I support using school vouchers for parochial schools

Post Reply New Topic

I support using school vouchers, and for religious schools, provided no religion is discriminated against. So a voucher could go to a Catholic school, or it could go to a madrassa, or to some other type of religious school; or it could go to a completely secular school. Though there are the concerns with the teaching of creationism or Islam on public dollars, I think the ability to go to these schools should be guaranteed to all families, not just those who can afford it. I think allowing this equality of school choice is important.

In addition, though this country has separation of church and state, it was never meant to have European-style enforced secularization of public spaces. Generally, this country is set up to let people decide for themselves what religion they want to adopt and to raise their children in that religion, and for the government to not show any favoritism toward any religion ("establishment"). It was never meant to drive religion from public life.

In response to challenges on 1st amendment bases, that no public money should go to religious schools, the vouchers go to the families to decide what school they want to attend, not directly to the schools. Banning vouchers going to religious schools would violate the 1st amendment by taking that choice away.

Of course, the state can still set a curriculum the schools have to follow.