The Padua Academy Head of School, Cindy Mann, was fired today. A letter went out to parents from Father Nicholas Waseline. Students and parents are furious. A protest from students is taking place on Monday. But the reason for her termination is more shocking than the actual firing.
According to sources, Waseline approached Mann about transferring money from Padua to St. Anthony’s. While Padua has become a well respected school, St. Anthony’s is struggling. Mann said no to the transfer and was fired for insubordination. Padua is a part of St. Anthony’s parish, but it was created to run separately in administration. Meaning Waseline, who oversees both, went against the organizational foundation Padua was built on. The grade school, St. Anthony School, is grades K-8 while Padua Academy serves 9-12.
It is never a good idea, even in a private school setting, to get rid of those who make something great. And when that termination reason is based on something unethical? Definitely not a good idea! But when it comes from a Catholic Priest. Even worse!
The Season Of Myths 
Kevin, the WDEL coverage had a little about the reason but you have more. http://www.wdel.com/news/principal-at-wilmington-s-padua-academy-abruptly-fired/article_170e5c3c-297f-11e8-927b-db7a1076828f.html
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There was a time when the majority families of Padua students were members of St. Anthony’s church, attended services every Sunday, and made weekly “offerings.” When I was a child I attended a Catholic school in Elkton where my parents received discounted tuition if they committed to a weekly offering plan. I often went to church on Sundays just for the purpose of handing in the offering. When we were touring Catholic schools as an option for my son, one school still offered the discount. Another offered to apply the previous year’s tuition rate if we would make a substantial donation to the school. Back to Padua, St. Anthony’s is upset because fewer and fewer families are joining their church, meaning the traditional offerings are not showing up in the collection baskets. Thus, Padua is seeing all the benefits of the tuition paid rather than a breakdown of tuition that meant at least a small portion went into the church coffers. I can’t say that this is why the head of school was termed. But, understanding how Catholic education worked in the past and what’s happening currently will help inform those without that experience as they participate in the conversation. If father whatever-his-name-is (as you can see my Catholicism didn’t take) asked for funds, he may have done so based on the patriarchal hierarchy while taking into account how churches and schools were historically funded. And in that case, I hope the head of school sues St. Anthony for every cent they’ve scurried away.
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If Mrs. Mann was head St. Anthony’s and Weasle ine was head of Padua then the church would be flourishing and the school would be sinking. It’s the Weasles fault that no one wants to go to his church any more. Weasle bully fired Mann because he can’t be a good enough leader to attract people back to his parish. Well- bullies never win. No leader at Padua will ever tolerate a Weasle Bully.
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