Hurricane Schoolin'

Here's an honest-to-goodness positive story about post-Katrina relief efforts: A number of private schools in Tennessee are waiving tuition and opening their doors to children displaced by Katrina.

The Tennesseean's Claudette Riley writes that at least 50 private schools throughout Tennessee are either waiving tuition, or dramatically cutting it, to allow Katrina victims.

"No one is required to track displaced students who enroll in private schools statewide, but 390 have enrolled in the dozen or so schools that reported their numbers to the state Department of Education.

"Some schools have room only for a few. Others, including Father Ryan High School in Nashville, are trying to accommodate all who show up.

" 'Our school's mission is to be an example of the living gospel, and these children are in crisis. They have been displaced, but they have found a home,' said Jim McIntyre, principal of the 955-student Father Ryan High, which has 20 displaced students. 'Even though we don't know these people, we know these people. We are these people.'

"The high school is waiving the $6,880 tuition, the $350 activity fee and the $400 to $600 in books for displaced students it simply calls 'transfers.' "

Stay tuned for these genuine instances of private-school generosity to obtain the stench of politics. If you don't think what results from this will become fodder for proponents of school vouchers, well, then I've got some swampland in New Orleans for sale.