Timothy Roemer: “first of all, as a Catholic, as a product of Catholic schools, including the University of Notre Dame in my district…”

“first of all, as a Catholic, as a product of Catholic schools, including the University of Notre Dame in my district, someone educated by some of the Diocesan, some of the Holy Cross and Jesuits orders, I am very proud as an original cosponsor to rise in support of this resolution. The success of the Catholic schools across the country and particularly in my home district makes me very proud. That is why I am a proud original cosponsor of this legislation. The Catholic schools, Mr. Speaker, are traditionally very strong academically, with very good curricula. They have a very good parental involvement and they have few disciplinary problems. Catholic schools, Mr. Speaker, can often teach students not only the importance of academic achievements, but also provide them with the important perspective of life that promotes social justice and responsibility and social service and love and respect of one's neighbor. Catholic schools also have considerable ethnic and racial diversity. We have also seen, Mr. Speaker, and I think it is very important to point this out, that there is about a 95 percent graduation rate from our Catholic schools, and about 83 percent of those students go on to college.”