Yes. Public money should not be used to finance schools that have potentially religious curricula.
50% (153 votes)
No. These charter schools are simply offering a culturally sensitive education. They represent the diverse array of school-choice options that should be made available to all students regardless of income.
20% (61 votes)
It depends. As long as their curricula remain strictly ethical, historical, and cultural, allowing for the free expression of religion without teaching or requiring the practice of it, such schools should be allowed to apply for public funding.
27% (81 votes)
None of the above. (See below to comment.)
3% (8 votes)
Total votes: 303
Comments (31)
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How about we all learn a bit about the government's laws?
Atheism is the lack of a belief in god. Religion, by definition, requires belief in a higher power. Thus atheism is not religion. Additionally the separation of church and state, as defined by the framers, is being misconstrued. Separation of Church and State means that the government is NOT actively promoting one singular religion. For instance, early Muslim cities (think 1600-1800) did not have separation. They allowed the 'People of the Book' (I.e. Christians and Jews) to live in peace, though if you converted to Islam, you got a tax break. That is actively promoting a single religion.
Now in Public schools theres often some sort of world religions course, or at least its touched upon in history (since religion is a driving factor in world history). Public schools just don't have a class that promotes one religion (unless of course you live in the south and people are idiots and think Intelligent Design is science). Some priviate religious schools don't teach evolution (the more fundamentalist ones like some baptist schools). Mine did, it taught science as fact (actually my AP bio teacher taught us everything creationists and intelligent design people say to evolutionists and how to combat their stupidity. He was awesome)
NOW it is NOT against the the separation of church and state for a child to learn about different religions in a class. I actually think it's a good idea if students learn about other cultures. Its probably the reason theres so many intolerant people in America. However if said teacher said that Catholicism is the one true religion and you must follow it, that violates it and the teacher would probably be fired.
Back to the states
Give education back to the states....please!
Atheism
Since Atheism is a religion, isn't that religion (or lack of it) what's being taught in our public schools? Just wondering.
Yep
It's all about education, period!
Separation
Blake is yet another person who kind of misses the whole point of not establishing a religion. Interesting how people like him try to split hairs and say there is no foundation for separation, yet when there is an issue they are for that requires an extra constitutional view, they have no problem discussing what the intent of the "fathers" was, and how important that is. And I wonder how these people would feel about their tax dollars being used to teach buddhism/islam/judaism, you pick the godless heathens.
Religious-leaning charter schools
Do religious-leaning charter schools violate the separation of church and state? It is impossible for them to do so since their is absolutely nothing in our Constitution or its ammendments that establishes a separation of church and state to begin with.
The term "wall of separation between church and state" was in a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptist Association. Specifically, Jefferson wrote, "Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man & his god, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, thus building a wall of separation between church and state."
The First Ammendment to the Constitution simply states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;..." In other words, Congress won't set up a religion or stop people from practicing their religion.
The "wall of separation between church and state" was a statement made one time by Jefferson in one letter. Period. It is not a part of the law of the United States, just one man's interpretation of what that law meant to him. And it wasn't a denial of religion as the same letter ends with, "I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection and blessing of the common Father and creator of man, and tender you for yourselves and your religious association, assurances of my high respect & esteem."
That said, do I want to trust just anybody with teaching religion to my children. No way. If I don't agree with a school's curriculum I wouldn't send my children there.
Religious-leaning charter schools
Christianity Discussion
Here's my solution to the dilemma. The state should fund religious schools because they teach things like reading, writing, math, etc. However, we don't want to subsidize individual religious indoctrinations. So why don't we just pro-rate it? Fund the the other educational activities... just not the religious instruction? It sound good to me.
Definitely not
No, religious charter schools do not violate the Separation of Church and State (SCS), or at least not what that was supposed to be. SCS is SUPPOSED to give Americans freedom OF religion, not freedom from religion. A school should not be denied public funding because it has a religious leaning.
Also, if parents know that the school has that religious leaning, it is their choice to send their child to that school or to a different one.
Personally, I am in favor of vouchers for education. I attended a private religious high school which does not receive government funding, and I think it is stupid that my parents had to pay taxes for public schools on top of the tuition for my school. That is ridiculous!
Religion in Charter Schools
You raise an excellent point, and one I have mentioned to the board of directors of a new local charter school. They are aware the school district is watching them closely, yet they are testing the law by giving students curriculum materials which read like excerpts from the Bible. What if these materials pertained to the Koran, or Buddhism?
I believe that before a
I believe that before a private school is opened, the group that is looking into opening the school should make sure their finances can keep the institution running. I am aware that the amount of money a group earns is not certain and their income can have a sudden drop. Still, the group should also seek other ways of acquiring the finances if their own are not adequate to keep the institution running.