U.S. government sues to block vouchers in some Louisiana school systems

[Cecilie1200]

The purpose of the Louisiana voucher system is to destroy what remains of the the public school system and move the remainder of the students into private schools. This is a process that began in the 1960's when white parents moved their students into private schools to escape integration. Louisiana has consistently ranked 49th to 50th in their quality of public educations. I suspect that Louisiana will be the first state to abandon public education in favor of private schools and will probably provide some of the best education in the country, for those that can afford it.

Of course, in all this concern for the institution over the children, you forgot to address the question of whether or not the voucher system will provide poor black children a better education. It's like the kids themselves are irrelevant to you, or something. Hmmm.

The question of whether the vouchers would provide kids a better education for either white or black children can't be answered because the schools that accept vouchers don't administer standardized that can be used to compare performance with public schools.

What a nice generalization. And your proof that absolutely none of the non-public schools administer any sort of standardized tests, or that standardized tests are the absolutely only way to know anything about the school?

 

[hadit]

Leftists bitch about standardized testing only when it's designed to hold the government school teachers accountable.

If we're going to require that public schools give a standardize to evaluate student performance, we should certainly require that private schools taking tax payer money do likewise. Parents may or not be able compare but the point is the tax payer has no way of knowing his money is being spent wisely unless there is an objective measure of performance.

No, we shouldn't. People don't have a choice about putting their kids in public schools. The only way to get any kind of accountability is by measuring results. However, by definition, they do have a choice about putting their kids in private schools. Accountability is enforced by parents choosing to take their kids elsewhere when those schools don't perform. That's the market method of making providers accountable. Imposing government solutions on private enterprise is counter productive.

You might have a point if the parent could really determine the quality of the education at the private school before using tax payer money to pay tuition. You are also disregarding the fact that one of the primary reasons parents choose a private school is to give their kids an education founded on their religious faith. I don't think I'm alone in not wanting to see my tax dollars go to pay for religious education.

I'm looking in vain for the corresponding concern as to whether or not the parents know anything about the quality of the education in the PUBLIC schools before using taxpayer money on them. Well, anything other than that their state is near dead-last in the national rankings.

What's it to you whether or not the kids get a religious education, as long as they also get an academic one? I'd rather have my tax dollars go to any school that turns out kids who can read, write, and do math over one that doesn't. Of course, I'm not a religiophobic bigot like you are, so I don't put my desire to control people's beliefs ahead of the childrens' need for an education.

Parents know quite a bit about the quality of the education their kids are getting in public schools. Since the state requires that all public school students take standardized tests, it's very easy to compare schools. Parents have the right to pull their kids out of failing public schools and send them to better public schools in the district. You not only can she how the students are performing but you have a wealth of additional information on the quality of the school and staff. Private schools only release the information the school chooses to release.

I have no problem with kids getting a religious education as long as my tax dollars aren't used to pay for it.

Parents who care about the quality of their kids' education will find out. They talk to other parents who send their kids to a school. They read reviews online. They talk to school administrators, etc, etc. Schools are not black boxes free of information. And as for religious education, what's the big deal if the school actually educates the kids? A lot, if not most, of religious schools provide a better education than a lot, if not all, government schools.

 

[hadit]

The purpose of the Louisiana voucher system is to destroy what remains of the the public school system and move the remainder of the students into private schools. This is a process that began in the 1960's when white parents moved their students into private schools to escape integration. Louisiana has consistently ranked 49th to 50th in their quality of public educations. I suspect that Louisiana will be the first state to abandon public education in favor of private schools and will probably provide some of the best education in the country, for those that can afford it.

Of course, in all this concern for the institution over the children, you forgot to address the question of whether or not the voucher system will provide poor black children a better education. It's like the kids themselves are irrelevant to you, or something. Hmmm.

The question of whether the vouchers would provide kids a better education for either white or black children can't be answered because the schools that accept vouchers don't administer standardized that can be used to compare performance with public schools.

What a nice generalization. And your proof that absolutely none of the non-public schools administer any sort of standardized tests, or that standardized tests are the absolutely only way to know anything about the school?

The proof is also in the quality of the kids those schools graduate. When a high percentage of a private high school's graduates get into good colleges and subsequently earn quality degrees, the school is doing something right. Also, reality check. Parents who care about their kids' education will ask other parents who send their kids to a given school. They will do research. They will know that the school offers a better education than the local government indoctrination center.

 

[SmarterThanTheAverageBear]

Schools that accept vouchers should be required to give the same tests as public schools.

.........

Typical liberal...

Wait, why not?

We want accountability for tax payer dollars don't we?

Enforced uniformity is not synonymous with accountability.

Lefties bitch about standardized testing but can't shake their programmed insistence on centralized control.

Leftists bitch about standardized testing only when it's designed to hold the government school teachers accountable.

If we're going to require that public schools give a standardize to evaluate student performance, we should certainly require that private schools taking tax payer money do likewise. Parents may or not be able compare but the point is the tax payer has no way of knowing his money is being spent wisely unless there is an objective measure of performance.

Private schools that accept students who are on vouchers are NOT accepting any public money. The money is not paid to them directly. What you are saying is like saying that a college that accepts Pell Grants is taking money from the government. It's just not the case.

 

[hadit]

.........

Typical liberal...

Wait, why not?

We want accountability for tax payer dollars don't we?

Enforced uniformity is not synonymous with accountability.

Lefties bitch about standardized testing but can't shake their programmed insistence on centralized control.

Leftists bitch about standardized testing only when it's designed to hold the government school teachers accountable.

If we're going to require that public schools give a standardize to evaluate student performance, we should certainly require that private schools taking tax payer money do likewise. Parents may or not be able compare but the point is the tax payer has no way of knowing his money is being spent wisely unless there is an objective measure of performance.

Private schools that accept students who are on vouchers are NOT accepting any public money. The money is not paid to them directly. What you are saying is like saying that a college that accepts Pell Grants is taking money from the government. It's just not the case.

Or a school that accepts vets on the GI bill. It's their money and they can spend it where they want.

 

[Flopper]

If we're going to require that public schools give a standardize to evaluate student performance, we should certainly require that private schools taking tax payer money do likewise. Parents may or not be able compare but the point is the tax payer has no way of knowing his money is being spent wisely unless there is an objective measure of performance.

No, we shouldn't. People don't have a choice about putting their kids in public schools. The only way to get any kind of accountability is by measuring results. However, by definition, they do have a choice about putting their kids in private schools. Accountability is enforced by parents choosing to take their kids elsewhere when those schools don't perform. That's the market method of making providers accountable. Imposing government solutions on private enterprise is counter productive.

You might have a point if the parent could really determine the quality of the education at the private school before using tax payer money to pay tuition. You are also disregarding the fact that one of the primary reasons parents choose a private school is to give their kids an education founded on their religious faith. I don't think I'm alone in not wanting to see my tax dollars go to pay for religious education.

I'm looking in vain for the corresponding concern as to whether or not the parents know anything about the quality of the education in the PUBLIC schools before using taxpayer money on them. Well, anything other than that their state is near dead-last in the national rankings.

What's it to you whether or not the kids get a religious education, as long as they also get an academic one? I'd rather have my tax dollars go to any school that turns out kids who can read, write, and do math over one that doesn't. Of course, I'm not a religiophobic bigot like you are, so I don't put my desire to control people's beliefs ahead of the childrens' need for an education.

Parents know quite a bit about the quality of the education their kids are getting in public schools. Since the state requires that all public school students take standardized tests, it's very easy to compare schools. Parents have the right to pull their kids out of failing public schools and send them to better public schools in the district. You not only can she how the students are performing but you have a wealth of additional information on the quality of the school and staff. Private schools only release the information the school chooses to release.

I have no problem with kids getting a religious education as long as my tax dollars aren't used to pay for it.

Parents who care about the quality of their kids' education will find out. They talk to other parents who send their kids to a school. They read reviews online. They talk to school administrators, etc, etc. Schools are not black boxes free of information. And as for religious education, what's the big deal if the school actually educates the kids? A lot, if not most, of religious schools provide a better education than a lot, if not all, government schools.

The big deal is it's unconstitutional to use of tax dollars to support religious schools. A long line of Supreme Court cases has repeatedly found that the First Amendment bars the expenditure of tax money to support religion or religious schools.

 

[SmarterThanTheAverageBear]

No, we shouldn't. People don't have a choice about putting their kids in public schools. The only way to get any kind of accountability is by measuring results. However, by definition, they do have a choice about putting their kids in private schools. Accountability is enforced by parents choosing to take their kids elsewhere when those schools don't perform. That's the market method of making providers accountable. Imposing government solutions on private enterprise is counter productive.

You might have a point if the parent could really determine the quality of the education at the private school before using tax payer money to pay tuition. You are also disregarding the fact that one of the primary reasons parents choose a private school is to give their kids an education founded on their religious faith. I don't think I'm alone in not wanting to see my tax dollars go to pay for religious education.

I'm looking in vain for the corresponding concern as to whether or not the parents know anything about the quality of the education in the PUBLIC schools before using taxpayer money on them. Well, anything other than that their state is near dead-last in the national rankings.

What's it to you whether or not the kids get a religious education, as long as they also get an academic one? I'd rather have my tax dollars go to any school that turns out kids who can read, write, and do math over one that doesn't. Of course, I'm not a religiophobic bigot like you are, so I don't put my desire to control people's beliefs ahead of the childrens' need for an education.

Parents know quite a bit about the quality of the education their kids are getting in public schools. Since the state requires that all public school students take standardized tests, it's very easy to compare schools. Parents have the right to pull their kids out of failing public schools and send them to better public schools in the district. You not only can she how the students are performing but you have a wealth of additional information on the quality of the school and staff. Private schools only release the information the school chooses to release.

I have no problem with kids getting a religious education as long as my tax dollars aren't used to pay for it.

Parents who care about the quality of their kids' education will find out. They talk to other parents who send their kids to a school. They read reviews online. They talk to school administrators, etc, etc. Schools are not black boxes free of information. And as for religious education, what's the big deal if the school actually educates the kids? A lot, if not most, of religious schools provide a better education than a lot, if not all, government schools.

The big deal is it's unconstitutional to use of tax dollars to support religious schools. A long line of Supreme Court cases has repeatedly found that the First Amendment bars the expenditure of tax money to support religion or religious schools.

And vouchers do no such thing.

 

[Moonglow]

If we're going to require that public schools give a standardize to evaluate student performance, we should certainly require that private schools taking tax payer money do likewise. Parents may or not be able compare but the point is the tax payer has no way of knowing his money is being spent wisely unless there is an objective measure of performance.

No, we shouldn't. People don't have a choice about putting their kids in public schools. The only way to get any kind of accountability is by measuring results. However, by definition, they do have a choice about putting their kids in private schools. Accountability is enforced by parents choosing to take their kids elsewhere when those schools don't perform. That's the market method of making providers accountable. Imposing government solutions on private enterprise is counter productive.

You might have a point if the parent could really determine the quality of the education at the private school before using tax payer money to pay tuition. You are also disregarding the fact that one of the primary reasons parents choose a private school is to give their kids an education founded on their religious faith. I don't think I'm alone in not wanting to see my tax dollars go to pay for religious education.

I'm looking in vain for the corresponding concern as to whether or not the parents know anything about the quality of the education in the PUBLIC schools before using taxpayer money on them. Well, anything other than that their state is near dead-last in the national rankings.

What's it to you whether or not the kids get a religious education, as long as they also get an academic one? I'd rather have my tax dollars go to any school that turns out kids who can read, write, and do math over one that doesn't. Of course, I'm not a religiophobic bigot like you are, so I don't put my desire to control people's beliefs ahead of the childrens' need for an education.

Parents know quite a bit about the quality of the education their kids are getting in public schools. Since the state requires that all public school students take standardized tests, it's very easy to compare schools. Parents have the right to pull their kids out of failing public schools and send them to better public schools in the district. You not only can she how the students are performing but you have a wealth of additional information on the quality of the school and staff. Private schools only release the information the school chooses to release.

I have no problem with kids getting a religious education as long as my tax dollars aren't used to pay for it.

Parents who care about the quality of their kids' education will find out. They talk to other parents who send their kids to a school. They read reviews online. They talk to school administrators, etc, etc. Schools are not black boxes free of information. And as for religious education, what's the big deal if the school actually educates the kids? A lot, if not most, of religious schools provide a better education than a lot, if not all, government schools.

Don't send your kid to the 7th Day Adventist Church school in Gentry, Arkanass, those kids are so dumb, they don't even know their own religion..

 

[Flopper]

.........

Typical liberal...

Wait, why not?

We want accountability for tax payer dollars don't we?

Enforced uniformity is not synonymous with accountability.

Lefties bitch about standardized testing but can't shake their programmed insistence on centralized control.

Leftists bitch about standardized testing only when it's designed to hold the government school teachers accountable.

If we're going to require that public schools give a standardize to evaluate student performance, we should certainly require that private schools taking tax payer money do likewise. Parents may or not be able compare but the point is the tax payer has no way of knowing his money is being spent wisely unless there is an objective measure of performance.

Private schools that accept students who are on vouchers are NOT accepting any public money. The money is not paid to them directly. What you are saying is like saying that a college that accepts Pell Grants is taking money from the government. It's just not the case.

Well if the private school that accept students who are on vouchers are not accepting public money, then whose money is it?

 

[hadit]

Wait, why not?

We want accountability for tax payer dollars don't we?

Enforced uniformity is not synonymous with accountability.

Lefties bitch about standardized testing but can't shake their programmed insistence on centralized control.

Leftists bitch about standardized testing only when it's designed to hold the government school teachers accountable.

If we're going to require that public schools give a standardize to evaluate student performance, we should certainly require that private schools taking tax payer money do likewise. Parents may or not be able compare but the point is the tax payer has no way of knowing his money is being spent wisely unless there is an objective measure of performance.

Private schools that accept students who are on vouchers are NOT accepting any public money. The money is not paid to them directly. What you are saying is like saying that a college that accepts Pell Grants is taking money from the government. It's just not the case.

Well if the private school that accept students who are on vouchers are not accepting public money, then whose money is it?

The parents that received the vouchers. Unless legislation forbids it, they can use the vouchers where they like.

 

[Correll]

Enforced uniformity is not synonymous with accountability.

Lefties bitch about standardized testing but can't shake their programmed insistence on centralized control.

Leftists bitch about standardized testing only when it's designed to hold the government school teachers accountable.

If we're going to require that public schools give a standardize to evaluate student performance, we should certainly require that private schools taking tax payer money do likewise. Parents may or not be able compare but the point is the tax payer has no way of knowing his money is being spent wisely unless there is an objective measure of performance.

Private schools that accept students who are on vouchers are NOT accepting any public money. The money is not paid to them directly. What you are saying is like saying that a college that accepts Pell Grants is taking money from the government. It's just not the case.

Well if the private school that accept students who are on vouchers are not accepting public money, then whose money is it?

The parents that received the vouchers. Unless legislation forbids it, they can use the vouchers where they like.

Putting the control in the hands of the People...

I can see why libs are so against that.

 

[SmarterThanTheAverageBear]

Wait, why not?

We want accountability for tax payer dollars don't we?

Enforced uniformity is not synonymous with accountability.

Lefties bitch about standardized testing but can't shake their programmed insistence on centralized control.

Leftists bitch about standardized testing only when it's designed to hold the government school teachers accountable.

If we're going to require that public schools give a standardize to evaluate student performance, we should certainly require that private schools taking tax payer money do likewise. Parents may or not be able compare but the point is the tax payer has no way of knowing his money is being spent wisely unless there is an objective measure of performance.

Private schools that accept students who are on vouchers are NOT accepting any public money. The money is not paid to them directly. What you are saying is like saying that a college that accepts Pell Grants is taking money from the government. It's just not the case.

Well if the private school that accept students who are on vouchers are not accepting public money, then whose money is it?

It belongs to the parents who received said voucher.

Let me ask you a question Do you want us telling people where they can spend their food stamps and on what?

 

[Flopper]

There's an assumption that kids in Louisiana that attend private schools on vouchers will do much better academically than in public schools. This doesn't seem to be the case.

The academic performance of Louisiana's voucher students remained low in 2013-14, according to Education Department data released Monday. Of 126 private schools accepting the publicly funded tuition subsidies, 23 posted scores low enough to prevent them from accepting new voucher students next fall.

Less than half the voucher students who took the LEAP and iLEAP exams passed: 44 percent. In public schools, 69 percent of students passed. If the voucher students were a school system, they would be tied for fifth-worst in the state, with Bogalusa and Baker.

Louisiana voucher students perform poorly in 2013-14 proponents praise gains NOLA.com

 

[Flopper]

Enforced uniformity is not synonymous with accountability.

Lefties bitch about standardized testing but can't shake their programmed insistence on centralized control.

Leftists bitch about standardized testing only when it's designed to hold the government school teachers accountable.

If we're going to require that public schools give a standardize to evaluate student performance, we should certainly require that private schools taking tax payer money do likewise. Parents may or not be able compare but the point is the tax payer has no way of knowing his money is being spent wisely unless there is an objective measure of performance.

Private schools that accept students who are on vouchers are NOT accepting any public money. The money is not paid to them directly. What you are saying is like saying that a college that accepts Pell Grants is taking money from the government. It's just not the case.

Well if the private school that accept students who are on vouchers are not accepting public money, then whose money is it?

It belongs to the parents who received said voucher.

Let me ask you a question Do you want us telling people where they can spend their food stamps and on what?

In most states, once a parent requests a voucher, the money flows directly from the government to the private school. The voucher is nothing but a coupon. The parent does not receive the money.

Actually, the government regulations do limit what you can buy with food stamps and where you buy it.

 

[Cecilie1200]

If we're going to require that public schools give a standardize to evaluate student performance, we should certainly require that private schools taking tax payer money do likewise. Parents may or not be able compare but the point is the tax payer has no way of knowing his money is being spent wisely unless there is an objective measure of performance.

No, we shouldn't. People don't have a choice about putting their kids in public schools. The only way to get any kind of accountability is by measuring results. However, by definition, they do have a choice about putting their kids in private schools. Accountability is enforced by parents choosing to take their kids elsewhere when those schools don't perform. That's the market method of making providers accountable. Imposing government solutions on private enterprise is counter productive.

You might have a point if the parent could really determine the quality of the education at the private school before using tax payer money to pay tuition. You are also disregarding the fact that one of the primary reasons parents choose a private school is to give their kids an education founded on their religious faith. I don't think I'm alone in not wanting to see my tax dollars go to pay for religious education.

I'm looking in vain for the corresponding concern as to whether or not the parents know anything about the quality of the education in the PUBLIC schools before using taxpayer money on them. Well, anything other than that their state is near dead-last in the national rankings.

What's it to you whether or not the kids get a religious education, as long as they also get an academic one? I'd rather have my tax dollars go to any school that turns out kids who can read, write, and do math over one that doesn't. Of course, I'm not a religiophobic bigot like you are, so I don't put my desire to control people's beliefs ahead of the childrens' need for an education.

Parents know quite a bit about the quality of the education their kids are getting in public schools. Since the state requires that all public school students take standardized tests, it's very easy to compare schools. Parents have the right to pull their kids out of failing public schools and send them to better public schools in the district. You not only can she how the students are performing but you have a wealth of additional information on the quality of the school and staff. Private schools only release the information the school chooses to release.

I have no problem with kids getting a religious education as long as my tax dollars aren't used to pay for it.

Parents who care about the quality of their kids' education will find out. They talk to other parents who send their kids to a school. They read reviews online. They talk to school administrators, etc, etc. Schools are not black boxes free of information. And as for religious education, what's the big deal if the school actually educates the kids? A lot, if not most, of religious schools provide a better education than a lot, if not all, government schools.

The big deal is that Flopper doesn't give a rat's fat ass if kids are educated or not. His priorities are that the public schools gets lots of taxpayer dollars, the teachers' unions wield lots of power, and the kids get indoctrinated in lefty ideas like religiophobia.

Frankly, this is all easier to accomplish if the kids remain ignorant.

 

[Cecilie1200]

No, we shouldn't. People don't have a choice about putting their kids in public schools. The only way to get any kind of accountability is by measuring results. However, by definition, they do have a choice about putting their kids in private schools. Accountability is enforced by parents choosing to take their kids elsewhere when those schools don't perform. That's the market method of making providers accountable. Imposing government solutions on private enterprise is counter productive.

You might have a point if the parent could really determine the quality of the education at the private school before using tax payer money to pay tuition. You are also disregarding the fact that one of the primary reasons parents choose a private school is to give their kids an education founded on their religious faith. I don't think I'm alone in not wanting to see my tax dollars go to pay for religious education.

I'm looking in vain for the corresponding concern as to whether or not the parents know anything about the quality of the education in the PUBLIC schools before using taxpayer money on them. Well, anything other than that their state is near dead-last in the national rankings.

What's it to you whether or not the kids get a religious education, as long as they also get an academic one? I'd rather have my tax dollars go to any school that turns out kids who can read, write, and do math over one that doesn't. Of course, I'm not a religiophobic bigot like you are, so I don't put my desire to control people's beliefs ahead of the childrens' need for an education.

Parents know quite a bit about the quality of the education their kids are getting in public schools. Since the state requires that all public school students take standardized tests, it's very easy to compare schools. Parents have the right to pull their kids out of failing public schools and send them to better public schools in the district. You not only can she how the students are performing but you have a wealth of additional information on the quality of the school and staff. Private schools only release the information the school chooses to release.

I have no problem with kids getting a religious education as long as my tax dollars aren't used to pay for it.

Parents who care about the quality of their kids' education will find out. They talk to other parents who send their kids to a school. They read reviews online. They talk to school administrators, etc, etc. Schools are not black boxes free of information. And as for religious education, what's the big deal if the school actually educates the kids? A lot, if not most, of religious schools provide a better education than a lot, if not all, government schools.

The big deal is it's unconstitutional to use of tax dollars to support religious schools. A long line of Supreme Court cases has repeatedly found that the First Amendment bars the expenditure of tax money to support religion or religious schools.

See? "Fuck educating kids. Down with religion, no matter what!"

 

[Cecilie1200]

There's an assumption that kids in Louisiana that attend private schools on vouchers will do much better academically than in public schools. This doesn't seem to be the case.

The academic performance of Louisiana's voucher students remained low in 2013-14, according to Education Department data released Monday. Of 126 private schools accepting the publicly funded tuition subsidies, 23 posted scores low enough to prevent them from accepting new voucher students next fall.

Less than half the voucher students who took the LEAP and iLEAP exams passed: 44 percent. In public schools, 69 percent of students passed. If the voucher students were a school system, they would be tied for fifth-worst in the state, with Bogalusa and Baker.

Louisiana voucher students perform poorly in 2013-14 proponents praise gains NOLA.com

Stunning how we think that's for the parents to decide, rather than some religiophobic jackass who wouldn't know those kids from Adam, huh?

What, precisely, is your problem with letting parents decide where their own offspring go to school? Other than, of course, your deep vested interest in making sure no beliefs other than your own are ever taught to anyone?

 

[Cecilie1200]

Leftists bitch about standardized testing only when it's designed to hold the government school teachers accountable.

If we're going to require that public schools give a standardize to evaluate student performance, we should certainly require that private schools taking tax payer money do likewise. Parents may or not be able compare but the point is the tax payer has no way of knowing his money is being spent wisely unless there is an objective measure of performance.

Private schools that accept students who are on vouchers are NOT accepting any public money. The money is not paid to them directly. What you are saying is like saying that a college that accepts Pell Grants is taking money from the government. It's just not the case.

Well if the private school that accept students who are on vouchers are not accepting public money, then whose money is it?

It belongs to the parents who received said voucher.

Let me ask you a question Do you want us telling people where they can spend their food stamps and on what?

In most states, once a parent requests a voucher, the money flows directly from the government to the private school. The voucher is nothing but a coupon. The parent does not receive the money.

Actually, the government regulations do limit what you can buy with food stamps and where you buy it.

Yeah. You have to spend them at food stores on food, rather than hardware stores on hammers and saws, for example.

Likewise, you have to spend the education voucher money at a school, on education, rather than at a used car lot, for example.

Aside from that, your analogy doesn't really support your whole "Only the public schools" position.

 

[bripat9643]

No, we shouldn't. People don't have a choice about putting their kids in public schools. The only way to get any kind of accountability is by measuring results. However, by definition, they do have a choice about putting their kids in private schools. Accountability is enforced by parents choosing to take their kids elsewhere when those schools don't perform. That's the market method of making providers accountable. Imposing government solutions on private enterprise is counter productive.

You might have a point if the parent could really determine the quality of the education at the private school before using tax payer money to pay tuition. You are also disregarding the fact that one of the primary reasons parents choose a private school is to give their kids an education founded on their religious faith. I don't think I'm alone in not wanting to see my tax dollars go to pay for religious education.

I'm looking in vain for the corresponding concern as to whether or not the parents know anything about the quality of the education in the PUBLIC schools before using taxpayer money on them. Well, anything other than that their state is near dead-last in the national rankings.

What's it to you whether or not the kids get a religious education, as long as they also get an academic one? I'd rather have my tax dollars go to any school that turns out kids who can read, write, and do math over one that doesn't. Of course, I'm not a religiophobic bigot like you are, so I don't put my desire to control people's beliefs ahead of the childrens' need for an education.

Parents know quite a bit about the quality of the education their kids are getting in public schools. Since the state requires that all public school students take standardized tests, it's very easy to compare schools. Parents have the right to pull their kids out of failing public schools and send them to better public schools in the district. You not only can she how the students are performing but you have a wealth of additional information on the quality of the school and staff. Private schools only release the information the school chooses to release.

I have no problem with kids getting a religious education as long as my tax dollars aren't used to pay for it.

Parents who care about the quality of their kids' education will find out. They talk to other parents who send their kids to a school. They read reviews online. They talk to school administrators, etc, etc. Schools are not black boxes free of information. And as for religious education, what's the big deal if the school actually educates the kids? A lot, if not most, of religious schools provide a better education than a lot, if not all, government schools.

The big deal is it's unconstitutional to use of tax dollars to support religious schools. A long line of Supreme Court cases has repeatedly found that the First Amendment bars the expenditure of tax money to support religion or religious schools.

IF that's the case then we better abolish welfare and Social Security since recipients might put some of the money in the collection basket.

 

[The2ndAmendment]

Amazing, this thread documents a time when the OP was a libertarian like myself, but when he became a moderator, he became a progressive sycophant. Truly amazing. Perhaps we should demand in inquiry in the OP's IP address record to make sure his account wasn't hijacked.

bripat9643