San Francisco de Asis Catholic School, Taos, New Mexico (1935 – 2006)

|  School's Out, Forever?  |

The San Francisco de Asis Catholic School had already closed in 1968 due to lack of students. In 2006 the Archdiocese of Santa Fe announced that the school would close for the last time.  Archbishop Michael Sheehan explained the closure was needed because of the church’s deteriorating financial situation.  At the time of the closure announcement, 74 students were enrolled.  Diana Boyd, graduate of the school and mother of student Angela Jones, stated that the parent body had recruited the requested number of students needed to keep the school open.  Boyd, and other parents were more than disappointed.  She pointed out that education should be the church’s top priority, referencing Saint John Calassanctius, patron saint of tuition free Catholic schools.  Ironically, the Archdiocese of Santa Fe is currently involved in a mega, for profit redevelopment project, which includes hotels and a new school, Santo Nino Regional Catholic School in an area densely populated by tourism.