First US taxpayer-funded religious school approved

[Eldorado]

An Oklahoma school board has approved what will be the first publicly funded religious charter school in the US.

The Oklahoma State Virtual Charter School Board approved the Catholic charter school by 3-2 in a vote on Monday.

The charter school would be run by the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa.

The state attorney general called the approval "unconstitutional" and warned it could lead to costly legal action.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-65817394

[Piney]

bull****! 

I payed for busing for Christian and Catholic schools here and think that's bull****. 

[Doug1066]

This isn't actually the first time.  In 1785 in Ohio the government required the Ohio Company to set aside Section 11 in each township in the Ohio Purchase for the benefit of religion.  The same thing was required in the Seven Ranges, but there the government did it.

I think both the land sales and this constitute a government establishment of religion and are unconstitutional.

Doug

Edited June 6 by Doug1066

[psyche101]

And Texas recently put ten commandments in public schools.

America heading towards theocracy or something? Seems to be a religion push this year. 

[darkmoonlady]

Watch the Duggar documentary on Prime. The religious right is actively teaching their children to infiltrate the government and make the US a Christian Evangelical theocracy. Sounds nuts but it's an active part of the homeschooling and Evanglical school curriculum. (4th episode if you want to skip). 

[+Paranoid Android]

Religious schools in Australia have been receiving Australian taxpayer dollars for as long as I've known. Pretty sure it's been challenged at an Islamic school here in Sydney, pretty sure it's been challenged in Catholic schools across the State, and every single time the courts come back saying that children are our future and deserve public funding. 

https://www.corneyandlind.com.au/resource-centre/commonwealth-funding-religious-schools-constitutional/

I'm not sure how this will impact America, but based on my experience with religious schools in Australia, and my broader belief that education is very important for every child in society, I think more public funding for education is a great idea  

Edited June 7 by Paranoid Android

[darkmoonlady]

4 minutes ago, Paranoid Android said:

Religious schools in Australia have been receiving Australian taxpayer dollars for as long as I've known. Pretty sure it's been challenged at an Islamic school here in Sydney, pretty sure it's been challenged in Catholic schools across the State, and every single time the courts come back saying that children are our future and deserve public funding. 

https://www.corneyandlind.com.au/resource-centre/commonwealth-funding-religious-schools-constitutional/

I'm not sure how this will impact America, but based on my experience with religious schools in Australia, and my broader belief that education is very important for every child in society, I think more public funding for education is a great idea  

Having a few books about gay knight is indoctrination in a school but religious funding and involvement is a ok and to you not indoctrinating. Yeah that's not the least bit logical. 

[+Paranoid Android]

13 minutes ago, darkmoonlady said:

Having a few books about gay knight is indoctrination in a school but religious funding and involvement is a ok and to you not indoctrinating. Yeah that's not the least bit logical. 

If a public school was teaching religion to my kids, I would be as upset as any gay indoctrination. But if I send my kid to an Islamic school, I would expect my student to receive education in Islam, along with English/Maths/Science/History/etc. If I sent my kid to a Catholic School I would expect them to be taught the fundamentals of Catholic theology, along with English/Maths/Science/History/etc. If a pro-gay pastor wants to start a religious school that teaches all about how awesome homosexuality is, I would expect that school to teach a pro-gay theology along with English/Maths/Science/History/etc. 

Public schools are public, they don't get to choose to indoctrinate kids with pro-gay children's propaganda, or with religious propaganda. 

 

Edited June 7 by Paranoid Android

[darkmoonlady]

4 minutes ago, Paranoid Android said:

If a public school was teaching Islam to my kid (or Christianity, for that matter) I would be as upset as the gay indoctrination. But if I send my kid to an Islamic school, I would expect my student to receive education in Islam, along with English/Maths/Science/History/etc. If I sent my kid to a Catholic School I would expect them to be taught the fundamentals of Catholic theology, along with English/Maths/Science/History/etc. If a pro-gay pastor wants to start a religious school that teaches all about how awesome homosexuality is, then that's their choice, and the rights of a parent to send or not send their child to that school. 

You are describing private schools. Private schools already exist. We don't need to give public education funding to any religious school. 

[+Paranoid Android]

Just now, darkmoonlady said:

You are describing private schools. Private schools already exist. We don't need to give public education funding to any religious school. 

I know. In Australia, private schools get public funding too. I'm comfortable with that, and I don't see a problem with that. As long as the parents are aware of what's going on, and given the choice, then I don't have issue with it. 

Like I noted, America's system is set up different, I'm simply saying we've always had public funding going to private schools. Seeing this school get such funding seems to be a fair extension of what I see as normal already. 

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

FWIW … Aussie Private Schools that take the government coin MUST follow precisely the government approved and designed curriculum. Science MUST be taught as per curriculum etc, so “God did it in 6 days” and so on. 
Even our religious education curriculum has to be approved by the curriculum authority and is more a philosophical/historical curriculum rather than rhetorical “you must believe this” demagoguery. We do not tell people what to think or believe, but rather “this is what Catholics/Lutherans/etc believe….” and we explore the Bible through three lenses - world of the text (what is on the page), world behind the text (what was going on when we believe the texts were written) and world beyond the text (how we relate to the text now). 

[Doug1066]

9 hours ago, Paranoid Android said:

Maths/Science/History

Inconsistent with religion.

Doug

[+Paranoid Android]

4 hours ago, Sir Wearer of Hats said:

FWIW … Aussie Private Schools that take the government coin MUST follow precisely the government approved and designed curriculum. Science MUST be taught as per curriculum etc, so “God did it in 6 days” and so on. 
Even our religious education curriculum has to be approved by the curriculum authority and is more a philosophical/historical curriculum rather than rhetorical “you must believe this” demagoguery. We do not tell people what to think or believe, but rather “this is what Catholics/Lutherans/etc believe….” and we explore the Bible through three lenses - world of the text (what is on the page), world behind the text (what was going on when we believe the texts were written) and world beyond the text (how we relate to the text now). 

I worked briefly at a Christian school back when I was living out bush. What you say is true, maybe i should have clarified for an international reader that no school would receive funding for teaching creationism in a science classroom!

However,  there was still a lot of leeway for promotion of God. Every teacher was required to be an active participant in a church community (regular Sunday attendance at minimum). Though the exact denomination did not matter (I was attending the church to which this school was attached (Presbyterian),  but others went to the Baptist church,  some went to the Charismatics (can't recall what denomination specifically they were), and one was a Catholic). One of the questions I was asked at my interview was "explain the Gospel message in 60 seconds or less".

While teaching a secular curriculum the explicit expectation was that I would actively promote some theological truth into every lesson plan, even if sometimes it was as simple as "this is how photosynthesis works,  isn't our God amazing to have thought of something so clever and now we get to see His handiwork up close". 

I looked into it at the time,  I was shocked that the school could demand active attendance at a church to be a job requirement  (it was in my contract that I would notify the school if I stopped attending,  and that it could jeopardise my employment if i did so). But it was all legal from what I could ascertain! Some other religious schools are less stringent but still do promote religious values.  I think I recall reading that the Catholic system hires anyone,  but positions from Head Teacher and above must be Catholics (don't hold me to that if my memory is wrong, it's been many years since I've been involved as a teacher with anything but the Department of Education).

Anyway,  I'm off to bed and rest. Have a great day/ evening. 

~ Regards,  PA

Edited June 7 by Paranoid Android

[lightly]

Public money should never go to any private school.   I think kids should be taught the very basics about religions and sexuality, and other basic human interactions, in SOCIOLOGY.     I liked sociology…and civics,   and learning cursive writing, and even being graded on Penmanship!   

[Piney]

14 hours ago, darkmoonlady said:

Watch the Duggar documentary on Prime. The religious right is actively teaching their children to infiltrate the government and make the US a Christian Evangelical theocracy. Sounds nuts but it's an active part of the homeschooling and Evanglical school curriculum. (4th episode if you want to skip). 

Do some research on the ICOC. Those losers have national domination plans. Twits.....

[Katniss]

14 hours ago, psyche101 said:

And Texas recently put ten commandments in public schools.

America heading towards theocracy or something? Seems to be a religion push this year. 

Actually we believe we are turning into idiocracy ever since Donald Trump so easily conned his way into the GOP as the Republican nominee in 2016 and became President. So next we are expecting a Five-time Ultimate Smackdown Champion to become the President of the United States. Ironically, just recently Future President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho came back to our time from 2505 to become our next President in 2024 and this what he said.

Yay! I can't wait until he wins and Will Smith slaps half of Congress!

Vote for President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho everybody!!!

[lightly]

When I said  “Public money should never go to any private school”.  . I should have added …or to any religious school..such as the State Funded ‘charter schools’ being discussed.     Separation of church and state is fundamental to our freedoms?   Jefferson wrote, “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 & State.”

Edited June 7 by lightly

[Doug1066]

It's not in effect yet.  There's a lawsuit against it.

I think the Rubs are passing these things just to impress the MAGAs and have no real expectation that what they pass will pass court challenge.  However, a few do get through.

Doug