The Lewiston council member from Ward One and at least one other councilor are pushing to eliminate busing students to St. Dom’s Academy elementary school.

A number of years ago I held that same Ward One council seat. At the time, there were six parochial schools in Lewiston; there were more students in those schools than in the public schools.

Taxpayers of Lewiston were spared hundreds of thousands of dollars in education costs while those schools were functioning.

Today, things are quite different. Parochial schools have closed throughout Maine. Within the past 10 days has come the announcement that the Cathedral School in Portland is soon to close. Also, the parochial school in Saco will close at the end of this school year. Many cities in Maine provided busing to parochial schools while they were operating, as a matter of public safety.

Lewiston has stopped paying for textbooks and testing in our one remaining parochial school. Do we want to see the number of students in that school decline, or see that school cease to be?

You can be assured that, in such case, students will not be going to Hebron or Wayneflete. The parents of parochial school students make serious sacrifices to pay tuition costs. They also pay Lewiston real estate taxes, just as the parents of students in our public schools.

There is an old saying, “penny wise and pound foolish.”

Local voters have overwhelmingly supported busing these students in the past. They still feel that way today.

Jere Clifford, Lewiston