This article was written by Dan Currie, a member of Pastors for Texas Children. He explains that the real goal of the school choice movement is to eliminate public schools.
He writes:
Many years ago, Jerry Falwell articulated the goal of the school choice movement well when he said, “I hope I live to see the day when, as in the early days of our country, we won’t have any public schools. The churches will have taken them over again and Christians will be running them. What a happy day that will be!”
Since the beginning of the religious right movement with Falwell, Phyllis Schlafly, Pat Robertson and others, the aim has been to destroy public education in America. Today they are closer than ever to achieving their goal because it is now being promoted by the president, his education secretary Betsy DeVos and Republican leaders in Texas government including the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, agriculture commissioner and land commissioner.
This is what you have elected in Texas, my friends, by choosing party over sanity.
Vouchers, school choice, education savings accounts — they are all code words intended to mask the real aim of this movement: destroy public education in America and turn all schools into institutions of religious indoctrination.
Trump’s intentions are clear. His first choice for Secretary of Education was Jerry Falwell, Jr., according to Falwell himself. Trump sent his own children to private schools where the tuition is $50,000 a year or more. No voucher would allow a student to attend those schools.
Currie writes about the destructive effect that vouchers would have on public schools in his own home county:
I live in the Wall ISD. If 20 students get $5,000 apiece to leave the public school to attend a private school, Wall ISD will lose close to $130,000 that can’t be replaced. That money is just lost. No teacher can be fired, no bus route stopped, no money on utilities saved — they just lose the money.
So let me speak bluntly to my friends in the Wall ISD (and you can apply this to any ISD in our area) — when you keep electing right-wing, religious right Republicans at the state and national level, you are voting to close our schools. Please figure that out before it’s too late.
The Texas Senate passed voucher legislation, by a vote of 18-13. It was defeated overwhelmingly by a bipartisan vote in the House of Representatives. Given that vouchers are the personal obsession of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, expect this zombie to rise again.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Yesterday I was listening to a Moth Radio Hour story about a young Jewish girl (age 9) who went with her parents to live in Germany in 1964. To be safe her mother told her to not tell anyone she was Jewish. On the very first day of class she was interviewed by her teacher in front of the class so the teacher could fill out the required forms and the students could learn a little about their new classmate. The third question she was asked was “What is your religion?” The story mostly tells of her angst it trying to avoid answering this question but, finally, she answered that she was Jewish.
She found out later that the reason for the question was there were two religion courses, one Catholic and one Protestant, and the teacher needed to determine into which of those she would be placed. The speaker said that she learned a lot about catholicism that year.
This is the problem. If you think about the religious differences in our school kids, down to an including the internecine wars between Protestants, etc. how could any school be run by religionists. It boggles the mind. But these education “reformers” who have lived in ideological bubbles for the last 50 years, think this still a good idea. Appalling!
Few people know that the separation of church and state was supported by evangelicals when the Constitution was ratified because then, they were in a small minority and giving status to the major players would keep them out of the public sphere for a long, long time. This current crop of evangelicals has forgotten this lesson and all of the non-Evangelical Christian religions should be noting this and screaming bloody murder because the intention is, indeed, to crush the other religions.
There are about 70 million evangelicals now with several of them like DeVos with very deep pockets. They are a political force, and some of them are responsible for pushing the Republican Party further to the right of reason.
“all of the non-Evangelical Christian religions should be noting this and screaming bloody murder because the intention is, indeed, to crush the other religions.”
Indeed. And it should not be too difficult for them to achieve at this point, since it was evangelicals from the Tea Party who trashed Trump’s healthcare bill because it was not draconian enough for them, demonstrating they basically control the GOP today.
All branches of the federal government are in their hands now, too.
Plus, at the state level, most governors are Republican and the GOP controls a majority of state houses, which was the plan of ALEC. and the person in charge of the federal Office of Civil Rights was hand picked by DeVos etc.
It looks very grim for all who are not in the white male Xtian club.
You ask, “How could any school be run by religionists?”. Are you not aware that there are schools all over the USA, which are run by religions?
e.g. Islam
Goals of Islamic Colleges and Universities in America
The goals of Islamic universities in America are much like those of any other religious university in the US. The first goal is to educate students on all aspects of the Islamic knowledge. In addition, these universities look to educate students in the proper methods of Islam in order to perform wholly as a Muslim each day. Students are also groomed to be great embers of their community and parish, while providing students with an unwavering sense of knowledge. Like most colleges, the curriculum is based on a four year plan with 120 credits. While each university differs, most Islamic universities push students to major in some sort of Islamic studies area.
from https://www.internationalstudent.com/study_usa/religious-schools/us-islamic-schools/
e.g. The Jewish Faith
What Do Jewish Universities and Colleges Stand For?
Jewish universities seek to educate Jewish students in both a certain subject as well as the Jewish faith. Most Jewish universities have many different educational departments, but one of the most popular is the seminary school. Jewish universities prepare future Rabbis and clergymen for community service by instructing students on the history of Judaism, scripture, counseling, and contemporary issues in Jewish society. Most Jewish leaders and Rabbis get their start by studying at a Jewish university. International students will be challenged by some of the best educational institutions in the nation. Strong education is the cornerstone of these Jewish institutions. One of the strongest features of Jewish universities is their strong commitment to integrity. Each university has an academic integrity policy that all students must abide by. This policy holds students accountable to the traditional values of both Judaism and the western world. Students must refrain from cheating or plagiarism. This rule makes students accountable and responsible for their own work. Students must also seek to be honest in their pursuit of education while spreading wisdom. Lastly, the goal of their education is to contribute and advance the Jewish community.
from https://www.internationalstudent.com/study_usa/religious-schools/jewish-college-university/
The Baptists run educational institutions, The Roman Catholics, the Presbyterians, The Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), etc.
The Supreme Court has ruled, that individuals have the right to withdraw their children from public schools, and enroll the children at a religious school (at their own expense). see
Pierce, Governor of Oregon, et al. v. Society of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, 268 U.S. 510 (1925
Religiously supported education has been part of the “warp and woof” of our nation’s educational systems since before the founding of our republic.
Charles,
Those who enroll their children in religious schools know that they must pay for it.
The public schools are free and supported by taxpayers. They are open to all students and must abide by state and federal laws.
Religious schools are free to discriminate, to limit their enrollment to those who practice their faith, to exclude students who are gay or whose parents are gay, to exclude students with disabilities.
One gets public money.
The other is subsidized by the faithful. If the faithful don’t support their own school, why should the burden be shifted to the public?
Not all parents who enroll their children in religiously-operated schools know that they must pay for the tuition and other costs. In Indiana, (and other states) children attend religiously-operated schools, with assistance from the public purse. see
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/11/mike-pence-voucher-program-religious-schools
Indiana children attend Catholic-operated schools, and Islamic Madrasses. Some of these schools teach creationism, and other religious topics.
Public schools are not “free”. The costs of running all government/public schools are borne by the taxpayers.
Religiously-operated schools, are certainly free to limit their enrollment, to students who are of their faith. These schools may discriminate against students based on sexual orientation, or other criteria such as disabilities.
Public schools get money from the public purse, to pay the costs of operating the schools. Private/parochial schools must also have a source of revenue. In some states, these schools may choose to accept students who receive vouchers from the public purse.
Not all private schools are receiving funding from members of a specified religion. Some private/parochial schools receive donations from individuals who are not of the same religion. Some private/parochial schools receive donations from corporations, like any other 501(c)3 non-profit. Some private/parochial schools have endowment funds, and the interest earnings on these funds support the schools.
As to why the “:burden” should be borne by the public, easy.
The private/parochial schools which enroll students using vouchers (and/or educational savings accounts, etc), are performing a public service, which is educating young people. Just like religiously-operated universities provide educational services to students who are using BEOG’s to pay tuition. No one objects to college students attending a Yeshiva, a Madras, a Baptist school, or any other institution, on the public dime.
As long as the child is getting an education, how can anyone object?
Charles,
I object to paying for religious indoctrination in any faith including my own.
I object to my tax dollars paying for schools that discriminate against children based on their race, their sexual orientation, or their disabilities.
If the Supreme Court eliminates the state Blaine amendments and allows tax dollars to subsidize religious schools, expect that lawsuits will challenge their discriminatory admission policies and states will begin demanding that they take the same tests and meet the same standards as all publicly funded schools. Expect states to require the hiring of certified teachers.
The religious and private schools that want to protect their autonomy will not accept state money. Only the very marginal schools, those that can’t fill their seats, will take the money.
Q I object to paying for religious indoctrination in any faith including my own.
I object to my tax dollars paying for schools that discriminate against children based on their race, their sexual orientation, or their disabilities.
If the Supreme Court eliminates the state Blaine amendments and allows tax dollars to subsidize religious schools, expect that lawsuits will challenge their discriminatory admission policies and states will begin demanding that they take the same tests and meet the same standards as all publicly funded schools. Expect states to require the hiring of certified teachers.
The religious and private schools that want to protect their autonomy will not accept state money. Only the very marginal schools, those that can’t fill their seats, will take the money. END Q
You are free to object all you want. But, your tax dollars and my tax dollars are paying for students to attend religiously-operated schools and universities, nationwide. We are even paying for students to be trained in the clergy. The Supremes declared this unanimously in Witters v. Washington Department of Services for the Blind (1986).
Your taxes and my taxes are paying for schools and universities, which discriminate on all sorts of criteria.
The decision in the Trinity case, is due in June. The Blaine amendments are probably going to be declared unconstitutional.
Public (tax) dollars are already going to all types of NGO’s including religious schools, to provide services to the public.
As school choice/voucher programs expand, states will certainly regulate the schools which will wish to redeem the vouchers. Just like, you must only use a BEOG at an accredited university, the states will have every right to demand accreditation of the participating institutions.
Some religious/private/military schools may choose not to participate in a voucher program, and decline all public money, no doubt about this.
The LDS church would NEVER sponsor LDS private schools. The LDS Church refused to accept any government money when George W. Bush was handing out federal money to private charity organizations. The leadership of the church came out and said that they wouldn’t take tax money because they didn’t want any strings that the federal government might require.
Please stop putting Mormons into your arguments, Charles. You don’t know what you’re talking about, and it makes you look foolish.
I beg to differ. Here is a statement from Wikipedia, about Brigham Young University:
Brigham Young University (often referred to as BYU or, colloquially, The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah, United States. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church),
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigham_Young_University
and here is their home page
https://home.byu.edu/home/
if the LDS church does not operate this private university, who does?
I agree, that the LDS church does not operate and K-12 schools (at this time).
Q. I live in the Wall ISD. If 20 students get $5,000 apiece to leave the public school to attend a private school, Wall ISD will lose close to $130,000 that can’t be replaced. That money is just lost. No teacher can be fired, no bus route stopped, no money on utilities saved — they just lose the money. END Q
This is an interesting scenario. I propose a similar case. What if 20 students at the ISD have parents who are transferred to a different district or state? (There might be a military transfer, or a manufacturing plant would close). Would not the ISD face a similar loss of students and funding?
When a school/school district is faced with a loss of students and funding, then the school/school district will have to down-size. It happens in private industry. Teachers and support staff will have to be laid off. Bus routes can be shortened or modified. Classrooms without students will have to be sold off or destroyed.
The marketplace is a cruel taskmaster.
The the marketplace is a cruel taskmaster which is why we need shield young people from it. We have no real need to start, ranking and sorting into winners and losers. Young people deserve stability, and a chance to grow and learn. Looking at this interactive map of charter closures, we can see the problem. Opening, closing and stranding students is never good policy. http://www.prwatch.org/news/2015/09/12936/cmd-publishes-full-list-2500-closed-charter-schools
Not to mention stranding the special needs kids and the English Language learners in public schools with fewer and fewer resources to give them the help they need (and are entitled to by federal law) because most private schools and charter schools will not take those kids.
But I suppose that those people without any compassion or even a soul who think that schools should be run like businesses, simply don’t give a rat’s @ss about those kids.
School choice/vouchers will not “strand” any children in public schools. Public schools are already taking special-needs children, english-language learners, handicapped.etc. After vouchers come in, the public schools will continue to do so. Overlooked, is the fact, that parents of special-needs children, will have more flexibility in choosing the appropriate schooling for their children. It might be hard to see at first, but school choice/vouchers will benefit special needs children.
When parents have choices, parents will exercise these choices. If a private/religious school can offer an education to a special-needs child, that is superior to a public school, the parents will move the child to the better school. Not all special-needs children can be “mainstreamed”, and not all public schools are the best place to educate these children.
The current system of bigoted laws, is working against the interests of special needs children. See this:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:aUSKI3kvxd0J:https://www.conservativereview.com/commentary/2016/11/how-bigoted-19th-century-laws-are-keeping-kids-with-special-needs-out-of-schools-that-can-help&num=1&hl=en&gl=us&strip=1&vwsrc=0
“The marketplace is a cruel taskmaster.”
Sorry Charley (remember that one?), that is a false statement at face value. The “marketplace” or “free market” if you wish, is just an economic description of human interactions. The “marketplace” is not an actor nor can it ever be, therefore cannot be a taskmaster. People make economic decisions, no doubt, and some can be taskmasters, but to assign that capability to the supposed vaunted “free market” is dissembling at best or an outright falsehood as it is, used to promote certain idiologies*.
*Idiology (n.) Belief system based on falsehoods and error. The belief system of idiots.
Religion is a PRIVATE issue. I despise those who foist their religious views on me. Waging wars over whose invisible friend is best gets us nowhere.
Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Education.
As a Dutch Reconstructionist, Betsy DeVos is driven by the “goal of replacing the public education system with private Christian education.”
She is known for her “longstanding work to privatize public education, a goal driven by her religious views that do not allow for a secular public sphere; views that divide the world into “The Kingdom of God” and every one else.”
http://religiondispatches.org/shades-of-christian-reconstructionism-in-trump-education-pick-betsy-devos/
She and others like her in this administration believe that education is only the sphere of the home or the church and that secular education should not exist. Fundamentally, they are driven by an urgent sense of duty to “save” the unwashed masses in order to bring about the “Second Coming”. That’s pretty hard core.
http://www.salon.com/2015/07/31/secrets_of_the_extreme_religious_right_inside_the_frightening_world_of_christian_reconstructionism/
This letter written by Dan Currie and it really shows how scary our children’s education is in danger. To take away public education means private organizations can influence what teachers teach in classrooms. That was the whole purpose of separation of church and state. If we allow charter schools to take over education then we are encouraging religious practices within schools which was not the goal of public education. Now we have a president and the secretary of education both on board with charter schools. What they fail to realize is that they never attended public schools only private schools and to think that a voucher program will erase all of our current problems is someone who is misinformed. A voucher would never allow a student to go to a private school that cost $50,000 a year. It’s just not probable. And with charter schools means a private organizations have control over children’s education when it should up to the teacher in the school not big corporations trying to pump mind this information into children who are impressionable. Another drawback of charter schools is that they don’t have unions which don’t protect teachers and other staff members who work there. Creating more charter schools does not mean that all of our current educational problems are just going to disappear. Teachers will still face students who are unmotivated and unwilling to work, they will face money shortages and budget cuts, the same old teaching methods are not working we still treat education like a factory machine. When we need to be focusing on teaching students hands on in real life problems. Charter schools don’t solve the way we teach or how we teach, which is the real problem. I agree that people need to stop voting for party favorites and vote for people who want to save that educational system and do what’s best for the country in their state not their personal interests.