Catholic schools are “paramount” for Michigan and the country as a whole, said Teresa Cichewicz, a resident of Coopersville, which is in Ottawa County.
“They are vitally important to the formation of children, so long as they are true to the Catholic doctrine and the Catholic faith,” said Cichewicz, a member of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Allendale.
She believes Catholic schools are responsible for helping form the minds and consciousness of young people.
Public schools, on the other hand, have agendas such as gender ideologies that they are teaching children at a young age, according to Cichewicz. “It’s completely destroying our youth’s innocence,” she said. “That needs to be forbidden.”
She said she would not vote for a presidential candidate who did not support school choice.
“I would only vote for a candidate who allowed school choice for students to attend Catholic schools,” said Cichewicz, who does not yet have children. “For the salvation of their soul, it’s important that they receive traditional Catholic teaching, which cannot be provided in public schools right now.”
Democratic nominee Joe Biden has expressed opposition to federal funding for for-profit charter schools, U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos told Fox News.
“Parents are demanding more choices today as their schools across the country are not serving them and the needs of their students,” DeVos said. “So the demand for school choice and giving parents the control for their kids' future is continuing to grow. And it's a really important point in time.”
If Biden were to restrict the ability of parents to send their children to Catholic schools, it would divide the country even further, DeVos said.
“I think that would incite many riots,” said Cichewicz.
The country needs to return to traditional values, according to Cichewicz.
“Whatever we can do to support the Catholic choice is something we want to work towards,” she concluded.
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