the Louisiana Recovery Authority will meet
regarding the long-overdue disbursement of billions of dollars in aid
designed to put communities throughout Louisiana back on their feet after
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 

The LRA has designated $200 million for school reconstruction.  Congress
says that these funds can go to ANY schools that meet the goal of rebuilding
our community, but the LRA has not yet allowed Faith-Based and Private
schools to apply for these rebuilding funds.  Some members of the LRA say it
violates the separation of church and state-- despite the fact that the
government helps provide bus service, food, instructional services and even
tuition assistance to students in private and parochial schools. 


This is wrong.  Hurricanes Katrina and Rita did not discriminate and neither
should the LRA.  We should help those who helped us.

Within weeks of Hurricane Katrina, the hard-hit Catholic Archdiocese of New
Orleans re-opened the first school in the City, Cathedral of St. Louis King
of France, and allowed any child to attend their schools free of charge when
no public schools were open for months. Many of these students were the
children of police and firefighters who lost everything but remained in New
Orleans to do their jobs and start the recovery. Our strong system of
faith-based schools remained committed to their educational mission -- even
if it meant holding classes in partially repaired buildings or trailers. 

Catholic schools represent 17% of the total student population of Louisiana;
yet the Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops is only asking for 10% of
the funds dedicated for schools - $20 Million.  This request only covers a
portion of the $84 million in uninsured, unreimbursed losses in the
Archdiocese of New Orleans alone. Other faith-based schools face similar
hurdles, yet they cannot move ahead in rebuilding until they know if they
will have their fair share of the funds allocated to rebuild our
communities.

It's not a question of church and state - it's a question of Louisiana's
leadership making tough decisions and distributing funds as quickly as
possible.  Join us in asking Governor Blanco and the LRA to help the
devastated schools who met the moral obligation to educate our children when
there were no other options after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 

To sign our petition, go to www.ChangeLouisiana.com and ask for real
leadership, not the same old excuses!

John D. Georges
CEO, Imperial Trading Company