{"id":18577,"date":"2017-03-03T23:26:00","date_gmt":"2017-03-03T23:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/trump-pushes-education-choices-in-visit-to-florida-catholic-school-51931\/"},"modified":"2017-03-03T23:26:00","modified_gmt":"2017-03-03T23:26:00","slug":"trump-pushes-education-choices-in-visit-to-florida-catholic-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/03\/trump-pushes-education-choices-in-visit-to-florida-catholic-school\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump pushes education choices in visit to Florida Catholic school"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

<\/p>\n

Orlando, Fla., Mar 3, 2017 \/ 04:26 pm (CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- President Donald Trump visited a Florida Catholic school on Friday, praising the Catholic education system and touting his support for school choice programs.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou understand how much your students benefit from full education, one that enriches both the mind and the soul. That\u2019s a good combination,\u201d the president told Bishop John Noonan of Orlando at St. Andrew Catholic School March 3.<\/p>\n

He toured the pre-K-8th grade school, located in Orlando\u2019s Pine Hills neighborhood, and spoke with students, who presented him with two cards. He visited a fourth grade class, the Associated Press reports.<\/p>\n

President Trump responded to a girl who told him she wanted to own her own business, saying she\u2019s \u201cgonna make a lot of money. But don't run for politics.\u201d<\/p>\n

His tour was followed by public comments attended by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Florida Gov. Rick Scott, various Catholic school officials and Bishop Noonan.<\/p>\n

There, President Trump reflected on the contributions of Catholic education.<\/p>\n

\u201cSt. Andrew\u2019s Catholic school represents one of the many parochial schools dedicated to the education of some of our nation\u2019s most disadvantaged children, but they\u2019re becoming just the opposite very rapidly through education and with the help of the school choice programs,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He praised the school principal, Latrina Peters-Gipson, for her work, saying, \u201cThe love of what you do is really fantastic.\u201d<\/p>\n

The visit marked the president\u2019s first official trip to a school since he took office. According to the Washington Post, about 300 of the school\u2019s 350 students are beneficiaries of a Florida tax credit program that funds scholarships for families with limited resources.<\/p>\n

Henry Fortier, superintendent of schools in the Diocese of Orlando, said the visit was an \u201cexciting opportunity to share the good news and the work that we do.\u201d He said school choice has also been an important part of his career in previous administrative roles in the archdioceses of New York and Baltimore.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know that there\u2019s a lot of controversy about school choice for parents and lots of people have different opinions, but I see it as a partnership,\u201d Fortier said. \u201cIt\u2019s not a situation of us versus them, it\u2019s a situation of us providing opportunities to our parents so that they have the right to choose an education that is appropriate for their children.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt shouldn\u2019t be for just the wealthy that can afford it,\u201d he said, lamenting that many working class families do not have the opportunity to choose the education for their children.<\/p>\n

Fortier said the diocese\u2019s schools work closely with their public school counterparts.<\/p>\n

He said 25 percent of students in the Diocese of Orlando are in the state of Florida\u2019s Step Up tax credit scholarship program. Of those 25 percent, 727 graduated in 2016, a graduation rate of 100 percent with a 99 percent placement in college or the military.<\/p>\n

The superintendent touted the schools\u2019 higher-than-average school scores on college entrance exams and student tests.<\/p>\n

President Trump, repeating a campaign phrase, said education is \u201cthe civil rights issue of our time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s why I\u2019ve asked Congress to support a school choice bill. We\u2019ve come a long way, I think. We\u2019re ahead of schedule in so many ways when it comes to education.\u201d<\/p>\n

He predicted schools like St. Andrew would have \u201ca fantastic relationship\u201d with the Secretary of Education that would create \u201ca lot of good things for your school and for the entire system.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bishop Noonan prayed for the president, his family, and everyone present.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe pray for this day in dialogue that we may share the good news, and the future of our students,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

President Trump thanked the bishop for his \u201cuplifting prayer\u201d and praised the bishop\u2019s support for schools like St. Andrews.<\/p>\n

The president\u2019s visit drew criticism from some public school advocates like Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, who characterized the president\u2019s visit as a continuation of an \u201cideological crusade.\u201d<\/p>\n

Weingarten said that many voucher programs do not improve students\u2019 academic outcomes and are not transparent in their spending and teaching policies.<\/p>\n

Maureen Ferguson, senior policy advisor at The Catholic Association, said the president\u2019s visit was appropriate given Catholic schools\u2019 \u201crecord of success.\u201d She said Catholic high school students are twice as likely as public school students to graduate college and their high school education is half the cost as public schools.<\/p>\n

According to Ferguson, Catholic high schools in inner cities have a 99 percent graduation rate.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/p>\n

Orlando, Fla., Mar 3, 2017 \/ 04:26 pm (CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- President Donald Trump visited a Florida Catholic school on Friday, praising the Catholic education system and touting his support for school choice programs.<\/p>\n

“You understand how much your students benefit from full education, one that enriches both the mind and the soul. That’s a good combination,” the president told Bishop John Noonan of Orlando at St. Andrew Catholic School March 3.<\/p>\n

He toured the pre-K-8th grade school, located in Orlando’s Pine Hills neighborhood, and spoke with students, who presented him with two cards. He visited a fourth grade class, the Associated Press reports.<\/p>\n

President Trump responded to a girl who told him she wanted to own her own business, saying she’s “gonna make a lot of money. But don’t run for politics.”<\/p>\n

His tour was followed by public comments attended by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Florida Gov. Rick Scott, various Catholic school officials and Bishop Noonan.<\/p>\n

There, President Trump reflected on the contributions of Catholic education.<\/p>\n

“St. Andrew’s Catholic school represents one of the many parochial schools dedicated to the education of some of our nation’s most disadvantaged children, but they’re becoming just the opposite very rapidly through education and with the help of the school choice programs,” he said.<\/p>\n

He praised the school principal, Latrina Peters-Gipson, for her work, saying, “The love of what you do is really fantastic.”<\/p>\n

The visit marked the president’s first official trip to a school since he took office. According to the Washington Post, about 300 of the school’s 350 students are beneficiaries of a Florida tax credit program that funds scholarships for families with limited resources.<\/p>\n

Henry Fortier, superintendent of schools in the Diocese of Orlando, said the visit was an “exciting opportunity to share the good news and the work that we do.” He said school choice has also been an important part of his career in previous administrative roles in the archdioceses of New York and Baltimore.<\/p>\n

“I know that there’s a lot of controversy about school choice for parents and lots of people have different opinions, but I see it as a partnership,” Fortier said. “It’s not a situation of us versus them, it’s a situation of us providing opportunities to our parents so that they have the right to choose an education that is appropriate for their children.”<\/p>\n

“It shouldn’t be for just the wealthy that can afford it,” he said, lamenting that many working class families do not have the opportunity to choose the education for their children.<\/p>\n

Fortier said the diocese’s schools work closely with their public school counterparts.<\/p>\n

He said 25 percent of students in the Diocese of Orlando are in the state of Florida’s Step Up tax credit scholarship program. Of those 25 percent, 727 graduated in 2016, a graduation rate of 100 percent with a 99 percent placement in college or the military.<\/p>\n

The superintendent touted the schools’ higher-than-average school scores on college entrance exams and student tests.<\/p>\n

President Trump, repeating a campaign phrase, said education is “the civil rights issue of our time.”<\/p>\n

“It’s why I’ve asked Congress to support a school choice bill. We’ve come a long way, I think. We’re ahead of schedule in so many ways when it comes to education.”<\/p>\n

He predicted schools like St. Andrew would have “a fantastic relationship” with the Secretary of Education that would create “a lot of good things for your school and for the entire system.”<\/p>\n

Bishop Noonan prayed for the president, his family, and everyone present.<\/p>\n

“We pray for this day in dialogue that we may share the good news, and the future of our students,” he said.<\/p>\n

President Trump thanked the bishop for his “uplifting prayer” and praised the bishop’s support for schools like St. Andrews.<\/p>\n

The president’s visit drew criticism from some public school advocates like Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, who characterized the president’s visit as a continuation of an “ideological crusade.”<\/p>\n

Weingarten said that many voucher programs do not improve students’ academic outcomes and are not transparent in their spending and teaching policies.<\/p>\n

Maureen Ferguson, senior policy advisor at The Catholic Association, said the president’s visit was appropriate given Catholic schools’ “record of success.” She said Catholic high school students are twice as likely as public school students to graduate college and their high school education is half the cost as public schools.<\/p>\n

According to Ferguson, Catholic high schools in inner cities have a 99 percent graduation rate.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1031,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18577","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-us"],"yoast_head":"\nTrump pushes education choices in visit to Florida Catholic school<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Orlando, Fla., Mar 3, 2017 \/ 04:26 pm (CNA\/EWTN News).- President Donald Trump visited a Florida Catholic school on Friday, praising the Catholic education system and touting his support for school choice programs. “You understand how much your students benefit from full education, one that enriches both the mind and the soul. That’s a good combination,” the president told Bishop John Noonan of Orlando at St. Andrew Catholic School March 3. He toured the pre-K-8th grade school, located in Orlando’s Pine Hills neighborhood, and spoke with students, who presented him with two cards. He visited a fourth grade class, the Associated Press reports. President Trump responded to a girl who told him she wanted to own her own business, saying she’s “gonna make a lot of money. But don't run for politics.” His tour was followed by public comments attended by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Florida Gov. Rick Scott, various Catholic school officials and Bishop Noonan. There, President Trump reflected on the contributions of Catholic education. “St. Andrew’s Catholic school represents one of the many parochial schools dedicated to the education of some of our nation’s most disadvantaged children, but they’re becoming just the opposite very rapidly through education and with the help of the school choice programs,” he said. He praised the school principal, Latrina Peters-Gipson, for her work, saying, “The love of what you do is really fantastic.” The visit marked the president’s first official trip to a school since he took office. According to the Washington Post, about 300 of the school’s 350 students are beneficiaries of a Florida tax credit program that funds scholarships for families with limited resources. Henry Fortier, superintendent of schools in the Diocese of Orlando, said the visit was an “exciting opportunity to share the good news and the work that we do.” He said school choice has also been an important part of his career in previous administrative roles in the archdioceses of New York and Baltimore. “I know that there’s a lot of controversy about school choice for parents and lots of people have different opinions, but I see it as a partnership,” Fortier said. “It’s not a situation of us versus them, it’s a situation of us providing opportunities to our parents so that they have the right to choose an education that is appropriate for their children.” “It shouldn’t be for just the wealthy that can afford it,” he said, lamenting that many working class families do not have the opportunity to choose the education for their children. Fortier said the diocese’s schools work closely with their public school counterparts. He said 25 percent of students in the Diocese of Orlando are in the state of Florida’s Step Up tax credit scholarship program. Of those 25 percent, 727 graduated in 2016, a graduation rate of 100 percent with a 99 percent placement in college or the military. The superintendent touted the schools’ higher-than-average school scores on college entrance exams and student tests. President Trump, repeating a campaign phrase, said education is “the civil rights issue of our time.” “It’s why I’ve asked Congress to support a school choice bill. We’ve come a long way, I think. We’re ahead of schedule in so many ways when it comes to education.” He predicted schools like St. Andrew would have “a fantastic relationship” with the Secretary of Education that would create “a lot of good things for your school and for the entire system.” Bishop Noonan prayed for the president, his family, and everyone present. “We pray for this day in dialogue that we may share the good news, and the future of our students,” he said. President Trump thanked the bishop for his “uplifting prayer” and praised the bishop’s support for schools like St. Andrews. The president’s visit drew criticism from some public school advocates like Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, who characterized the president’s visit as a continuation of an “ideological crusade.” Weingarten said that many voucher programs do not improve students’ academic outcomes and are not transparent in their spending and teaching policies. Maureen Ferguson, senior policy advisor at The Catholic Association, said the president’s visit was appropriate given Catholic schools’ “record of success.” She said Catholic high school students are twice as likely as public school students to graduate college and their high school education is half the cost as public schools. According to Ferguson, Catholic high schools in inner cities have a 99 percent graduation rate.  \" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/03\/trump-pushes-education-choices-in-visit-to-florida-catholic-school\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Trump pushes education choices in visit to Florida Catholic school\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Orlando, Fla., Mar 3, 2017 \/ 04:26 pm (CNA\/EWTN News).- President Donald Trump visited a Florida Catholic school on Friday, praising the Catholic education system and touting his support for school choice programs. “You understand how much your students benefit from full education, one that enriches both the mind and the soul. That’s a good combination,” the president told Bishop John Noonan of Orlando at St. Andrew Catholic School March 3. He toured the pre-K-8th grade school, located in Orlando’s Pine Hills neighborhood, and spoke with students, who presented him with two cards. He visited a fourth grade class, the Associated Press reports. President Trump responded to a girl who told him she wanted to own her own business, saying she’s “gonna make a lot of money. But don't run for politics.” His tour was followed by public comments attended by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Florida Gov. Rick Scott, various Catholic school officials and Bishop Noonan. There, President Trump reflected on the contributions of Catholic education. “St. Andrew’s Catholic school represents one of the many parochial schools dedicated to the education of some of our nation’s most disadvantaged children, but they’re becoming just the opposite very rapidly through education and with the help of the school choice programs,” he said. He praised the school principal, Latrina Peters-Gipson, for her work, saying, “The love of what you do is really fantastic.” The visit marked the president’s first official trip to a school since he took office. According to the Washington Post, about 300 of the school’s 350 students are beneficiaries of a Florida tax credit program that funds scholarships for families with limited resources. Henry Fortier, superintendent of schools in the Diocese of Orlando, said the visit was an “exciting opportunity to share the good news and the work that we do.” He said school choice has also been an important part of his career in previous administrative roles in the archdioceses of New York and Baltimore. “I know that there’s a lot of controversy about school choice for parents and lots of people have different opinions, but I see it as a partnership,” Fortier said. “It’s not a situation of us versus them, it’s a situation of us providing opportunities to our parents so that they have the right to choose an education that is appropriate for their children.” “It shouldn’t be for just the wealthy that can afford it,” he said, lamenting that many working class families do not have the opportunity to choose the education for their children. Fortier said the diocese’s schools work closely with their public school counterparts. He said 25 percent of students in the Diocese of Orlando are in the state of Florida’s Step Up tax credit scholarship program. Of those 25 percent, 727 graduated in 2016, a graduation rate of 100 percent with a 99 percent placement in college or the military. The superintendent touted the schools’ higher-than-average school scores on college entrance exams and student tests. President Trump, repeating a campaign phrase, said education is “the civil rights issue of our time.” “It’s why I’ve asked Congress to support a school choice bill. We’ve come a long way, I think. We’re ahead of schedule in so many ways when it comes to education.” He predicted schools like St. Andrew would have “a fantastic relationship” with the Secretary of Education that would create “a lot of good things for your school and for the entire system.” Bishop Noonan prayed for the president, his family, and everyone present. “We pray for this day in dialogue that we may share the good news, and the future of our students,” he said. President Trump thanked the bishop for his “uplifting prayer” and praised the bishop’s support for schools like St. Andrews. The president’s visit drew criticism from some public school advocates like Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, who characterized the president’s visit as a continuation of an “ideological crusade.” Weingarten said that many voucher programs do not improve students’ academic outcomes and are not transparent in their spending and teaching policies. Maureen Ferguson, senior policy advisor at The Catholic Association, said the president’s visit was appropriate given Catholic schools’ “record of success.” She said Catholic high school students are twice as likely as public school students to graduate college and their high school education is half the cost as public schools. According to Ferguson, Catholic high schools in inner cities have a 99 percent graduation rate.  \" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/03\/trump-pushes-education-choices-in-visit-to-florida-catholic-school\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Catholic News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-03-03T23:26:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/images\/Donald_Trump_at_the_Republican_National_Convention_in_Cleveland_OH_July_18_21_2016_Credit_Addie_Mena_3_CNA.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"CNA Daily News\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"CNA Daily News\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/03\/trump-pushes-education-choices-in-visit-to-florida-catholic-school\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/03\/trump-pushes-education-choices-in-visit-to-florida-catholic-school\/\",\"name\":\"Trump pushes education choices in visit to Florida Catholic school\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2017-03-03T23:26:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2017-03-03T23:26:00+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#\/schema\/person\/35d4bd7addc580050842c844a11575f1\"},\"description\":\"Orlando, Fla., Mar 3, 2017 \/ 04:26 pm (CNA\/EWTN News).- President Donald Trump visited a Florida Catholic school on Friday, praising the Catholic education system and touting his support for school choice programs. “You understand how much your students benefit from full education, one that enriches both the mind and the soul. That’s a good combination,” the president told Bishop John Noonan of Orlando at St. Andrew Catholic School March 3. He toured the pre-K-8th grade school, located in Orlando’s Pine Hills neighborhood, and spoke with students, who presented him with two cards. He visited a fourth grade class, the Associated Press reports. President Trump responded to a girl who told him she wanted to own her own business, saying she’s “gonna make a lot of money. But don't run for politics.” His tour was followed by public comments attended by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Florida Gov. Rick Scott, various Catholic school officials and Bishop Noonan. There, President Trump reflected on the contributions of Catholic education. “St. Andrew’s Catholic school represents one of the many parochial schools dedicated to the education of some of our nation’s most disadvantaged children, but they’re becoming just the opposite very rapidly through education and with the help of the school choice programs,” he said. He praised the school principal, Latrina Peters-Gipson, for her work, saying, “The love of what you do is really fantastic.” The visit marked the president’s first official trip to a school since he took office. According to the Washington Post, about 300 of the school’s 350 students are beneficiaries of a Florida tax credit program that funds scholarships for families with limited resources. Henry Fortier, superintendent of schools in the Diocese of Orlando, said the visit was an “exciting opportunity to share the good news and the work that we do.” He said school choice has also been an important part of his career in previous administrative roles in the archdioceses of New York and Baltimore. “I know that there’s a lot of controversy about school choice for parents and lots of people have different opinions, but I see it as a partnership,” Fortier said. “It’s not a situation of us versus them, it’s a situation of us providing opportunities to our parents so that they have the right to choose an education that is appropriate for their children.” “It shouldn’t be for just the wealthy that can afford it,” he said, lamenting that many working class families do not have the opportunity to choose the education for their children. Fortier said the diocese’s schools work closely with their public school counterparts. He said 25 percent of students in the Diocese of Orlando are in the state of Florida’s Step Up tax credit scholarship program. Of those 25 percent, 727 graduated in 2016, a graduation rate of 100 percent with a 99 percent placement in college or the military. The superintendent touted the schools’ higher-than-average school scores on college entrance exams and student tests. President Trump, repeating a campaign phrase, said education is “the civil rights issue of our time.” “It’s why I’ve asked Congress to support a school choice bill. We’ve come a long way, I think. We’re ahead of schedule in so many ways when it comes to education.” He predicted schools like St. Andrew would have “a fantastic relationship” with the Secretary of Education that would create “a lot of good things for your school and for the entire system.” Bishop Noonan prayed for the president, his family, and everyone present. “We pray for this day in dialogue that we may share the good news, and the future of our students,” he said. President Trump thanked the bishop for his “uplifting prayer” and praised the bishop’s support for schools like St. Andrews. The president’s visit drew criticism from some public school advocates like Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, who characterized the president’s visit as a continuation of an “ideological crusade.” Weingarten said that many voucher programs do not improve students’ academic outcomes and are not transparent in their spending and teaching policies. Maureen Ferguson, senior policy advisor at The Catholic Association, said the president’s visit was appropriate given Catholic schools’ “record of success.” She said Catholic high school students are twice as likely as public school students to graduate college and their high school education is half the cost as public schools. 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That’s a good combination,” the president told Bishop John Noonan of Orlando at St. Andrew Catholic School March 3. He toured the pre-K-8th grade school, located in Orlando’s Pine Hills neighborhood, and spoke with students, who presented him with two cards. He visited a fourth grade class, the Associated Press reports. President Trump responded to a girl who told him she wanted to own her own business, saying she’s “gonna make a lot of money. But don't run for politics.” His tour was followed by public comments attended by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Florida Gov. Rick Scott, various Catholic school officials and Bishop Noonan. There, President Trump reflected on the contributions of Catholic education. “St. Andrew’s Catholic school represents one of the many parochial schools dedicated to the education of some of our nation’s most disadvantaged children, but they’re becoming just the opposite very rapidly through education and with the help of the school choice programs,” he said. He praised the school principal, Latrina Peters-Gipson, for her work, saying, “The love of what you do is really fantastic.” The visit marked the president’s first official trip to a school since he took office. According to the Washington Post, about 300 of the school’s 350 students are beneficiaries of a Florida tax credit program that funds scholarships for families with limited resources. Henry Fortier, superintendent of schools in the Diocese of Orlando, said the visit was an “exciting opportunity to share the good news and the work that we do.” He said school choice has also been an important part of his career in previous administrative roles in the archdioceses of New York and Baltimore. “I know that there’s a lot of controversy about school choice for parents and lots of people have different opinions, but I see it as a partnership,” Fortier said. “It’s not a situation of us versus them, it’s a situation of us providing opportunities to our parents so that they have the right to choose an education that is appropriate for their children.” “It shouldn’t be for just the wealthy that can afford it,” he said, lamenting that many working class families do not have the opportunity to choose the education for their children. Fortier said the diocese’s schools work closely with their public school counterparts. He said 25 percent of students in the Diocese of Orlando are in the state of Florida’s Step Up tax credit scholarship program. Of those 25 percent, 727 graduated in 2016, a graduation rate of 100 percent with a 99 percent placement in college or the military. The superintendent touted the schools’ higher-than-average school scores on college entrance exams and student tests. President Trump, repeating a campaign phrase, said education is “the civil rights issue of our time.” “It’s why I’ve asked Congress to support a school choice bill. We’ve come a long way, I think. We’re ahead of schedule in so many ways when it comes to education.” He predicted schools like St. Andrew would have “a fantastic relationship” with the Secretary of Education that would create “a lot of good things for your school and for the entire system.” Bishop Noonan prayed for the president, his family, and everyone present. “We pray for this day in dialogue that we may share the good news, and the future of our students,” he said. President Trump thanked the bishop for his “uplifting prayer” and praised the bishop’s support for schools like St. Andrews. The president’s visit drew criticism from some public school advocates like Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, who characterized the president’s visit as a continuation of an “ideological crusade.” Weingarten said that many voucher programs do not improve students’ academic outcomes and are not transparent in their spending and teaching policies. Maureen Ferguson, senior policy advisor at The Catholic Association, said the president’s visit was appropriate given Catholic schools’ “record of success.” She said Catholic high school students are twice as likely as public school students to graduate college and their high school education is half the cost as public schools. According to Ferguson, Catholic high schools in inner cities have a 99 percent graduation rate.  ","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/03\/trump-pushes-education-choices-in-visit-to-florida-catholic-school\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Trump pushes education choices in visit to Florida Catholic school","og_description":"Orlando, Fla., Mar 3, 2017 \/ 04:26 pm (CNA\/EWTN News).- President Donald Trump visited a Florida Catholic school on Friday, praising the Catholic education system and touting his support for school choice programs. “You understand how much your students benefit from full education, one that enriches both the mind and the soul. That’s a good combination,” the president told Bishop John Noonan of Orlando at St. Andrew Catholic School March 3. He toured the pre-K-8th grade school, located in Orlando’s Pine Hills neighborhood, and spoke with students, who presented him with two cards. He visited a fourth grade class, the Associated Press reports. President Trump responded to a girl who told him she wanted to own her own business, saying she’s “gonna make a lot of money. But don't run for politics.” His tour was followed by public comments attended by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Florida Gov. Rick Scott, various Catholic school officials and Bishop Noonan. There, President Trump reflected on the contributions of Catholic education. “St. Andrew’s Catholic school represents one of the many parochial schools dedicated to the education of some of our nation’s most disadvantaged children, but they’re becoming just the opposite very rapidly through education and with the help of the school choice programs,” he said. He praised the school principal, Latrina Peters-Gipson, for her work, saying, “The love of what you do is really fantastic.” The visit marked the president’s first official trip to a school since he took office. According to the Washington Post, about 300 of the school’s 350 students are beneficiaries of a Florida tax credit program that funds scholarships for families with limited resources. Henry Fortier, superintendent of schools in the Diocese of Orlando, said the visit was an “exciting opportunity to share the good news and the work that we do.” He said school choice has also been an important part of his career in previous administrative roles in the archdioceses of New York and Baltimore. “I know that there’s a lot of controversy about school choice for parents and lots of people have different opinions, but I see it as a partnership,” Fortier said. “It’s not a situation of us versus them, it’s a situation of us providing opportunities to our parents so that they have the right to choose an education that is appropriate for their children.” “It shouldn’t be for just the wealthy that can afford it,” he said, lamenting that many working class families do not have the opportunity to choose the education for their children. Fortier said the diocese’s schools work closely with their public school counterparts. He said 25 percent of students in the Diocese of Orlando are in the state of Florida’s Step Up tax credit scholarship program. Of those 25 percent, 727 graduated in 2016, a graduation rate of 100 percent with a 99 percent placement in college or the military. The superintendent touted the schools’ higher-than-average school scores on college entrance exams and student tests. President Trump, repeating a campaign phrase, said education is “the civil rights issue of our time.” “It’s why I’ve asked Congress to support a school choice bill. We’ve come a long way, I think. We’re ahead of schedule in so many ways when it comes to education.” He predicted schools like St. Andrew would have “a fantastic relationship” with the Secretary of Education that would create “a lot of good things for your school and for the entire system.” Bishop Noonan prayed for the president, his family, and everyone present. “We pray for this day in dialogue that we may share the good news, and the future of our students,” he said. President Trump thanked the bishop for his “uplifting prayer” and praised the bishop’s support for schools like St. Andrews. The president’s visit drew criticism from some public school advocates like Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, who characterized the president’s visit as a continuation of an “ideological crusade.” Weingarten said that many voucher programs do not improve students’ academic outcomes and are not transparent in their spending and teaching policies. Maureen Ferguson, senior policy advisor at The Catholic Association, said the president’s visit was appropriate given Catholic schools’ “record of success.” She said Catholic high school students are twice as likely as public school students to graduate college and their high school education is half the cost as public schools. According to Ferguson, Catholic high schools in inner cities have a 99 percent graduation rate.  ","og_url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/03\/trump-pushes-education-choices-in-visit-to-florida-catholic-school\/","og_site_name":"Catholic News","article_published_time":"2017-03-03T23:26:00+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/images\/Donald_Trump_at_the_Republican_National_Convention_in_Cleveland_OH_July_18_21_2016_Credit_Addie_Mena_3_CNA.jpg"}],"author":"CNA Daily News","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"CNA Daily News","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/03\/trump-pushes-education-choices-in-visit-to-florida-catholic-school\/","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/03\/trump-pushes-education-choices-in-visit-to-florida-catholic-school\/","name":"Trump pushes education choices in visit to Florida Catholic school","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#website"},"datePublished":"2017-03-03T23:26:00+00:00","dateModified":"2017-03-03T23:26:00+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#\/schema\/person\/35d4bd7addc580050842c844a11575f1"},"description":"Orlando, Fla., Mar 3, 2017 \/ 04:26 pm (CNA\/EWTN News).- President Donald Trump visited a Florida Catholic school on Friday, praising the Catholic education system and touting his support for school choice programs. “You understand how much your students benefit from full education, one that enriches both the mind and the soul. That’s a good combination,” the president told Bishop John Noonan of Orlando at St. Andrew Catholic School March 3. He toured the pre-K-8th grade school, located in Orlando’s Pine Hills neighborhood, and spoke with students, who presented him with two cards. He visited a fourth grade class, the Associated Press reports. President Trump responded to a girl who told him she wanted to own her own business, saying she’s “gonna make a lot of money. But don't run for politics.” His tour was followed by public comments attended by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Florida Gov. Rick Scott, various Catholic school officials and Bishop Noonan. There, President Trump reflected on the contributions of Catholic education. “St. Andrew’s Catholic school represents one of the many parochial schools dedicated to the education of some of our nation’s most disadvantaged children, but they’re becoming just the opposite very rapidly through education and with the help of the school choice programs,” he said. He praised the school principal, Latrina Peters-Gipson, for her work, saying, “The love of what you do is really fantastic.” The visit marked the president’s first official trip to a school since he took office. According to the Washington Post, about 300 of the school’s 350 students are beneficiaries of a Florida tax credit program that funds scholarships for families with limited resources. Henry Fortier, superintendent of schools in the Diocese of Orlando, said the visit was an “exciting opportunity to share the good news and the work that we do.” He said school choice has also been an important part of his career in previous administrative roles in the archdioceses of New York and Baltimore. “I know that there’s a lot of controversy about school choice for parents and lots of people have different opinions, but I see it as a partnership,” Fortier said. “It’s not a situation of us versus them, it’s a situation of us providing opportunities to our parents so that they have the right to choose an education that is appropriate for their children.” “It shouldn’t be for just the wealthy that can afford it,” he said, lamenting that many working class families do not have the opportunity to choose the education for their children. Fortier said the diocese’s schools work closely with their public school counterparts. He said 25 percent of students in the Diocese of Orlando are in the state of Florida’s Step Up tax credit scholarship program. Of those 25 percent, 727 graduated in 2016, a graduation rate of 100 percent with a 99 percent placement in college or the military. The superintendent touted the schools’ higher-than-average school scores on college entrance exams and student tests. President Trump, repeating a campaign phrase, said education is “the civil rights issue of our time.” “It’s why I’ve asked Congress to support a school choice bill. We’ve come a long way, I think. We’re ahead of schedule in so many ways when it comes to education.” He predicted schools like St. Andrew would have “a fantastic relationship” with the Secretary of Education that would create “a lot of good things for your school and for the entire system.” Bishop Noonan prayed for the president, his family, and everyone present. “We pray for this day in dialogue that we may share the good news, and the future of our students,” he said. President Trump thanked the bishop for his “uplifting prayer” and praised the bishop’s support for schools like St. Andrews. The president’s visit drew criticism from some public school advocates like Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, who characterized the president’s visit as a continuation of an “ideological crusade.” Weingarten said that many voucher programs do not improve students’ academic outcomes and are not transparent in their spending and teaching policies. Maureen Ferguson, senior policy advisor at The Catholic Association, said the president’s visit was appropriate given Catholic schools’ “record of success.” She said Catholic high school students are twice as likely as public school students to graduate college and their high school education is half the cost as public schools. According to Ferguson, Catholic high schools in inner cities have a 99 percent graduation rate.  ","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/03\/trump-pushes-education-choices-in-visit-to-florida-catholic-school\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/03\/trump-pushes-education-choices-in-visit-to-florida-catholic-school\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2017\/03\/trump-pushes-education-choices-in-visit-to-florida-catholic-school\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Trump pushes education choices in visit to Florida Catholic school"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/","name":"Catholic News","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#\/schema\/person\/35d4bd7addc580050842c844a11575f1","name":"CNA Daily News","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8f1180c7dca7995d4a997aac72a3a88a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8f1180c7dca7995d4a997aac72a3a88a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"CNA Daily News"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/"],"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/author\/cna-daily-news\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18577","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1031"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18577"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18577\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18577"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18577"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18577"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}