Why are hispanics underrepresented in Catholic high schools? (Chicago: school tuition, college)

[Tex?Il?]

The vast majority of hispanics are Catholic, just like the vast majority of Irish, Italian, Polish, and somewhat German (depending on what region from German ones ancestors immigrated from).

And just like the white non-hispanic groups, they came to this country often with little money and struggled as working class people. Yet, it seems like sending them to Catholic high schools in Chicago was a much bigger part of their culture.

My own mom and aunt who came here from Poland when they were only toddlers, grew up with little money to throw around, but they still went to Catholic school.

But today it seems that despite being majority Catholic, Catholic high schools don't seem to be a high on the list of priorities for hispanic families even if they are able to scrape up the money. Catholic schools still provide a better education within the city proper, but despite being Catholic, they are underrepresented. Why is this??

[oakparkdude]

Lower average incomes?

[jsk1983]

catholic schools used to be much cheaper. I think they were more heavily subsidized by the parish and the nuns that worked for free helped too.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by oakparkdude

Lower average incomes?

this

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by jsk1983

catholic schools used to be much cheaper. I think they were more heavily subsidized by the parish and the nuns that worked for free helped too.

Thanks. This answers my question better.

Because like I mentioned I always heard stories of the older generations of Irish/Polish/Italian americans-catholic Chicagoans having lower incomes too, but yet there families for whatever reason were able to scrape up the money somehow.

[MannheimMadman]

jsk nailed it on the head.

Less clergy these days means that they have to pay regular people to teach. Also, less collection money per parish doesn't help either. My wife and I want to send any children we end up having to Catholic school, but man, the tuition prices *today* are making us sweat. Last I checked, a place like St. Benedict as a parishioner would cost almost $5500 per year.

Even using a tuition payment plan over 11 months, that's $500 a month. That could be close to what some of these poor Hispanics are paying in RENT.

[Manigault]

Originally Posted by MannheimMadman

Even using a tuition payment plan over 11 months, that's $500 a month. That could be close to what some of these poor Hispanics are paying in RENT.

When I was in Catholic high school tuition was so low that some students paid the $300 per year out of their part-time afternoon jobs. Now, places like St. Ignatius charge the equivalent of college tuition for a high school education.

[87vertgt]

Lemme ask you something....

Are you Hispanic?