Analects of Joseph Zwilling: On Closing Catholic Schools

 

Today's quote from The Hudson Independent:   

"With only 83 stu­dents reen­rolled at Trans­fig­u­ra­tion next year and shift­ing de­mo­graph­ics, Zwill­ing stated that com­bi­na­tion “some­times make it im­pos­si­ble for a par­tic­u­lar school to con­tinue.”

So this little piece of text requires close literal analysis, because there is usually total legal correctness and a dash of casuistry in most of Mr. Zwilling's public utterances.  

• He quotes a number preceded by the word "only," then follows it by a vague statement that implies re-enrollment is low. Is that true?
• Has the re-enrollment period closed?
• Is 83 re-enrolled students a low figure for this school at this time in the cycle?
• What is the number for new enrollments?
• He goes on to say that low (by implication) re-enrollment and shifting demographics sometimes (my bold) "make it impossible for a particular school to continue."  If Transfiguration is one of these "particular" schools, why does he shift to generalities?

Another instructive point in this article that can be overlooked by the casual reader: 

"An email sent to Trans­fig­u­ra­tion School Prin­ci­pal Carmine Torchetti was an­swered May 2 by Joseph Zwill­ing, Di­rec­tor of Com­mu­ni­ca­tions for the Arch­dio­cese, who stated stu­dents and fam­i­lies were no­ti­fied of Trans­fig­u­ra­tion’s demise Wednes­day af­ter­noon."

Why does Joseph Zwilling answer Carmine Torchetti's e-mail?  Might Mr. Torchetti's response been somewhat different?

Read the entire article by Rick Pezullo here: https://thehudsonindependent.com/transfiguration-catholic-school-in-tarrytown-to-close/