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Op-ed: A Novel Solution To An Old Problem

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By Tom Birmingham  | The Boston Pilot  |  December 15, 2017

We are all shaped by our own experiences. When it comes to education, I spent nine years in Chelsea public schools, followed by high school at Austin Prep, an Augustinian Catholic school north of Boston. St. Augustine’s dictum from his Confessions, “Tolle, lege,” “Take up and read,” became Austin’s school motto.

I believe that I benefitted from Catholic education and wish more young people could do the same, but economic trends and constitutional amendments in 38 states that prohibit public money from going to religious schools are among the factors that have staggered many Catholic schools.

Cristo Rey high schools are returning Catholic education to urban areas. Under the network’s unique model, students receive a college-preparatory education and participate in a work-study program that allows them to learn employable skills and earn money to help pay for tuition. Read more in The Pilot…

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I am among the countless individuals whose lives have been shaped by Catholic education; in my case, it was attending high school at Austin Prep. Despite a stellar record, Catholic schools are facing a grim financial picture. But a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision gives new hope to the schools and to the many Massachusetts families with children who would benefit from attending them.

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