| Both of my children benefited from Catholic education | | | | school may come as a surprise to some people. |
| through the 8th grade before moving on to the public | | | | While it does not hurt to come from a good gene pool, |
| school system in our community. Neither of them liked | | | | I attribute their success thus far in life to their first 9 |
| nor enjoyed their high school experience, and both of | | | | years (K-8) of Catholic education at Holy Family |
| them graduated as very average students. | | | | School in Lacey, WA. My wife taught at Holy Family |
| Neither of them earned a college degree. My daughter | | | | when our children were there, and I was a member of |
| earned some community college credits and received | | | | its Board of Directors and chairperson of its Board for |
| very good grades. My son took a 2-year technical | | | | 9 years. |
| curriculum and graduated with a diploma in automotive | | | | What my children received from their public school |
| maintenance, but would not take the few academic | | | | education was an academic education. What they |
| courses to earn an associate degree. | | | | received from their Catholic school education was an |
| I never really fussed with them about getting a college | | | | academic education, a religious education and a moral |
| degree or getting good grades during their formal | | | | education. |
| education, even though their aunts and uncles included | | | | They do not depend upon our government at any level |
| 2 college professors, 1 nationally-known physician, a | | | | to support them or make them successful. They |
| computer programming expert, and a national | | | | understand and appreciate the fact that any success |
| marketing manager for a major corporation. | | | | they may have in life will be because they take |
| I myself am a former newspaper editor, publisher and | | | | personal responsibility for their thinking, their attitude, |
| media property owner, and my wife is a | | | | their effort and their actions and are thus accountable |
| schoolteacher. It was never in my heart to ride my | | | | for any success they enjoy. |
| children like Seabiscuit for better grades and college | | | | In our family we may favor one candidate over |
| degrees. As it has turned out, it apparently did not | | | | another to be our next president of the United States, |
| matter in the greater scheme of things. | | | | but we know that whoever becomes president has |
| My son just turned 30 and is a very successful | | | | absolutely no effect on our becoming and remaining |
| businessman making a ton of money. My daughter is | | | | successful in life. |
| 32 and a banker (loan sales rep) with a major bank. | | | | We categorically refuse to be dependent upon our |
| The fact that both of them have become successful, | | | | government, politicians or bureaucrats for our success; |
| well-adjusted adults and parents without having a | | | | this could well explain why we are successful. |
| college degree or getting good grades going through | | | | (Editor's Note: This is Part 1 of a 4-Part Article. |