Del. Catholic School To Shut Down After Foundation's Demise
WILMINGTON, Del. (CBS) -- Last week's settlement of a sexual abuse lawsuit by the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington means that one of their elementary schools will be shutting down in June.
St. Paul's School was in trouble even before the settlement, due to declining enrollment and its location in a poorer neighborhood.
But when the Catholic Diocese Foundation was liquidated to help pay for the $77-million accord, Father Todd Carpenter knew it was over for the 125-year-old school because the school depends on subsidies from that foundation.
He says the foundation's subsidy to the school was $400,000 this year alone.
"When we have that money no longer available to us, it's very difficult for us to continue, because that represents almost fifty percent of our school budget," Carpenter told KYW Newsradio on Tuesday.
Now, he's recommending that parents of the 128 students send them to Our Lady of Fatima in New Castle for the next school year.
The diocese says it will try to find jobs for the 20 teachers and staffers who work at St. Paul's.
Reported by David Madden, KYW Newsradio 1060.
