[Truth]

Although I would somewhat, though not completely, disagree with catsallthetime's description of private school supporters as elitists, I believe he has described LexCath fairly well. Actually, his elitist description may be better applied to LCA.

Nonetheless, the leveling off of some private schools and the digression of others can be directly tied to the state of the economy. The desire of many, many families to send their children, athletes or non-athletes, to private schools has probably increased with the movement of public education away from basics and into what many see as social indoctrination. It gets down to a matter of available money. Many can afford the tuition. Many sacrifice to pay the tuition. Many, though unhappy, choose to spend elsewhere. And, of course, many like the free education mainly because it is free.

If there were true school choice in Kentucky, the private schools would flourish. And that, of course, is why the teacher unions and the liberal politicians will never allow it to happen.

[FBfan4life]

Thing of the past? First of all just because Trinity or Saint X is not state championship game, does mean private schools are dead. Newport Central Cath, Desale is still alive. Girls soccer state champs I believe it's Notre Dame. Boys soccer runner up is Trinity I think.. How about all the success and accomplishment of all these private schools that went and go further in their tournament/ playoffs in there respected sports? Tates Creek, Lafayette football one and done in playoff. Dunbar, Byan Station 2nd round out. Henry Clay regional final lost. And that's just in football. I don't know of any other sports, but Im sure If you reseach, you will find that private schools in central, western and northern Ky, private schools were all contenders. I could care less who wins.. Private or public, but for you to say private domination will be the thing of the past. I highly disagree.

[FBfan4life]

The point that a lot of you are missing in the whole discussion is how the atmosphere around a lot of the private /catholic/Christian schools have change. Now they have turned into elite private schools that have a Christian curriculum. It has built a "we are better than you mentality" We are the haves and you are the have nots and we don't want to associate with you.That has bred hate between the parents and the kids. Lexington Catholic as a case study. 25 years ago you saw kids from families with 5 to 9 kids able to educate the kids with a Catholic education. The tuition was at a point where it could be done. The kids lived in the same area as the most of the public school kids. We were all friends on the playground competed together in summer baseball, rec basketball and so on. We just went to different schools. The Southland Park area in Lexington was mostly catholic families. That area built the Mary Queen Parrish. I think back in the 70's the cost was somewhere around $75.00 a month for a child to go to LC. I think there was a big break for the other siblings. I sent 3 kids through Catholic between 2005 an 2011. If I am not mistaken tuition was around $8000 a year for my last one. Ad in in what you gave outside of the tuition who knows. As far as athletics go LC was at the bottom of the competitive chain up until the early 80's No football and a mediocre Basketball and baseball program. In comes D. Haney who played at LC and knew everyone in town. He had classmates that went on to become successful in the business community and was able to tap those resources at a time when catholic was in dire straits and its existence was questionable. You had a school president that understood Catholics future success would depend on offering something that would draw students to school. That was athletics. Football was added. Haneys relationship with a local basketball guru (Who was upset how his son was handled at a local public school ) was built and all of a sudden you had the best players in Lex enrolled at Catholic. They had a winner before any of the public schools in the area knew what hit them. Success breads success. Catholics enrollment went up, all of a sudden Catholic was the hot ticket. Parents that wanted their kids to flourish in academics and athletics sent the kids to Catholic. With tuition cost on the rise and the negative press on recruiting continued to grow. Haney left and was replaced, The vision he and his team had built leveled off. You lost a football coach. A girls basketball coach. Best baseball coach in Lex (All of who built their respective programs up to state leaders) and now you see LC coming back to earth. The public schools in a lot of areas have stepped their game up academically. Tuition at the privates has gone sky high and with the economy you cant get these good athletes in school anymore. You can get the rich kids in but not the hungry competitive neighborhood kids. This year in football you are seeing the state finals come back to a all public school championship. It will be the first of many and in a few years the private domination will be a thing of the past.

Another thing. You mentioned seeing Lex Cath football come back down to earth? If that's the case, when you sent all your kids from 2005-2011, Lex Cath won 2 state championship in those years 2005 and 2007. The past 3 season, the football team were state semi- finalist and a few district championship. Boys basketball went all the way to the 11th regional championship 3 of the last 4 season ( correct me if Im wrong on that ). Baseball are always contenders with a couple of state champioship and district and regional throphies. So just because THIS season, we may not have all the private schools in the championship game, does not mean they are dead.

[E's Army]

Private schools are far from dead. The gap may have closed some but the private schools are very competitive. If Trinity and X were to play an all Kentucky schedule their records would be much better. There are less than 20 private schools that play football. 10% playing in Bowling Green is pretty good. I am glad that the big two's strangle hold on 6A was broken this year. The Fayette County schools are notorious under achievers. Few schools outside of Jefferson and Fayette have the numbers to be competitive year in and year out with X and Trinity. Scott County is one of those. They have finally decided they want to compete and have come leaps and bounds the last 5 years.

[nky]

yawn

[Onespiritedfan]

The point that a lot of you are missing in the whole discussion is how the atmosphere around a lot of the private /catholic/Christian schools have change. Now they have turned into elite private schools that have a Christian curriculum. It has built a "we are better than you mentality" We are the haves and you are the have nots and we don't want to associate with you.That has bred hate between the parents and the kids. Lexington Catholic as a case study. 25 years ago you saw kids from families with 5 to 9 kids able to educate the kids with a Catholic education. The tuition was at a point where it could be done. The kids lived in the same area as the most of the public school kids. We were all friends on the playground competed together in summer baseball, rec basketball and so on. We just went to different schools. The Southland Park area in Lexington was mostly catholic families. That area built the Mary Queen Parrish. I think back in the 70's the cost was somewhere around $75.00 a month for a child to go to LC. I think there was a big break for the other siblings. I sent 3 kids through Catholic between 2005 an 2011. If I am not mistaken tuition was around $8000 a year for my last one. Ad in in what you gave outside of the tuition who knows. As far as athletics go LC was at the bottom of the competitive chain up until the early 80's No football and a mediocre Basketball and baseball program. In comes D. Haney who played at LC and knew everyone in town. He had classmates that went on to become successful in the business community and was able to tap those resources at a time when catholic was in dire straits and its existence was questionable. You had a school president that understood Catholics future success would depend on offering something that would draw students to school. That was athletics. Football was added. Haneys relationship with a local basketball guru (Who was upset how his son was handled at a local public school ) was built and all of a sudden you had the best players in Lex enrolled at Catholic. They had a winner before any of the public schools in the area knew what hit them. Success breads success. Catholics enrollment went up, all of a sudden Catholic was the hot ticket. Parents that wanted their kids to flourish in academics and athletics sent the kids to Catholic. With tuition cost on the rise and the negative press on recruiting continued to grow. Haney left and was replaced, The vision he and his team had built leveled off. You lost a football coach. A girls basketball coach. Best baseball coach in Lex (All of who built their respective programs up to state leaders) and now you see LC coming back to earth. The public schools in a lot of areas have stepped their game up academically. Tuition at the privates has gone sky high and with the economy you cant get these good athletes in school anymore. You can get the rich kids in but not the hungry competitive neighborhood kids. This year in football you are seeing the state finals come back to a all public school championship. It will be the first of many and in a few years the private domination will be a thing of the past.

You do know that there are 2 catholic schools playing in the finals right? So it's not an all public school championship. There will be at one Catholic school winner this year in 2A, no matter who wins.

[catsallthetime]

I did not mean to say that LC was elitist. The perception from the outside is that most private schools are. I should have clarified that. I also want to clarify is that coming back down to earth is a comment aimed at the total domination of all the major sports for several years in Lexington. That is not the case anymore. The public private agreement in Fayette county will not allow LC to build the quality programs (Competition wise) that they enjoyed in years past. I cant speak on what the other privates are doing through out the state. I would guess Louisville has the population to keep it going in the same direction.

[30 going on 40]

Outside of 6A, or the old 4A, when was private school domination ever existent?
LCA had one good run that died w/ recruiting. LC was never dominant. They won the title one time. CovCath had a good run from '87-'94, and two titles after that, but haven't ever been the dominant team in their own district. NewCath has done well, but also lost 4 state championship games to public schools since '00. As it has always been, this perception is way overblown.

I do agree w/ the spiraling costs of a Catholic education will affect numbers where public districts are competitive, or even better academically.

[EKUAlum05]

Outside of 6A, or the old 4A, when was private school domination ever existent?
LCA had one good run that died w/ recruiting. LC was never dominant. They won the title one time. CovCath had a good run from '87-'94, and two titles after that, but haven't ever been the dominant team in their own district. NewCath has done well, but also lost 4 state championship games to public schools since '00. As it has always been, this perception is way overblown.

I do agree w/ the spiraling costs of a Catholic education will affect numbers where public districts are competitive, or even better academically.

2A would be a major area... NewCath has had a dominant run and the Championships when they did not win were won by Cov. Holy Cross (Private) and Ft. Campbell who you could technically classify as a private for a lack of a better definition

I am with you though... 6A/Old 4A is the only blaring class... LexCath, LCA,and to a lesser extend Owensboro Catholic ( a few Semi's and a Few Runner-Up's) and DeSales (handful of Semi's and now a Finals appearance) have had statewide success...but it has been far from dominance.

[bluedad1]

I know that at Cov Cath (currently a 4A school), the current class of Soph's represented the highest class enrollment at CCH in ten years. This years Frosh class beat that by @ 10-15 students and next years Frosh class is slated to be the biggest yet. So numbers are increasing in a big way at CCH. Looks realistic that at the next reclassification, they will move up to 5A.