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
If you have to ask the question "Why aren't more parent's enrolling their children?," after all that has been discussed here over the last year I respectfully say that you are more out of touch then the Bishop. Would you want you family members sent to an institution run by a possibly mentally disturbed, deceitful, uncaring liar? Parents sacrifice to send their kids to these schools only to have their kids uprooted and traumatized halfway through by it's closing and loss of their friends. I think the school Martino axed in April in Honesdale that still had the banner flying above it's front doors telling parents to enroll their kids in September on the day it was closed should answer your question about enrolling in a catholic school. You can't trust anything that is said in this Diocese. I would not trust Martino to walk my dog let alone with a child's well-being. I don't know what school of economics you adhere to, but the 5 parishes that are closing in my area had no debts, no loans, paid all bills, have the same amount of parishiners for thirty years and the buildings were in decent shape and the same priest is going to be living in the same rectory a mile from these churches yet they have been ordered closed by your dear leader. I know that you were ordained by this clown and that makes you apart of the circus, but don't let your collar blind you to the reality that Martino is rotten to the core. You may love being in Martino's circus, but the bigtop tents are leaking, the animals are being abused, the cotton candy is stale and the bleachers are empty because the kids and parents are growing older, wiser and just aren't interested in the same show run by the same money grabbing hustlers year after year.
Anyone reading the responses to Diocesan-related stories on this site quickly realizes that very many no longer hold on to a strong Catholic faith. If the faith is no longer deemed important, why waste money sending our kids where they will be taught the faith? In generations past, parents thought that bringing up their kids in a strong Catholic environment was one of their most important parental responsibilities.
That being said, the Bishop, in my opinion, is a coward for not laying off these people in person.
With all due respect, while the harsh economic coditions you mention
remain a reality, so too does the issue of social justice.
Why is there no union representation?
At times, the Church appears to teach one thing and live another-
from my perspective, that's hypocrisy.
I am a product of excellent Catholic schools-some extended family members continue-and will continue-to attend. How to explain the current situation to a young,inquisitive mind is problematic.
Who do I emulate? Do I point out the apparent conflict-in my mind,
hypocrisy? Or should I just lie-about the The Sermon on the Mount, perhaps? After all, don't we all want to be treated fairly?
Role models do matter.
I believe that you once stated that teaching "was a vocation" in your arguement against a teacher's union. Shouldn't the diocese support such vocations like they support seminarians? Why not sell St. Joe's Retirement Home for Priests in Dunmore and let medicare take up the bill? Why not sell St. Pius to a Protestant sect in order to support the vocations of teachers in the diocese? But I guess some vocations are more important than others.....