Diocese of Scranton eliminates 55 teaching positions
Published: June 12, 2009
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share thisAfter 36 years of teaching high school students social studies, first at Bishop Hoban and then at Holy Redeemer, Jim Maloney received the notice in the mail.
The Diocese of Scranton doesn't need him anymore.
"The most disappointing part was our administration did not have the courage to call us and tell us to our faces that we are being dismissed," he said.
Mr. Maloney's job is one of 55 teaching positions eliminated across the Holy Redeemer and Holy Cross regional school systems, which include schools in Luzerne, Lackawanna, Wayne and Bradford counties. In addition, salaries will be frozen for all employees, but school employees' health insurance premiums will not increase.
Letters informing teachers of their status were mailed Monday, but the official announcement was not made until Thursday in The Catholic Light, the diocesan newspaper.
Elementaries hit hard
Most of the eliminations, 36, come from the closing of SS. Peter and Paul Elementary School in Plains Twp., St. Aloysius Elementary School in Wilkes-Barre and St. Vincent Elementary School in Honesdale. The other 19 eliminated positions are due to continued declining enrollment across the two systems.
Projections for the 2009-10 school year show Holy Redeemer system enrollment down 357 students, from 3,496 to 3,139. The Holy Cross system enrollment is projected to decrease by 296 students, from 3,198 to 2,902.
"The Diocese hopes to see its school systems grow and continue to operate into the future. At the same time, we must continue to monitor the viability of all of our schools. Hopefully, parents will recognize the value of a Catholic education and enrollment will stabilize," spokesman Bill Genello said via e-mail.
Callbacks possible
If enrollment increases by the beginning of the school year, it is possible the laid-off teachers could be hired to handle the additional students, according to the diocese.
Teachers will be eligible to fill open positions at other schools with the diocese, based on seniority and other criteria outlined by the diocese. They will continue to receive salaries until Aug. 21 and health benefits until the end of August.
Michael Milz, president of the Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers, which is fighting for recognition from Bishop Joseph Martino, said he is upset that because the union is not recognized, the teachers have no protection and are at-will employees who can be let go at any time.
"The fair system, and the way any other system works, is last hired is first to be asked to leave in a layoff," Mr. Milz said. "This will destroy the system. It destroys morale. It rewards no one for dedication.
"They used them up and threw them away when they didn't need them anymore."
Contact the writer: emoody@citizensvoice.com
105 posted comments
You write, "The bishop hopes some day to re-open Pius." Have any cost analyses been computed as to how much such an endeavor might cost?
bishop martino did not deign to humble himself and celebrate the funeral mass for Father Valentine Plevyak, 92 years of age and a priest in the Scranton Diocese for nearly 65 years. The auxillary bishop was the main celebrant.
Now compare that with the attendees at the funeral service for slain PA State trooper Josh Miller. Among the mourners were PA Governor, Ed Rendell AND U.S. Senator Bob Casey.
A side by side comparison of these two events speaks volumes as to the dysfunctional nature of martino as a person. If these two busy leaders can take time out from their busy schedules what is God's name can be martino's reason for not celebrating Fr. Plevyak's mass?
martino should either get intensive sensitivity training or find a new profession, say as Mafia vescovo to local mob figures.
People, by thier choices do make the rules of economics. And, right again you are, the church is not exempt from thoes rules. Since the flock no longer values the leadership of the Diocese, all that the Church offers is no longer in demand. First the seminary closed, now the schools, and soon there will be but a few chruches left. No need to spend time or money on vocations, there are fewer faithful who need ministers. So, all is well and maybe darwin was right afterall. The strong survive. All that is not essential fades away. Maybe evolution is just God's way of pruning the world.
A. there is the fact that less than 1.5% of priests had ever been accused of abuse.
B. the term "pedophile priests" widely used in the media, implies a distinctly higher rate of child molesters within the Catholic priesthood when in reality the incidence is lower than most other segments of society".Sources cited http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Catholicism#cite_note-63. Souce cited in article;Philip Jenkins, Pedophiles and Priests: Anatomy of a Contemporary Crisis (Oxford University Press, 2001
also http://www.davidmacd.com/catholic/priest_sexual_abuse_cases.htm
Rumors have you as the new Secretary to the Bishop?