|
 |
 Lynn and Raymond Parker have one daughter, Lindsay. She attends St. Rocco’s Catholic Elementary School through the Cleveland Scholarship and Tutoring Program. The family enrolled Lindsay in the program during its first year of operation, which was also the year Lindsay began school. They need the scholarship because Raymond is retired and the family lives on a fixed income.
Lynn shares her family’s experience with the Cleveland voucher program.
"The voucher gives you the right to get a good education for your child. It allows me to send my child to the school that I want and not because the school board says you will go here. I should be able to send her to a place where she is getting a better education."
"And, I’ve never heard anything from the public school. They’ve never made an effort to enroll my child."
"Lindsay wants to be a teacher some day. I can see it happening. She’s pulled straight As in everything. She’s done very well."
"I have friends with kids in public school and they are a grade older but their school work doesn’t show it. They are actually behind what my daughter is doing."
"The teachers are into teaching your child. We really like the discipline at St. Rocco’s. We like the dress code. It’s very important because it helps them get ready for when you are going out into the work force. You can’t wear ripped blue jeans, unless you want to flip burgers all your life."
"The speech and vocabulary of public school kids doesn’t impress me. They have a lack of respect for other students and adults. At the Catholic school, the children have respect for the nuns, priests, teachers and parents. You don’t have foul language."
"St. Rocco’s has a good variety of students. Lindsay is being exposed to all cultures. We’ve never been made to feel different because we are a bi-racial family."
"We do not want to pull her out of St. Rocco’s school. We are very comfortable that she is in a very safe school. I don’t have any fear of her being there."
"I would worry about her being in a public school in our area. I want Lindsay to be able to go to her class and not worry about someone walking in with a gun."
"I want her to be comfortable so she can learn and do her school work."
"We shouldn’t be blamed for wanting our children to get a good education."
|
