I would like to take some time to really reflect on the news today regarding the foundation that is apparently to take over management of Catholic high schools and special education schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, per The Philadelphia Inquirer via Philly.com. (http://www.philly.com/philly/education/20120822_Philly_Catholic_high_schools_to_be_managed_by_a_private_foundation.html?nlid=4846955), but I only have a moment to capture my impressions of the proposal as it is described in the piece. I would like to note, notwithstanding my obvious frustration with my inability to get simple factual details straight too often for my liking (see my most immediately recent post in this blog), that I feel compelled to write because my immediate reaction is that while the move would serve to shift future liability, perhaps, for abuses by clergy and staff against students, no details have yet emerged in the press to my knowledge about what, if anything, a foundation would concretely do to solve the seemingly unsolvable problem regarding the vulnerability of children and the precarious whole and entire trust for their souls and their well-being that is placed in the hands of educators and clergy.

If anyone has any information in this regard, I open this post's commentary section for them to disseminate it here, and I hope bells and whistles won't substitute for safety and nurturing when we look to the future of our youth. If not here in this comments section, well, then let's just for Heaven's sake be honest about the problems and as direct as possible in communicating possible strategies now and going forward. It *was* refreshing to hear a tone of optimism reflected in the Inquirer's coverage, but I feel that optimism must be more than a house of mirrors or an attempt to appease anger and fear with what could possibly be academic and cultural "goodies." Music, such as the programs potentially strengthened or offered at post-diocesan "foundation" schools, can be a powerful language in which to teach, but its strength is not always and universally a wholesome one despite the aspirations of humanity to make it so. Here's hoping the archdiocese, which is much older than any individual person and has the potential to be that much wiser than any person, remembers to make the emphasis always on the good as well as the incredibly important enrichment programs -- those potentially very nourishing goodies.