NEW YORK
Survivor Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Statement by Mary Caplan of New York City, SNAP Leader, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests ( 917 439 4187, mcaplan682@aol.com )
New York’s Catholic bishops – including Cardinal Tim Dolan – are trying to get more tax breaks through a proposed bill about schools. Lawmakers should think long and hard before agreeing to this.
When they want money for their institutions, Catholic officials lobby hard and say they care deeply about kids. But when kids who were abused want a chance for justice, Catholic officials lobby hard to deny those kids their day in court. All across the US, Dolan and his brother bishops use all their political will and power and resources to block moves to reform archaic, predator-friendly statute of limitation laws that endanger kids and protect those who commit and conceal heinous child sex crimes.
For at least three reasons, public schools are inherently safer than private schools. There is more openness and more accountability in public schools than private schools. And there’s less incentive to ignore or conceal child sex crimes in public schools than private schools.
First, law enforcement and fiscal authorities can more readily and easily audit and investigate public schools than private schools.
Second, citizens and journalists can better gain access to records in public schools than private schools.
Third, public school parents can attend and speak at regular, public school board meetings. They can oust board members, back other candidates, and run for those positions themselves.
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