Alumni fighting Towson Catholic closure
Towson Catholic High School alumni are vowing to fight the abrupt closing of their alma mater with rallies, an awareness campaign and even a possible lawsuit, Baltimore Sun colleague Mary Gail Hare reports in Friday's newspaper.
Organizers are planning a peaceful demonstration at 8:30 a.m. Sunday at Immaculate Conception Church. Alumni, parents and students are also being urged to gather at the school at 7 p.m. Tuesday for the third demonstration since the closing was announced this week.
"At first, we called it a vigil to say goodbye and show our lasting love for the school, but it has become a rally to show support," said Mike Boehm, a 1997 graduate. "We are not letting this school close without trying to do something."
Wendy Gelhaus, Class of 2007, has started a "Revive TC" blog campaign that seeks signatures for a petition to stop the closing of the school and is also meeting with area businesses to ask for their support. She and her grandmother, Joan Slater, who recently celebrated her 50th TC reunion, plan to attend the vigil Tuesday.
Gelhaus said she has found an attorney willing to file an injunction blocking the closing.
"It is an uphill battle, but he sees the passion we have," she said.
Comments
We must fight for our school. The kids are suffering and we must do everything possible to save this school
Posted by: luke | July 10, 2009 8:12 AM
Archbishop O'Brien and Monsignor Tinder should be ashamed of themselves. This is just another example of the Catholic Church sweeping problems under the rug. How any school could become $650,000 in debt without raising red flags all over is beyond my comprehension. While I did not go to "TC", I would be happy to join their fight. To leave students, parents and faculty out in the cold with only 7 weeks to go before the start of school is totally irresponsible!
Posted by: Janice | July 10, 2009 1:55 PM
This is a sad situation. How can this happen or be allowed to happen? I did not go to TC, but live in the area. As an Archbishop Curley graduate, I know how important Catholic schools are, what they stand for and the educational experience they provide. It would be really nice if the other Catholic schools in the area could help out in some way. What about the Archdiocese? Where are they?
Posted by: Barry | July 10, 2009 4:17 PM
I could be completely wrong but you know what would be interesting to find out? If (and if) Monsignor Tinder, months (or years) prior to making such a last minute "tough" decision contacted any consultants, engineers, developers, etc... over the potential u$e, of the now, no longer needed for the school real estate? If (and it is an if) he did, would that not show a premeditated intent?
Just curious.
Anybody got any insight?
Posted by: Just Curious | July 12, 2009 12:45 PM
Towson Catholic has always been a mess. The school recruited a large population from the city to support the basketball program and did not pay tuition. While providing a better path for the less fortunate is admirable, doing it for a basketball program is another story. As a parishoner of Immaculate Conception, I always felt that Msgr. Tinder spent an inordinate amout of his time and the parish's resources supporting TC and it's Basketball team. What added to the problem was the lack of commitment of the recruited students to the Chuch and community while they were hear and after they left.
Where is the love Gene Shue, Carmelo Anthony and Donte Greene
parasites!!!!
Posted by: In the know | July 14, 2009 11:31 AM
As the parent of one recently graduated catholic high school student and one still in a catholic high school, I have to work very hard to pay all of the tuition. I don't receive any hand-outs. It has also been my complete understanding , that if I couldn't make the tuition payments, then my daughters would not be able to attend a catholic or private school. It stands to reason, that if a school is not receiving tuition from the enrolled students, then bills and payroll cannot be made. How then do you expect the school to remain open? I find it amazing that Towson Catholic remained open as long as it did if students weren't paying their tuiton. That is not the real world. Also, it has been my understanding, that Catholic high schools do not give Athletic scholarships. So, unless the basketball players were academically gifted or qualified for financial aid, then how were they enticed into TC with any type of tuition assistance?
I personnally have a big problem with the fact that one of these TC students could be attending the same Catholic school as my daughter , and getting a discount , while I am expected to pay the full amount!!!!
Posted by: Kathy | July 15, 2009 5:49 AM