The $5 million grant awarded to the College of St. Joseph the Worker has sparked concern about subverting the legal process required by the Water Development Authority. While three cabinet secretaries’ signatures were required on the grant application, one, Sec. Mitch Carmichael was not included and a letter promised by the Governor’s office from Carmichael was never received. Yet the Board voted unanimously to award the money when the enabling legislation required all signatures.
While the concept of combining vocational/technical education with a bachelor’s degree shows merit, the fact that the bachelor’s degree is in Catholic studies is concerning. The school/state partnership defies the separation of church and state and one wonders if only Roman Catholics will seek to enter the program because a student of any other religion would not pursue a degree in Catholic studies. While I’m sure the program is not limited to Catholics, the degree focus would not be of value to any student of another religion.
One of the concerns has been addressed. The grant proposal included $1million for a center to work on policies, speeches, legislation in areas like abortion and immigration for the West Virginia Legislature. The Water Development Authority told College officials they had to remove that section from the Grant application for it to be considered.
The College of St. Joseph the Worker appears innovative in its approach and its expansion into Weirton appears to spur economic development at first glance. It’s important, however, for officials to answer questions on the process and ensure that the separation of church and state is monitored and maintained. While the success of the program would bring an innovative educational opportunity to our residents, it’s vital that the College and its promoters are not tarnished by sidestepping the rules and regulations set forth by the State of West Virginia.
