[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 14, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S1435]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 24--HONORING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS.

  Mr. SANTORUM (for himself, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Domenici, Mr. 
Voinovich, and Mr. Cochran) submitted the following resolution; which 
was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions, as follows:

                               S. Res. 24

       Whereas America's Catholic schools are internationally 
     acclaimed for their academic excellence, but provide students 
     more than a superior scholastic education;
       Whereas Catholic schools ensure a broad, values-added 
     education emphasizing the lifelong development of moral, 
     intellectual, physical, and social values in America's young 
     people;
       Whereas the total Catholic school student enrollment for 
     the 1999-2000 academic year was 2,653,038, the total number 
     of Catholic schools is 8,144, and the student-teacher ratio 
     is 17 to 1;
       Whereas Catholic schools provide more than $17,200,000,000 
     a year in savings to the Nation based on the average public 
     school per pupil cost;
       Whereas Catholic schools teach a diverse group of students 
     and over 24 percent of school children enrolled in Catholic 
     schools are minorities;
       Whereas the graduation rate of Catholic school students is 
     95 percent, only 3 percent of Catholic high school students 
     drop out of school, and 83 percent of Catholic high school 
     graduates go on to college;
       Whereas Catholic schools produce students strongly 
     dedicated to their faith, values, families, and communities 
     by providing an intellectually stimulating environment rich 
     in spiritual, character, and moral development; and
       Whereas in the 1972 pastoral message concerning Catholic 
     education, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops 
     stated, ``Education is one of the most important ways by 
     which the Church fulfills its commitment to the dignity of 
     the person and building of community. Community is central to 
     education ministry, both as a necessary condition and an 
     ardently desired goal. The educational efforts of the Church, 
     therefore, must be directed to forming persons-in-community; 
     for the education of the individual Christian is important 
     not only to his solitary destiny, but also the destinies of 
     the many communities in which he lives.'': Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the goals of Catholic Schools Week, an event 
     sponsored by the National Catholic Educational Association 
     and the United States Catholic Conference and established to 
     recognize the vital contributions of America's thousands of 
     Catholic elementary and secondary schools; and
       (2) congratulates Catholic schools, students, parents, and 
     teachers across the Nation for their ongoing contributions to 
     education, and for the key role they play in promoting and 
     ensuring a brighter, stronger future for this Nation.

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