Vote should solve it

The following letter to the editior of the Scranton Times Tribune appeared on February 16, 2009:

Vote should solve it

Editor:

A recent article in The Times-Tribune regarding attempts by the Scranton Diocese to defeat HB 26 by compiling lists of parents opposed to the bill and “asking” them to contact their legislators is intriguing to say the least. Apparently the diocese does not believe the rhetoric posted on its own Web site.

According to the diocese, the SDACT only “represented a minority of teachers in the Diocese of Scranton Catholic Schools,” and gives the impression that the employee relations program is running smoothly. If that is accurate, the surest way to defeat HB 26 would be to render it unnecessary. Allowing the teachers to vote on whether they should be represented by the SDACT would do just that. If what the diocese claims is true, it would seem logical that the vote would not be in the union’s favor.

As far as the passage of HB 26 heralding the demise of Catholic education in our area, perhaps Bishop Martino and the diocesan school board should consider that if Jesus and his followers had said that “government interference” would mean the end of the church 2,000 years ago, we wouldn’t even be having this discussion today.

DR. ROBERT E. GAN
HONESDALE