St. Petersburg Catholic High School

St. Petersburg Catholic High School
Address
6333 9th Avenue North

St. Petersburg
,
Pinellas County, Florida
,
Florida
33710

United States
Coordinates27°46′54″N 82°43′23″W / 27.78167°N 82.72306°W / 27.78167; -82.72306
Information
School typeParents/Guardians, Private, Coeducational
MottoFortes in Unitate
("Strong in Unity")
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic
OpenedFebruary 1957
School code212
PrincipalMr. Ross Bubolz
ChaplainFr. Carl Melchior
Grades9–12
Age14 to 18
Enrollment372
Average class size22
Hours in school day7.5
Color(s)Black and Gold   
MascotThe Baron
Team nameBarons
RivalClearwater Central Catholic
AccreditationSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools[1]
Tuition~ $11,250 per year in-parish and ~ $14,150 not in-parish rate
Director of AthleticsNick Vandewalle
Websitespchs.org

St. Petersburg Catholic High School is a private, co-educational Roman Catholic high school in St. Petersburg, Florida. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Petersburg. The campus was originally opened in February 1957 as Bishop Barry High School for boys. In 1973, Bishop Barry High School and the nearby Notre Dame Academy for girls merged to become St. Petersburg Catholic High School. (A decade earlier, St. Paul's High School for girls was merged into Notre Dame Academy.)

In July 1998, the Salesians of Don Bosco took over administration of the school. In March 2017, the Diocese of St. Petersburg announced that it would resume direct control through its Office of Catholic Schools and Centers.

Allegations of Racism

In January 2022, racist graffiti was found in a school restroom calling for the killing of all Black people, using a racial slur.[2][3][4] The St. Petersburg Police Department investigated the matter, but the person or persons responsible were not identified.[5] In addition to the racist graffiti, the word “monkey” was carved into a classroom door, and it was also asserted that racial bullying occurred at the school with the dean of students allegedly calling Black students “hoodlums”; some students addressing Black students as “slave” or the N-word; and some students exhibiting confederate flags on their cars.[6][7][8]

The President of the St. Petersburg Branch of the NAACP requested to meet with the school's principal about the matter.[9] The NAACP and St. Petersburg Catholic High School alumnus and State Senator Darryl Rouson denounced the acts of racism, and the President of the Pinellas County Chapter of the Democratic Black Caucus of Florida and a Pinellas County Commissioner called for the removal of the school's dean.[10][11] However, no such action was taken by the school or the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Petersburg.

In April 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Justice contacted the St. Petersburg Chapter of the NAACP to host listening sessions to hear concerns about the safety of minority students at St. Petersburg Catholic High School and to present any accounts of racism to the office of the United States Attorney.[12][13]

Notable alumni

See also

References

  1. ^ SACS-CASI. "SACS-Council on Accreditation and School Improvement". Archived from the original on April 29, 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-23.
  2. ^ "NAACP calls for removal of dean at St. Pete school where racist graffiti was found". Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  3. ^ "DOJ to investigate racial threat claims at St. Pete Catholic High School". Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  4. ^ "DOJ & FBI host listening session for St. Pete Catholic students after racial graffiti discovered". Retrieved April 9, 2022.
  5. ^ "NAACP calls for changes at St. Pete Catholic High, citing racist graffiti". Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  6. ^ "NAACP calls for changes at St. Pete Catholic High, citing racist graffiti". Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  7. ^ "DOJ to investigate racial threat claims at St. Pete Catholic High School". Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  8. ^ "DOJ & FBI host listening session for St. Pete Catholic students after racial graffiti discovered". Retrieved April 9, 2022.
  9. ^ "Racist graffiti written in bathroom of St. Petersburg Catholic High School". Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  10. ^ "NAACP calls for removal of dean at St. Pete school where racist graffiti was found". Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  11. ^ "NAACP calls for changes at St. Pete Catholic High, citing racist graffiti". Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  12. ^ "DOJ to investigate racial threat claims at St. Pete Catholic High School". Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  13. ^ "DOJ & FBI host listening session for St. Pete Catholic students after racial graffiti discovered". Retrieved April 9, 2022.

External links

  • School Website
  • School Facebook Page
  • Alumni Facebook Page
  • School Twitter Page
  • School Instagram Page
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=St._Petersburg_Catholic_High_School&oldid=1187643130"