Americans United Urges House Panel To Reject Federal Funding Of Religious Schools

[Adsos Letter]

SOURCE: Americans United
March 1, 2011
Press Release

A private school voucher plan aimed at the District of Columbia funnels tax money to religious schools, violates civil rights and does nothing to improve students’ academic achievement, Americans United for Separation of Church and State has told a House of Representatives panel.

Americans United submitted written testimony today before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s Subcommittee on Health Care, District of Columbia, Census, and the National Archives. The subcommittee is considering H.R. 471, a bill sponsored by Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) that would revive a controversial voucher plan in Washington, D.C.

“The D.C. voucher plan does not work, it violates civil rights and it forces taxpayers to subsidize religion,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United. “The rule is three strikes and you’re out.”

Lynn noted that under the plan, participating religious schools would be permitted to use tax funds to teach dogma. At the same time, they could fire or refuse to hire staff based on their religious beliefs or lifestyle choices.

LINK: http://www.au.org/media/press-releases/archives/2011/03/au-urges-house-panel-to.html
_________________________________________________

Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.

[HopeHoops]

1. Vouchers are for rich "religious" people to suck money out of impoverished school districts.

And the GOP isn't even trying to hide that fact anymore.

[Adsos Letter]

3. From Lynn's press release:

Lynn called on Congress to focus on helping D.C.’s public schools.

“Instead of pushing a failed voucher plan, Congress would do better to work toward improving public education for all of D.C.’s youngsters,” Lynn remarked.

[HopeHoops]

8. That's the point. PA is facing this now. Piccola is pushing vouchers. Read on...

The MAIN amendment that the GOP opposes is requiring property tax bills (the main funding for schools) to indicate exactly how much the district lost as a result of vouchers sucking money away to rich districts. Curiously, many Republicans are opposed to the bill because, given that their constituents are generally in areas with only one school system within reasonable reach, there's no advantage to implementing it. The entire thing is designed to let rich suburbs suck money out of under-performing urban school districts. The exact opposite should happen. Most of those "under-performing" schools are working with rather out-dated materials and little if any technology. The rich districts (like Camp Hill around here) will gladly take some "Harrisburg trash" as one resident was quoted to get some extra funds as long as they have the space to "babysit" them.

That's what vouchers are really about.

[Adsos Letter]

9. Interesting post on PA, and makes perfect sense. I oppose the

"fath-based" programs for similar reasons; sucking money away from legitimate government agencies, and turning the responsibilities, and taxpayers funds, over to private religious entities to perform a role more properly left either to government or private secular organizations.

[Morning Dew]

11. Not only that.

The "faith based" organizations, by using government funds for social programs, free up their own funds for proselytizing.

They don't advertise that the social programs are government funded either - allowing people to think that those programs are funded by the "faith based" organization.

[Adsos Letter]

12. "free up their own funds for proselytizing"

Yes, that is one I had not considered until someone recently pointed it out to me. A type of Back-door funding of strictly religious doctrine.

[Morning Dew]

13. and it's the same argument the right wing uses against Planned Parenthood.

I say if they pull PP's money they should pull the "faith based" program money as well.

[defendandprotect]

2. Unconstitutional .... of course!! We should overturn Bush's funding of Vatican "faith based" orgs .

[Adsos Letter]

4. I agree about the unconstitutionality, and the need to reassign the funds now directed toward "faith

I agree about the unconstitutionality, and the need to reassign the funds now directed toward "faith-based" programs.

From AU's press release:

In its testimony to the House panel, AU wrote, “Most religious primary and secondary schools are part of the ministry of the sponsoring church. Because these schools either cannot or do not wish to separate the religious components of the education they offer from their academic programs, it is impossible to prevent a publicly funded voucher from paying for these institutions’ religious activities and education. This conflicts with one of the most dearly held principles of religious liberty – the government should not compel any citizen to furnish funds in support of a religion with which he or she disagrees, or even a religion with which he or she does agree.”


I GLADLY support AU, to the degree in which I can.

[defendandprotect]

15. Notice that Bush supplied US taxpayer subsidy to Vatican just when they needed the $$$ ....

for their priest pedophile lawsuits -- !!

Vatican/RCC has most of the "faith-based" organizations --

Anyone who voted for this should be tossed from Congress --

[Solly Mack]

5. K&R

[Adsos Letter]

6. BTW...congrats on winning the photo contest, Solly Mack!

:toast:

[Solly Mack]

7. Thanks, Adsos Letter! :o)

and to you.


:toast:

[BonnieJW]

10. That's fine. Let's funnel money to religious schools.

There's one near my house attached to a mosque. How much do they get?

[RC]

14. But, but, but everbody knows only Christian schools are real religious schools.

Except when they're not for voucher purposes.