Reporting in The Diplomat‚ Katja Drinhausen‚ the head of the Politics and Society Program at the Mercator Institute for Chinese Studies‚ notes that the implementation of China’s Hong Kong National Security Law by the Legislative Council’s (Hong Kong’s Parliament) passage of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance has imposed the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) ideology on Hong Kong’s citizens‚ resulting in “another blow to civil liberties in the city.” The vote for passage of what Drinhausen characterizes as the “draconian” ordinance in Hong Kong’s Legislative Council was 89 to zero. “The belief that security can be obtained by throwing a small state to the wolves is a fatal delusion.” The new ordinance‚ as explained in the Legislative Council Brief‚ adds to Hong Kong’s criminal code the offenses of “insurrection‚ treason‚ external interference … espionage” and a catchall offense called “incitement to disaffection.” The latter is reminiscent of broad Soviet criminal statutes that outlawed “anti-Soviet” agitation and conduct. Drinhausen notes that under the new ordinance — which was just passed on March 19th — mere contacts and exchanges of information with “external forces” can be deemed illegal. The term used by the ordinance is “colluding with external force.” In communist countries‚ the “law” is a facade for state and party rule. The last paragraph of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s third-volume of The Gulag Archipelago sums it up best: “For half a century and more the enormous state has towered over us‚ girded with hoops of steel. The hoops are still there. There is no law‚”  (READ MORE from Francis P. Sempa: With Biden‚ the Lippmann Gap Returns) The Hong Kong ordinance‚ known as Article 23 of the Basic Law‚ was justified in terms of “national security” by the newly “elected” Legislative Council‚ which is nothing more than an extension of the CCP. Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing Chief Executive John Lee said that the new law was a “glorious achievement” that shows that Hong Kong is “living up to the trust placed in us by the Central Authorities‚” i.e.‚ the CCP. Lee and the members of the Legislative Council have shown themselves to be nothing more than modern-day quislings in the service of the tyrannical CCP. Human Rights Watch condemned the Legislative council’s actions‚ saying that the new law “eliminates the last vestiges of fundamental freedoms” in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Democracy Council‚ based overseas‚ urged the Biden administration to “step up for political prisoners and freedom in Hong Kong.” Meanwhile‚ the Biden State Department expressed “concerns” that the new legislation will be used to “eliminate dissent through fear of arrest and detention” and “restrict the free speech of U.S. citizens and residents” and further “curtail[] the rights and freedoms of people in Hong Kong.” Beijing responded by calling on Washington to “respect China’s sovereignty‚ and immediately stop meddling in [China’s] internal affairs.” Back in 1997‚ Britain threw Hong Kong to the wolves of the CCP‚ perhaps under the mistaken belief that Beijing was abandoning communism and evolving into a capitalist‚ if authoritarian‚ regime like that in Singapore. The West’s “engagement” of China‚ which was justified during the last two decades of the Cold War‚ should have ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union. But business interests here and in Europe‚ Japan and elsewhere‚ coupled with Western elites who welcomed China into the “rules-based international order‚” had their way. There was a lot of money to be made in China. The quest for short-term profits at the expense of long-term security was evidence of what James Burnham once called the “suicidal mania of American business.” In Taiwan‚ there were public demonstrations against the new Hong Kong law. Taiwan’s leaders and citizens recognize that what is happening in Hong Kong will be their future should China gain control of the island. In the United States‚ Taiwan is more than just a human rights concern. It is a strategic concern of the highest order. Taiwan is the geopolitical anchor in a series of island chains in the western Pacific that helps to contain the hegemonic ambitions of the CCP. It is today the object of increasing pressure from China’s People’s Liberation Army. (We Are Closer Than You Think to Civilizational Suicide: Lessons From Burnham) Historical analogies are never exact‚ and the Munich analogy has been overused and abused by Western statesmen. But those who are willing to ignore the significance of the threat to Taiwan and to U.S. national security posed by the Chinese communist menace would do well to reflect on the words of Winston Churchill on September 21‚ 1938‚ after the Western powers surrendered the Sudetenland to Hitler to avoid war: “The belief that security can be obtained by throwing a small state to the wolves is a fatal delusion.” The post Hong Kong Affords a Glimpse of the Future for Taiwan appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

The problem when standing on the mountaintop is that you also may be standing at the precipice. That appears to be the situation facing Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping. His word is law‚ but that leaves him with no one to blame for the plethora of challenges facing his regime. Economic growth has slowed‚ the real estate market risks collapse‚ high debts bedevil China’s state banks‚ corruption continues to undermine military readiness‚ and Xi has been forced to purge political and military ranks of his own appointees. His tight control over almost every aspect of Chinese life‚ including the economy‚ is discouraging domestic entrepreneurship and foreign investment. The People’s Republic of China faces potential demographic collapse‚ with the population having begun a long and sharp decline. Doubts are growing that the PRC’s economy will ever surpass America’s. In China believers face harassment‚ arrest‚ torture‚ and imprisonment. Perhaps worst of all‚ the regime continues its retreat to Maoist tyranny. Political controls have grown stifling. Only Xi’s personal experience with the Cultural Revolution‚ which convulsed his family as well as the nation‚ might have prevented the reappearance of the infamous Red Guards‚ waving books of Xi’s rather than Mao’s sayings. Nevertheless‚ the insistence that everyone in every endeavor spout Xi-isms has left some liberal-minded Chinese in despair. One told me that once they could look forward to some political change every ten years. No longer.  (READ MORE from Doug Bandow: Leftists Blatantly Celebrate Lenin’s Legacy in New Book) Although Xi might believe himself to be a new god‚ the influence of previous supreme leaders‚ including Adolf Hitler‚ Joseph Stalin‚ Pol Pot‚ Nicolae Ceausescu‚ Enver Hoxha‚ and Saddam Hussein vanished almost overnight on their deaths. Xi’s legacy might disappear equally swiftly. Indeed‚ his regime’s ruthless repression of religious believers‚ especially of what Beijing views as “foreign” faiths‚ suggests that Chinese communism hopes to become theology as well as ideology. Rather than seeking to close all churches‚ the regime has attempted to absorb them‚ requiring them to display Xi’s photo and CCP propaganda. The party is even determined to reinterpret if not rewrite the Bible‚ as presented in China. As such‚ Xi should consider the fate of Herod Agrippa‚ as related in Acts 21-23: “Herod‚ wearing his royal robes‚ sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. They shouted‚ ‘This is the voice of a god‚ not of a man.’ Immediately‚ because Herod did not give praise to God‚ an angel of the Lord struck him down‚ and he was eaten by worms and died.” Certainly‚ religious believers are suffering from increasing persecution. ChinaAid’s latest annual assessment‚ “ChinaAid’s Annual Persecution Report 2023‚” details the Chinese state’s continuing assault on all religions‚ and particularly Christianity. The organization begins with the regime’s call to Sinicize — in reality communize — religion. For instance‚ politburo member Shi Taifeng called on the official religious associations “to fully implement the CCP’s theories‚ principles‚ and policies regarding religion‚ adhere to the direction of the Sinicization of Chinese religions‚ and actively guide religions to adapt to the socialist society of China.” The regime also promoted “faculty reinforcement for Marxist religious studies and research‚” which obviously is intended to override personal faith. Moreover‚ new rules were issued “to regulate the inspection‚ approval‚ and registration of religious activity sites‚ their organization and structure‚ management of legal obligations.” The CCP detailed a long list of prohibitions‚ such as holding religious activities outside of religious venues‚ naming them “after any church‚ denomination‚ or person‚” and creating “affiliation relationships.” Most formidable is the requirement that practicing believers “endorse the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party and the socialist system‚ thoroughly implement Xi Jinping’s thoughts about socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era … practice core socialist values‚ and adhere to the direction of the Sinicization of Religion.” In other words‚ abandon their religious beliefs‚ at least any serious ones. Throughout the year the party went to great effort make churches a de facto subsidiary of the CCP. Little expense was spared in obnoxious propaganda and officious regulation. Significant barriers were created to religious activities‚ celebrations‚ and education‚ as well as youth ministries and evangelism. Activism on behalf of democracy and human rights was punished. However‚ millions of believers have resisted such efforts‚ causing the regime to turn to more traditional repression. Among the tactics employed: 1‚ Destroying churches. For instance‚ “On the evening of January 11‚ without an agreed compensation plan‚ the Ruian county government of Wenzhou city‚ Zhejiang province‚ dispatched a large number of SWAT agents to forcibly demolish Nangang Church Feiyun Street‚ Nangang village‚ in order to build commercial buildings on its site. The church covered an area of 8 acres and was worth tens of millions of RMB. Two videos of the forced demolition were circulated on the Internet. One of them showed that dozens of police stood fully armed‚ wearing helmets‚ masks‚ police uniforms‚ and raincoats‚ confronting Christians attempting to defend the church. The other video showed several police officers surrounding Christians who came to stop the demolition of the church.” 2. Shutting churches and arresting members. But one example: “In the morning of May 21‚ joint law enforcement agents stormed Zhongxing Christian Church‚ a member church of Chinese Evangelical Fellowship in Zhengzhou city led by Pastor Ma Teng. A dozen agents from the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau‚ Civil Affairs Bureau‚ and the Urban Management Brigade broke into the church and destroyed personal property. They also issued a notice to ban the church and sealed off its front door. Personal belongings left at the scene by some church members‚ including an engagement ring‚ were all stolen.” 3. Prosecuting lay Christians and church leaders. Age is no obstacle: “Accused of illegally selling lawfully printed Bibles‚ Wang Honglan of Inner Mongolia’s Hohhot was charged with ‘illegal business operations’ and arrested on April 14‚ 2021‚ along with 11 preachers and co-workers. As of the latest‚ three of them are on bail awaiting trial and nine of them remain in police custody‚ including Wang Honglan (68 years old; suffers from cerebral infarction‚ heart disease‚ adrenal tumor‚ purpura‚ kidney stones); Wang’s husband Ji Heying (73 years old); suffering from hypertension and diabetes); Ji Guolong (son of Wang and Ji); Wang Jiale (Wang’s nephew); Liu Wei and his wife 23 Liu Minna (suffers from heart disease)‚ Zhang Wang‚ Yang Zhijun (his wife Yu Lina was released on bail; they have a child)‚ and Ban Yanhong (63 years old).” 4. “Disappearing” church personnel. One among many examples of this totalitarian practice is Wang Honglan‚ “charged with ‘illegal business operations’ and arrested on April 14‚ 2021‚ along with 11 preachers and co-workers. As of the latest‚ three of them are on bail awaiting trial and nine of them remain in police custody‚ including Wang Honglan (68 years old; suffers from cerebral infarction‚ heart disease‚ adrenal tumor‚ purpura‚ kidney stones); Wang’s husband Ji Heying (73 years old); suffering from hypertension and diabetes); Ji Guolong (son of Wang and Ji); Wang Jiale (Wang’s nephew); Liu Wei and his wife 23 Liu Minna (suffers from heart disease)‚ Zhang Wang‚ Yang Zhijun (his wife Yu Lina was released on bail; they have a child)‚ and Ban Yanhong (63 years old).” 5. Concocting criminal charges against church leaders. Victims of this practice include “Kan Xiaoyong (65 y.o.) and his wife Wang Fengying (63 y.o.) are natives of Wuhan‚ Hebei province. Kan was a successful businessman before he left his secular career to become a church pastor. In 2018‚ they established ‘Discipleship Home Fellowship’ online in Liaoning province’s Dalian city. They donated generously to charity and sponsored 100 children with anemia. Wang Fengying had won national awards as a model schoolteacher. She followed her husband to Dalian to help with evangelism.” They were tortured and tried based on the fabricated charges. 6. Fining churches and members. For instance‚ “On June 11‚ the venue rented by a Christian from Shengjia Church in Shunde District‚ Foshan city‚ Guangdong province‚ was raided by Shunde District Public Security‚ Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau‚ Street Neighborhood Committee‚ and other government agencies. They took away some church belongings and asked the members present to make written statements. On August 31‚ Shunde District Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau issued an ‘Administrative Penalty Decision’ to Preacher Deng Yanxiang‚ Deacon Zhu Longjiang‚ and Deacon Wang Weicai who were held at a detention center on the grounds that they organized illegal religious activities in the name of ‘Shengjia Church.’ The Decision also imposed a fine of 4‚800 yuan (~$658). On September 1‚ Shunde District Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau issued an ‘Administrative Penalty Decision’ to Elder Zhu Longfei‚ who was held at a detention center. For the same reason‚ a fine of 4‚800 yuan was imposed.” 7. Abusing church leaders. An example is Ru Zongren‚ who “returned to his hometown to serve as a pastor at Chengxi Christian Church. On May 19‚ 2015‚ Ru Zongren’s church was forcibly demolished by the local government. Ru stepped in to defend the church‚ but was beaten up and injured‚ which caused kidney failure‚ so he has to rely on kidney dialysis to sustain his life since then. The local authorities continued to persecute him. In July‚ 2023‚ due to the upcoming visit of the Central Government’s Inspection Team to Anhui province‚ the local government once again arbitrarily detained Ru Zongren. The most outrageous is that when Ru Zongren needed hemodialysis and local government officials had to take him to the hospital for treatment‚ they kept him handcuffed and shackled‚ and bound him to the hospital bed for nearly five hours.” 8. Prohibiting evangelism. Sharing the Gospel is dangerous: “On September 13‚ Ms. Yan‚ a staff member of Dao’en Presbyterian Church in Xuzhou‚ Jiangsu province‚ was summoned by the police for leading street evangelism‚ and later administratively detained for five days for allegedly ‘organizing an outlawed social group to continue its activities’.” 9. Harassing and threatening believers. For instance‚ “Liao Enxin‚ a young house church pastor in Pingxiang‚ Jiangxi province in southern China‚ has been active in evangelism and publishing faith-related articles on the Internet for many years. Some of his articles regarding church and state relations have attracted a great number of readers. As a prominent house church leader in Pingxiang who insists on holding Christian meetings‚ he has become an eye sore to local authorities. Liao was often summoned by security personnel. In January of this year‚ local security personnel brought police into his home and asked him to accept their friend request on WeChat (a social media platform) to ‘strengthen ties’.” 10. Treating religious contributions as criminal fraud. An example was the Wangjia Hunli Church‚ which in 2016 was raided by the local religious bureau. “Officials confiscated more than 40 computers and 300‚000 yuan (~$44‚310) from the church‚ and arrested Pastor Wei Xiaomei‚ her husband Li Bingxin‚ and Zhang Tao. Both the couple and Zhang Tao were charged with fraud in 2017‚ and released on probation in October‚ 2018. In 2021‚ however‚ authorities again imposed multiple administrative penalties on this church‚ including confiscations‚ fines‚ and late payment fees totaling 36 million yuan (~$5‚317‚200). The church hired a legal team to respond to the lawsuit‚ and the case went through a trial and administrative reconsideration phase‚ followed by an administrative litigation request to the Zhuhai Intermediate People’s Court‚ which still has not gained any progress. On July 7‚ 2022‚ the three Christians involved in the case received an ‘administrative compulsion’ letter serving 42 as a reminder and request for them to pay the hefty fine or the court would enforce it.” ChinaAid includes a long list of those who have been tried‚ currently face charges‚ or have suffered in other ways. Particularly useful is the report’s review of court cases and publication of names of those arrested and facing trial. Victims deserving attention‚ protest‚ and prayer include pastor Lian Changnian‚ pastor Lian Xuliang‚ and preacher Fu Juan of Xi’an Church of Abundance; house church evangelist Chen Lijun; three Christian laywomen‚ Li Bingrong‚ Huang Qiuyan‚ and Jie Lihong; pastor Zhou Songlin‚ elder Ding Zhongfu‚ preacher Mao Junma‚ preacher Pei Defei‚ and church management staff Yang Peiyun; and elder Zhang Chunlei. They should be remembered not only by their Christian brothers and sisters around the world‚ but also by all who believe in freedom of faith and conscience. Particularly noteworthy is the harassment and prosecution of those associated with the Early Rain Covenant Church: preacher Dai Zhichao‚ along with many other staffers and members. (READ MORE: Unlikely Persecutor: Japan Threatens to Shut Unification Church) Also‚ worth reading is ChinaAid’s companion volume‚ “Top 10 Persecution Cases in China 2023.” Much shorter than the annual report‚ this volume details the worst ten Chinese assaults on religious liberty. In China believers face harassment‚ arrest‚ torture‚ and imprisonment. They pay an increasing price for their faith. Ironically‚ Xi’s attempt to enforce theological conformity to the CCP is likely to backfire. By and large‚ Chinese Christians are focused on God‚ not the party‚ and are seeking to care for their community‚ not overthrow the state. However‚ the regime has turned the established political order into something that looks like “the Beast” of Revelation imagery‚ which only spurs opposition. Denied freedom to live faithful lives‚ Christians have no choice but to organize and resist. With more Christians than party members in the PRC‚ repression is more likely to destabilize than strengthen the regime. Xi’s attempt to make the CCP into a substitute deity has failed. Rising popular dissatisfaction has given rise to the “let it rot” and “lying flat” movements‚ which reject the party’s attempt to determine the purpose of life. For that the Chinese know they must go elsewhere. The more fervently the regime attempts to crush those who look beyond politics for answers‚ the more likely it will make religious faith their ultimate destination. Doug Bandow is a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute. He is a former Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan and the author of several books‚ including Foreign Follies: America’s New Global Empire and Beyond Good Intentions: A Biblical View of Politics.   The post Xi Jinping’s Persecution of Chinese Christians appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

Step inside the Bishop McCort Catholic High School in Johnstown‚ Pennsylvania‚ located almost 70 miles east of Pittsburgh‚ and there are palpable examples of how faith figures into the educational experience of highly motivated students with ambitions for college.  There’s the chapel located right in the center of campus‚ which serves as the site for masses‚ prayer services‚ and alumni reunions. Crucifixes are also prominently displayed in classrooms and administrative offices. Then there is the curriculum‚ which includes a strong emphasis on theological instruction. But more than anything‚ it’s the Catholic community itself that includes not just the student body‚ but parents‚ teachers‚ athletic coaches‚ alumni‚ scholarship organizations‚ and average citizens who recognize they all have a stake in creating compelling alternatives to failed public schools. (READ MORE from Kevin Mooney: Is Educational Freedom Poised to Transcend Union Power?) Bishop McCort draws from 20 school districts with some students doing an hour commute to and from each day. Unlike its government-run counterparts‚ Bishop McCort remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic and attracted 150 transfer students from districts that were closed. There are currently 248 students in grades 7-12‚ but the school’s full capacity is 1‚000.  Escaping the Violence and Finding a Career Path Geographically‚ two of the students who transferred in this current school year did not have far to travel. The two 16-year-olds‚ one in the 11th grade and the other in 10th‚ previously attended the Greater Johnstown High School within easy walking distance of Bishop McCort. But to hear them tell it‚ they now occupy a radically different universe from the one they left. “The public school was just a very violent school‚” the 11th grader said. “There were always fights‚ and it just wasn’t safe. There were fights everywhere‚ in the hallways‚ in the bathroom‚ in the classroom. I would say we have ten times better education here than at Johnstown.” The 10th grader had many of the same experiences at Johnstown and now finds he is on a more compelling path that could lead to college and a career. But ultimately‚ it falls on lawmakers … to provide parents with more autonomy over their own tax dollars. “It just seemed like the teachers at Johnstown just didn’t care‚” he said. “Every period there were always students in the hallway and it’s so loud.” Both students expressed a strong interest in the sports medicine curriculum at Bishop McCort‚ which is open to 11th and 12th graders. The advancement in medical techniques has helped to open up new career opportunities‚ they explained. The transfer students are also fans of the 4-day school week Bishop McCort implemented last year with an optional “Friday Enrichment Day.” “I think it works well‚” the 11th-grader said. “I have extra time to study‚ and the enrichment classes are very worthwhile.” The enrichment period includes SAT prep‚ tutoring services‚ science fairs‚ and college visits.  The graduation requirements and expectations are rigorous. Each student must take at least seven periods of classes each semester‚ including the five core classes in mathematics‚ science‚ English‚ social studies‚ and theology. The Benefits and Limits of Scholarships Like other private schools across the state‚ Bishop McCort benefits from a tax credit scholarship program dating back to 2001. While the scholarships continue to have a transformative impact on students and their families‚ there is a significant gap between supply and demand‚ Tom Smith‚ the Bishop McCort principal‚ laments.  “We could fill this school if we didn’t have these arbitrary caps on the scholarship programs‚” Smith says. “And I think you would see the Johnstown High School‚ and others empty out.” Formally known as the Education Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC)‚ these programs put private school tuition within reach of families that could not otherwise afford to attend a school like Bishop McCort. In the 2021-2022 school year‚ scholarship organizations drawing from both programs delivered 77‚640 awards to K-12 students‚ according to the Commonwealth Foundation‚ a free market think tank based in Harrisburg that supports school choice. (READ MORE: Pennsylvania: School Choice Proponents Poised to Extend Lifeline Scholarships to Students) On average‚ the scholarship amount for EITC was $2‚583‚ and $1‚853 for OSTC. Pennsylvania students submitted about 139‚000 scholarship applications‚ but 63‚000 student applicants were turned away because of the caps the state legislature has placed on the program. Bishop McCort has awarded financial aid in the form of EITC‚ endowment money‚ and names scholarships to 292 students. Scholarship applicants must be below the household income limit of $108‚444‚ plus $19‚088 for each dependent. That’s not exactly a problem in Johnstown since it’s been listed as the poorest city in the entire state.  But time is a factor for families that stand to benefit from new avenues for education since they have a limited window to alter the trajectory of students trapped in Pennsylvania’s “low achieving schools.”  School choice initiatives have made significant‚ albeit incremental progress‚ recently.   This past December‚ for instance‚ Gov. Josh Shapiro‚ a Democrat‚ signed off on legislation providing  a $150 million increase in the scholarship caps. While the increase makes it possible to provide about 35‚000 additional scholarships‚ it is hardly enough to end the student waiting list or keep up with willing donors. Individuals and businesses that can donate have more than 200 scholarship organizations to choose from. In exchange for their donations‚ they receive a 75 percent (1-year commitment) or 90 percent (2-year commitment) credit against their state income tax. Bishop McCort has a list of individuals and businesses who have supported their students with scholarships.  Tuition at Bishop McCort costs $13‚000 per student‚ but the school charges $7‚000‚ and the average scholarship is about $3‚000. Smith estimates that about 80 percent of the students receive scholarships.  Scholarship Parents Talk Up Benefits  Without the EITC program‚ the affordability of a Catholic education‚ “would definitely be a struggle‚” says Jen Preuss‚ a scholarship parent with three children attending Bishop McCort. “I have twin boys who are seniors‚ and my daughter is a sophomore so obviously this is a huge commitment financially‚” she says. “But we made the decision that we wanted more out of the education our children were receiving in the public schools and I’m happy we took this leap of faith. I would say to businesses now is the time to donate since the money will be well spent.” Preuss also has a message for elected officials who are in a position to continue expanding the tax credit scholarship programs.  The four-day week is just one small part of a larger plan the principal is considering. “We need to make sure we are investing in our kids in every way possible‚ because they are our future‚” she continued. “There is academic rigor‚ but also faith-based education that enables students to make good decisions and to be surrounded by other students who are thinking positively about the decisions they make each day. So‚ it’s not just the academic piece‚ it’s about the person as a whole and this is what they are getting at Bishop McCort.” Without a Catholic education‚ Kaitlin Magro doubts very much that her son would be on his way to Brown University and that her other children would advance as much as they have academically. As one of several Bishop McCort alumni who are sending their own children to the school‚ Magro knows full well what distinguishes Catholic schools from conventional public schools. Her son‚ currently a junior‚ and wrestler‚ has been accepted into Brown based on his grades. She also has a daughter who is a sophomore now interested in pursuing advanced studies. Her other daughter is in the seventh grade and also attends a Catholic school. (READ MORE: Gov. Shapiro‚ Choose School Choice Over Union Power Grabs) “Without the scholarships we would be looking at very high prices‚” she said. “I had my kids in public schools‚ but I wanted them in Catholic schools because of the smaller classes and the hands-on instruction. Teachers Celebrate Four-Day Week  The teachers themselves have also found that their experiences have been professionally rewarding thanks in part to the environment‚ but also because of some recent innovations. Lorie Regan is one of those teachers. She’s an English instructor who has been with the school for 33 years.  “The four-day week is one of the best moves we have made‚ and it’s been a fantastic morale booster for students and teachers‚” Regan said. “I think in the beginning people were a bit hesitant. But what we took away day wise‚ we have made up minute wise. In fact‚ we have extra minutes with the students.” Molly Largent‚ another English instructor‚ who is also certified in ESL agrees. Having Fridays open enables her to catch up on grading and get ahead on lesson plans. As a working mother with three children in elementary school‚ the four-day weeks gives her added flexibility. “I can already see from my lesson plans that I’m already ahead of where I would have been this year thanks to the four-day week‚” Largent said. “I also see students taking full advantage the extra day by taking SAT prep classes they would otherwise have to pay for‚ and tutoring services in any areas that they need.” Largent also has no problem calling out political figures who claim to support students while voting down proposals for increased scholarships.  “You can’t say you are in the business of helping kids or looking out for kids if you are keeping them in an environment where they are not able to thrive‚” she said. The four-day week is just one small part of a larger plan the principal is considering. Smith‚ who also serves as the head football coach‚ has been the school principal for five years‚ and has just signed another five-year contract. He’s eyeballing a nearby bank building as a potential internet café for online students where the tuition could be less than $2‚000 a year.  The ace in the hole for prospective students may exist in the form of the proposed “Lifeline Scholarships” offering Education Opportunity Accounts to any student assigned to a district school in the bottom 15 percent of performance based on state testing. The latest version of the lifeline proposal calls for $2‚500 for a student in half-day kindergarten‚ $5‚000 for a student in full-day kindergarten through eighth grade‚ $10‚000 for students in grades nine through 12‚ and $15‚000 for special-needs students regardless of their grade. For many students‚ this would be more than sufficient to cover the cost of Bishop McCort. But ultimately‚ it falls on lawmakers‚ including some who have attended Catholic schools such as Bishop McCort‚ to provide parents with more autonomy over their own tax dollars as they search for alternatives to unsatisfactory public schools. Kevin Mooney is an investigative reporter with The Heritage Foundation. The post Scholarships Succeed in Pennsylvania Catholic School appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

I’m tired of hearing political pundits divide our Commonwealth into east and west‚ urban and rural. We are one Pennsylvania — united — and we will come together to tackle our greatest challenges. — Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro A brief look at a county-by-county political map of the United States reveals an odd duality: The overwhelming amount of land in the country resides in Republican districts‚ and yet Democrats control much of the government because most of the largest cities are liberal. For a long time now‚ and yet increasingly‚ the hyper-urban parts of the country are dictating liberal policies to country  folk that inhabit most of the geographical spaces the country owns. Look at examples like the city of Chicago‚ for instance‚ and its overwhelming influence on the remainder of the largely rural state of Illinois‚ or Detroit’s dominance of the massive state that is Michigan‚ or any number of other examples. Perhaps at least part of the problem with the rural/urban divide is that big city liberals state false facts about rural Americans. In my state of Pennsylvania‚ Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro urges us to believe that this rural/urban divide isn’t as important as our shared identity. And certainly some research does suggest that the divide looms larger psychologically than in reality; often rural and urban persons share more in common than rumor has it. But while the shared values sentiment is nice‚ it is nonetheless clearly true that rural voters feel increasingly disconnected from their urban counterparts. No matter how much we talk about unity‚ it isn’t a mirage that 11 rural Oregon counties voted to join Idaho because they don’t like liberals in Portland telling them what to do. (READ MORE from Lucian G. Conway: The Curious Case of Conservative Happiness)  The depth of the problem is illustrated by simply imagining a hypothetical in my state of Pennsylvania: What if Philadelphia was no longer a part of the state? President Donald Trump lost Pennsylvania in 2020 by over one percentage point. Consider that without only one county — Philadelphia County — in 2020‚ Trump would have won the state by over six points (52 percent Trump to 46 percent Biden). That’s a larger margin than Trump won in conservative Texas. If one removes the three greater Philadelphia counties as well‚ Trump wins Pennsylvania by over 13 percent‚ and if you throw out Pittsburgh‚ too‚ Trump wins by almost 19 percent‚ which is a larger margin than he won in Mississippi. This brief analysis reveals that the increasing divide between rural and urban America is quite real. But why does it exist? Many on the left claim it is because rural voters have lost touch with true American values and are a threat to the American way of life. For example‚ Tom Schaller‚ author of White Rural Rage: The Threat to American Democracy‚ recently said: First of all‚ [white rural voters] are the most racist‚ xenophobic‚ anti-immigrant‚ anti-gay demographic in the country. Second‚ they’re the most conspiracist group: QAnon support and subscribers‚ election denialism‚ Covid denialism and scientific skepticism‚ Obama birtherism. Third: anti-democratic sentiments. They don’t believe in an independent press‚ free speech … And fourth: they’re most likely to excuse or justify violence as an acceptable alternative to peaceful public discourse. Research does show that rural voters increasingly resent big-city liberals telling them what to do. But is it because rural voters have become racist‚ violent‚ rage-filled authoritarians? That certainly doesn’t describe the people in the rural area where I live. None of those people seem filled with rage; most of them are calm‚ happy‚ people who love their neighbors and love democracy. Indeed‚ a recently published book by Colby College professors tells a different tale than Schaller‚ one much more in line with the experience of every day rural Americans such as myself. Containing one of the largest studies of rural America to date‚ the Colby book suggests not that rural voters are rage-filled authoritarians bent on overthrowing democracy‚ but rather that they have real concerns rooted in reality. In the words of the authors of the study: “One of the reasons it may be hard for Democrats to go into rural areas is that they’ve come to believe these are bastions of crazy Trumpers.… But what we show in this book is that there are genuine concerns that pre-date Donald Trump by decades.” In fact‚ it is worth considering the division problem the other way around. Tom Schaller’s quote provides a stark contrast to Governor Josh Shapiro’s earlier statement about unity across rural and urban lines. And that highlights part of the problem: It is hard for rural voters to feel much unity when an ever-growing barrage of liberal criticism like White Rural Rage suggests rural folk are threats to democracy on par with terrorist groups. One can’t just declare unity by fiat. Perhaps at least part of the problem with the rural/urban divide is that big city liberals state false facts about rural Americans and then use rural folks’ subsequent dislike of being slandered as evidence that they are “rage-filled.” (READ MORE: Republicans Are Missing the Point of Trump — Again) This suggests part of the solution‚ too. No‚ I’m not sure we should give Philadelphia to New Jersey. But I am sure that liberals shouldn’t describe rural voters who want to do so as hate-filled racist xenophobes. The post Can We Please Give Philadelphia to New Jersey? appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.

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