My youngest son failed every class in the seventh grade. I drive the school bus for the public school he attended, and I knew he was failing. My older son dropped out of high school, and no one cared or even tried to help get him back.

Rome Catholic gave my son more than I could have hoped for. He became my happy boy again; his confidence returned after being lost at the public school. He was declassified as learning disabled and graduated with honors.

Four generations of my family went to Westmoreland Central in Central NY, and each generation was given no reason to go on in their education. My grandmother was told by the UM pastor and the Superintendent of the school to let my father quit as he would not amount to anything, he quit, but in his adult years he became a town judge and town supervisor. The school told my parents my brother was mentally disabled, he was not; he became the town highway superintendent. I was told if I went to college to become an elementary teacher by the time I graduated, there would be no jobs for me, and my grades were not too good. I am now a UM pastor. That cycle hasn’t ended – it’s continued to my brother’s children and my children and my grandchildren. Yes, all families should be able to choose the right school for them. My husband and I struggled to pay for tuition, but we were willing to make that sacrifice.