Emma Brown of the Washington Post wrote about the radical rightwing evangelical agenda for America’s schools. A little-known but elite evangelical group called the Center for National Policy laid out the plans. (Peter Greene wrote about this scary little manifesto a few days ago, but his circulation is not near that of the Washington Post.) Members of the Center for National Policy represent the “who’s who” of the Christian Right.
It begins:
“A policy manifesto from an influential conservative group with ties to the Trump administration, including Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, urges the dismantling of the Education Department and bringing God into American classrooms.
“The five-page document produced by the Council for National Policy calls for a “restoration of education in America” that would minimize the federal role, promote religious schools and home schooling and enshrine “historic Judeo-Christian principles” as a basis for instruction.
“Names of the council’s members are closely held. But the Southern Poverty Law Center published a 2014 membership directory showing that Stephen K. Bannon — now chief White House strategist for President Trump — was a member and that Kellyanne Conway — now counselor to the president — served on the council’s executive committee.
“DeVos was not listed as a member, but her mother, Elsa Prince Broekhuizen, was named on the council’s board of governors. Her father-in-law, Amway founder Richard DeVos Sr., twice served as president, most recently from 1990 to 1993. And she and her husband have given money to the council as recently as 2007 through their family foundation, according to federal tax records.”
Apparently this group never heard of “separation of church and state.” If they did, they oppose it.

We need to set the agenda ourselves, fight fire with fire, we need a Federal Safe Schools Public Works program for all schools in the country re: air quality, PCBs in caulking and lighting (removed from the NYC Public Schools by the EPA) as well as locations of cellular antennas. This should be directed by Ms. DeVos.
“You never change things by fighting the existing
reality. To change something, build a new model
that makes the existing model obsolete.”
-R. Buckminster Fuller
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There is a case coming before the Supreme Court, to determine exactly this! A religiously operated school in Missouri, wants to obtain shredded tire chips, to use to make their playground safer. The school currently has “pea gravel” in the playground.
The constitution of Missouri currently forbids the state from spending any tax money for religiously-operated schools.
“It does not take a majority to prevail… but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men.” – Samuel Adams
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A historic moment of soul-searching for Americans. Religion vs science. And, when they mean God, who’s God?!!
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I wonder if the religious schools include Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, etc. I’d like to see how that goes over. Do these folks think beyond their own experience? Can’t wait to see all those Muslim schools popping up across the United States with BetsyD coming to the openings. What the hell…religious schools are fine, but there is something called the Constitution as well as established law.
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Delta,
Actually the problem of defining a religious “school” may well follow a protocol already in place with the IRS. There are indications that state and district officials will be responsible for the distribution of voucher funds.
As another indication of how religious designations have been solemnized at the national level, look at the emblems permitted on tombstones at Arlington National Cemetery. Arlington also has a procedure for adding new admissions and emblems. http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/docs/emblems.pdf
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Just because there is a protocol since some states have already jumped into the voucher pool does not mean it is good policy. Atheists should file a lawsuit against using their tax dollars for religious schools. If the Catholic church can get out of paying for birth control for employees, or a bakery can refuse to bake a cake for a gay wedding on religious grounds, why should non-religious people be forced to pay for religious instruction from their public taxes. This plan is attempt to legalize vouchers so states will pay for them. If we snooze, they will ram this through.
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There is a terrific Islamic school (Called a “Madras”) here in Fairfax County, VA. see http://www.kaa-herndon.com/
Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in the USA, and Madrasses are being established all over the USA.
Religions and religious people have the right to establish their schools, and to teach students in the ways of their particular faith. The Constitution protects and guarantees freedom of religion, and prohibits the establishment of religion.
The Supreme Court has guaranteed the right of religions to establish schools, and more importantly, it has forbidden the states from mandating that children attend government/public schools.
see
https://www.oyez.org/cases/1900-1940/268us510
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Charles,
Anyone can open a religious school. No state is required to pay tuition at a religious school. Our founding fathers wanted us not to replicate the religious wars of Europe.
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Q No state is required to pay tuition at a religious school END Q.
I believe you are wrong. In states where there are voucher programs, the vouchers can be redeemed at religious schools. Many voucher recipients in Indiana, redeem their vouchers at religiously-operated schools. Also Ohio, and Louisiana, and many other states.
The states are required to provide other types of financial assistance to religious schools, such as textbooks,etc. See Board of Education v.Allen (1968) https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/392/236
See also Mueller v. Allen (1983) https://www.oyez.org/cases/1982/82-195
States are also required to pay tuition at vocational/technical schools which are operated by religious institutions, for religious study. See
Witters v. Washington Department of Services for the Blind (1985). https://www.oyez.org/cases/1985/84-1070
(this case was decided unanimously)
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Voucher programs have universally failed to outperform public schools
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Freedom of religion means we have the right to worship as we please. It does not mean that we have the right to impose our views on others, and this is the core message of this plan. While they have said that civil law should not interfere with a parent’s right to choose a school for their child, this is our current practice. The difference is that public money should not have to pay for a parent’s religious choice. There a many systems of belief that call themselves religions. Religion is divisive, not inclusive. As a secular nation, the United States should not be adopting religious perspectives, We are not a theocracy. The state should not be using its tax dollars to support religious schools as this is not the government’s job. Public citizens should not be forced to support religious schools, particularly if shifting money to private entities harms the public schools.
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@retired teacher: You make some valid points. Of course, public tax money should not pay for a parent’s religious choice. You state Q The state should not be using its tax dollars to support religious schools as this is not the government’s job.END Q
The Supreme Court is considering this exact question, in the case of Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia INC. v. Pauley.
See https://www.oyez.org/cases/2016/15-577
Can the state of Missouri, using public money, supply shredded tire chips, to a religiously-operated school, to use in their playground? Are the children there, just as entitled to children in public schools, to have the state spend money on their safety?
The case is about more than shredded tires. I believe it will nullify the bigoted “Blaine amendments”, and open the door to public financing of education at religiously-operated schools, nationwide.
Public money, supplied by taxpayers, is frequently used to purchase non-religious services and goods from religious institutions and organizations.
My favorite example: If a Baptist gets government food stamps, and redeems them at a food pantry run by the Roman Catholics, to purchase Kosher beef and Halal (Islamic-blessed) Lamb, whose religion is the government supporting?
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There is a huge difference in purchasing products and education. When products are purchased there is no proselytizing involved. The purpose of a religious school is to proselytize as well as to provide academic education. Comparing one to the other is a false equivalency.
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Q There is a huge difference in purchasing products and education. END Q
Really? What do you call “tuition”? My parents sent me to private school for the 4th grade (see http://www.sayreschool.org/)
They paid for the product of my education at this school. (I did not like it there, and I could not wait to get back to public school).
Q The purpose of a religious school is to proselytize as well as to provide academic education. END Q
I disagree. Religiously-operated schools operate all over the USA, and not all of them are engaged in proselytization.
Examples: Notre Dame and Georgetown. These colleges accept students from many different religious backgrounds, and do not push their students into Catholicism.
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Nope. I will continue to teach “secular” ideas with impunity. What Bob McEwen proposes is indoctrination, pure and simple. UnAmerican to the soul.
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Christo-fascism coming to a your state soon!
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Does Betsy DeVos and her allies on behalf of vouchers for religious schools have a clue about the consequences?
Vouchers ‘DIMINISH’ CHURCHES’ RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES: http://nber.org/papers/w23159
Research from the National Bureau of Economic Research focused on the effects of vouchers on Catholic schools in Milwaukee.
The study found that vouchers diminish other religious activities in those churches.
“In our data, the typical parish accepting vouchers gets MORE revenue from government-funded vouchers (nearly a million dollars annually) than from donations from parishioners.
A parish will gain financial stability but the school vouchers will driving down their revenue for and spending on other religious activities.
Bottom Line: The vouchers became the budgetary savior for parish schools, but also diminished the “pass the basket” contributions from parishioners for other religious activities.
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You betcha! I’ve seen it happen. Does a family wish to spend more time at Church when their kids are already attending a religious school and getting religion education in school?….NO! Too much of one thing is not what people want to do.
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I think the original document should be circulated to the entire mailing list of all pro-public education associations (including state education associations) so that members can read it for themselves.
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These truly are the mole people.
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I would like to go on record as agreeing with the one point made in the conservative document. Reform cannot be top down. Power for education does need to grow from the teachers and parents. From these roots, a rich, diverse curriculum will spring up, and the students will get more than they deserve. We all will benefit.
So why does this group feel that removal of government will achieve this? Why do they think that tearing down the top will produce a bottom up reform? Most importantly, why do they think that giving power to teachers is antithetical to their idea of reform?
We all know the answer to that. They are saying the opposite of what they want. They want to post the Ten Commandments. They do not want me to post them because hey persuaded me they were needed. This is not roots reform at all, but is a Trojan horse for a particular view of Christianity. Dwayne calls it Christo-fascism. Recall, however, that the fascists were able to convince Christians of their day that their ethos was compatible with the Christian view of ethics. People like Bonheoffer fought them then with tooth and nail, but they were in the minority.
For those of us who try to be Christian, the doctrinaire falsehood of a philosophy that is exclusive rather than inclusive suggests a remarkably pharisidic view of the religion. Does not really seem like the Jesus who served the Samaritan woman at the well.
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The document says. “For the duration of its existence, fire every single person at the Department of education “from Assistant Secretaries to the mailroom” and replace them with people who believe in the Trump/DeVos vision.”
This is not the first time I’ve read that Trump wants to replace workers in civil service jobs with people in patronage jobs. The civil service is unionized and workers are hired based on merit, including training and experience. They are not patronage jobs for those who do favors for those in power, swear loyalty to the leader and/or party and sign a non-disclosure agreement –which I’ve read Trump wants to impose as well. Has he no clue that the spoils system is illegal? Where the hell is the ACLU?
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