Scotland School for Veteran's Children

moxham123 · Post by **moxham123** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:27 pm

Have any of you ever heard of this private school that is totally funded by Pennsylvania taxpayer money called the Scotland School for Veteran's Children? Governor Rendell wants to close it since it is believed to have more than outlived it's original purpose of providing an education and housing for Orphan Children from the Civil War. It is the last remaining school of its kind in the country.

There has been much debate going on since the governor's announcement because the school costs $45,000 annually per student and the students there are selected based on criteria that is not what the original purpose was set back in 1895.

With an annual budget of $13.5 million as of February 1, 2009, 186 state employees take care of 288 students in grades 3 through 12 are enrolled in Scotland School. The enrollment number is expected to decline slightly in the next few weeks. About two-thirds of these students are children of veterans, and one-third of them are grandchildren, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews of veterans. About 35 students are related to currently-serving members of the Armed Forces, and seven of these have parents who are currently deployed to combat zones around the world. These students are not orphans as was the case from the Civil War.

Students come to Scotland School from over 30 school districts around Pennsylvania. However, over 70% of the students at SSVC are served by the Philadelphia School District, and another 10% of the students are served by other school districts in the Philadelphia area.

The capacity of the School is about 320 students, but, on a daily basis, the student population has been fewer than 300 students in recent years.

Scotland School is located on about 183 acres of Commonwealth property near Scotland in Franklin County and there are more than 70 buildings and structures on the campus including, at no cost to the students or their families, a complete residential educational experience, including living away from home in cottages with house parents and other students as well as a wide range of other activities and services.

http://www.milvet.state.pa.us/DMVA/987.htm

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:44 pm

Southern Huntingdon used to play some of their sports teams when I was in school... we never knew that much about it, except that they had the best of everything... we thought they were rich kids.--->JMS

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:51 pm

Yes, things can be reduced to black and white.

As noble as the school may be, Pennsylvania has no business funding a private school for veteran's kids unless it is exclusively for children of veterans of the Pennsylvania National Guard. Even in that case it should be a public school with equal access for all NG vets' kids. I seriously doubt if those conditions will be met.

Clearly, if any government should fund it, it should be the feds thru the Vets Administration.

PanzerFaust · Post by **PanzerFaust** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 11:03 pm

Wow! How sad is it that we have to "pinch pennies" so bad that we're screwing with the people who deserve a break more than anyone.. Military Famalies...

Thanx for the shit we've put you through all these years vets.... here's another hot poker up your ass......

Grrrrr......

moxham123 · Post by **moxham123** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 11:06 pm

Here is a forum about the school.

http://www.topix.net/forum/source/chamb ... 29EV529PJB

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 11:29 pm

Why couldn't they just get an education at any of the 500 school districts in the state? All of these schools are also government schools. Why the segregation?

moxham123 · Post by **moxham123** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 11:41 pm

Governor Rendell said the state must cut "programs whose goals may be laudable, but which fall outside the core functions of state government."

The 124-year-old school in Greene Township has 288 resident students in grades 3 to 12. The school has 186 employees and an annual payroll of $10 million.

He said in his address: "(The Scotland School) is operated by the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs at a cost to Pennsylvania taxpayers of $45,000 per student. The Scotland School was founded so that the orphans of the Civil War could receive a free public school education. Many states did the same, but those schools are long since closed. The fact is, none of the students in the school are orphans of veterans, and only seven have parents who are currently deployed. There is no question that other viable options exist for the Scotland School students. And by closing this school we free up $1.4 million (sic) in state funds to expand services to veterans across the commonwealth. Consequently, I am proposing that we eliminate funding for the continued state operation of this institution."

slackin@dabass · Post by **slackin@dabass** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 3:47 pm

cut the school, let them go to public school. why? cuz fuck it, that's why.

ZappasXWife · Post by **ZappasXWife** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 4:28 pm

Wow! How sad is it that we have to "pinch pennies" so bad that we're screwing with the people who deserve a break more than anyone.. Military Famalies...

Thanx for the shit we've put you through all these years vets.... here's another hot poker up your ass......

So am I to understand that you think that tax-payers funding this school is a good thing and should NOT end? I know that your posts are sometimes facetious (sp?) so I want to understand that you are seriously disagreeing with the other posters? What is your rationale, as I feel public school is good enough for the rest of us (btw don't assume that just because you are 'military' you are struggling financially), and as another poster pointed out, none of the students are orphans and only 7 of them are children of veterans. I would like to know exactly who these kids are, are they smart,underpriveliged kids from Philly who would benefit from a private education or are we just funding a private education for random kids whose families could possibly afford this anyway?