Struggling Catholic Schools Considering Charter School Status

In Denver, Colorado, a small Catholic dual-language school that is struggling financially is considering converting to become a public charter school. Yesterday's Denver Post reports that Escuela de Guadalupe is part of a possible national trend, as eight Catholic schools in Washington, D.C. also debate possible conversion to charter status. In order to convert, the school must drop all of its religious instruction. However Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said: "Frequently the 'recreated' schools look suspiciously like the pre-recreated schools.... They say they're re-created but in fact it's the same school with the same curriculum and teachers." In an ABC News story last week, the Interim Principal of one of the D.C. Catholic schools that is moving to convert to charter status is quoted: "We can still teach the kids and love the kids in a Christ-like way without having to talk about Christ."