The Archdiocese of Philadelphia would like you to believe that only one high school was hit with a death knell in Delaware County as part of Friday’s cataclysmic announcement of school closings.
That’s because they consider Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast one school.
Good luck with that argument, Archbishop Chaput.
As you can imagine, the announcement that four high schools and 44 elementary schools were being shuttered caused a firestorm of reaction, both here in Delaware County and across the region.
Bonner and Prendie shared a common administrative staff the last couple of years. But ask any proud alum and they will tell you that they are very much separate schools.
Bonner was for guys; Prendie was for girls.
I have been fielding phone calls and emails from irate students, parents and alumni since shortly after the announcement was made public Friday morning.
Most everyone connected to the two schools had resigned themselves to the fact that the single-sex tradition was very likely going to go by the boards, that the two schools would instead be merged into a coed facility.
No one was prepared for the news that both schools would be shuttered.
They’re still not.
The students, parents, and alumni clearly are not going down without a fight.
An online petition has already been posted to gather signatures to present the archbishop in an attempt to fight the decision.
You can click here to sign it.
I wish them luck. They’re going to need it. While the commission’s findings were “recommendations,” Archbishop Chaput clearly indicated he was accepting them.
There is an appeals process. I wouldn’t put a lot of stock in it.
We will be devoting our ‘Live From the Newsroom’ show to the effort to save the two schools on Wednesday night.
If you have a question you’d like us to address, or if you are aware of another push to save local schools, feel free to email me at editor@delcotimes.com.
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