PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Alumnae of John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls’ High School are disappointed after a Philadelphia judge dismissed their bid to keep the school open at its Center City location.
The ruling was a setback for the Friends of Hallahan, the group that hopes to recreate an elite, all-girls Catholic high school — like the one the Archdiocese of Philadelphia closed this month. They had hoped to establish it in the same location.
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They argued the building was constructed with funds from Mary Hallahan McMichan for the express purpose of making it a school, and thus, it should remain a school. The judge ruled they have no standing in the matter.
Danielle Giangreco said the group will not give up. She also accused the archdiocese of petty slights, like not allowing a final walk-through of the building for alumnae and sending a cease-and-desist letter for using the name Hallahan, even on social media.
“We really just wanted to be respected and heard that we want to continue the legacy and the traditions,” she said. “If we want to start a new school, why can’t we use the Hallahan name? They are closing, they are dismissing us. Why can’t we start a new school?”
The archdiocese sent a prepared statement that did not directly address the Friends of Hallahan’s complaints, though it said every alternative to closing the school was considered but none were viable, so it developed a plan to help every student transfer to another archdiocesan school.
It said 72% of current students have already transferred for the fall, and the archdiocese will need all of Hallahan’s funds — including restricted funds — to meet the students’ needs for financial assistance.