Government-Funded Religious Education

[Dobermonster]

To clarify, this isn't about teaching the subject of religion/philosophy within secular school programs (I think that's a good thing, for a few reasons). This is about private religious schools (Christian, Catholic, Muslim, etc) receiving full or partial funding out of government coffers. Is this the norm in your country? Should they be eligible, or is this a conflict of separation between church and state? If so, are there movements to lobby against this?

I was sent to a private Christian high school. This is their mission statement:

"To provide a community under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, where students receive a quality education for the whole person, taught from a Biblical perspective, enabling them to develop a Biblical worldview, and become responsible, growing disciples of Jesus Christ, who glorify God through a life of service to Him and others."

Under this system, we were not taught about evolution. That was something I had to research on my own time, and god help you (heh) if you brought it up in class. Sexual education was limited to STIs and abstinence - no discussion of contraception or "safe sex". We were required to attend weekly chapel services. Required to attend Bible Studies class. Not allowed to wear clothing with slogans that promote worldviews in opposition to "Biblical values".

Hope that gives anyone who was unsure about the differences in teaching between religious and secular school systems a better understanding.

In my opinion, this is a very obvious transgression against church/state separation - so why is being allowed to continue?

[Ali]

I don't know why it's allowed to continue, but I am almost certain that is why most conservatives are in favor of offering private school vouchers - so that in effect the government is funding religious schools.  I'm not a fan.  Teach your quackery on your own dime, pleaseandthankyou.

[Tom62]

In the Netherlands all schools receive money from the government, if they match the government's educational criteria. Since 1920 all public and private schools are funded equally.

[Firebird]

In the Netherlands all schools receive money from the government, if they match the government's educational criteria. Since 1920 all public and private schools are funded equally.

I first read about that in Ayaan Hirsi Ali's book "Infidel". It was quite eye-opening to me.
Anyway, no, I am most certainly not in favor of this. If they want to have fully private schools with no government support, then I suppose there's nothing we can do about it, but government has no place there. And yes, that is why the voucher systems are always pushed; the vast majority of the kids who get vouchers go to religious private schools

[Ali]

In the Netherlands all schools receive money from the government, if they match the government's educational criteria. Since 1920 all public and private schools are funded equally.

I would think that would be a violation of the first amendment in the US.

[Davin]

In the Netherlands all schools receive money from the government, if they match the government's educational criteria. Since 1920 all public and private schools are funded equally.

I would think that would be a violation of the first amendment in the US.

Aye, but there are many equal violations of the first amendment in the US. Churches being tax exempt is one.

[Tom62]

I'm not happy about it either, although I must admit that the catholic schools in the Netherlands appear (on average) to be better than the public schools. The worst rated schools are the muslim ones.

[Whitney]

In the US there are public schools, charter schools and private schools.  Public and charters are fully and partially funded (respectively) by the government and must meet all the standards of a public school.  Private schools receive no funding from the government and can be religious in nature as long as they meet state education standards.

So, I don't know how you managed to attend a religious private school that was government funded.

[Asmodean]

Hmm... I wonder how long it would take for me to get expelled from one of them religious schools...

I'd probably get slapped with a ten miles restraining order too.

[Ali]

*Picturing Asmo impregnating one of the nuns at Catholic school*

[Dobermonster]

In the US there are public schools, charter schools and private schools.  Public and charters are fully and partially funded (respectively) by the government and must meet all the standards of a public school.  Private schools receive no funding from the government and can be religious in nature as long as they meet state education standards.

So, I don't know how you managed to attend a religious private school that was government funded.

I'm in Canadia.

Not all private religious schools in the country *are* government funded, but in my province, they are eligible to receive funding up to 50% of operating costs.

[Asmodean]

*Picturing Asmo impregnating one of the nuns at Catholic school*

...On the principal's desk.

*Picturing His offspring coming out and devouring the mother* 

[ThinkAnarchy]

In the US there are public schools, charter schools and private schools.  Public and charters are fully and partially funded (respectively) by the government and must meet all the standards of a public school.  Private schools receive no funding from the government and can be religious in nature as long as they meet state education standards.

So, I don't know how you managed to attend a religious private school that was government funded.

I don't think that is entirely true. Private schools, including Catholic, can receive government money if they meet certain requirements. I believe for some of the funding they simply have meet certain curriculum requirements. Most private schools are currently partially funded by tax dollars I believe, including the religious ones.

Also, some state and local governments have rerouted tax dollars to religious schools in the past.

[Whitney]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_school#United_States

By definition a private school in the US is not government funded.  If a US private school is religious and taking in government money then it needs to be challenged on constitutional grounds as it would violate the establishment clause.  If it is not religious and is taking in government money then it's a charter school or a weird hybrid of private/charter that I've never seen actually done in practice.

[ThinkAnarchy]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_school#United_States

By definition a private school in the US is not government funded.  If a US private school is religious and taking in government money then it needs to be challenged on constitutional grounds as it would violate the establishment clause.  If it is not religious and is taking in government money then it's a charter school or a weird hybrid of private/charter that I've never seen actually done in practice.

I'm not positive, I'm simply suspecting the Catholic school I went to received tax payer money. I can't say for certain, and I would agree it should be challenged if they do. It's possible it is only charter schools, but I suspected my Catholic high school received funding from the state due to some practices they implemented while I was there. I'm going to do a bit of my own research in a few days to see if I see anything that supports this.

I have read and heard conflicting things in the past, so I'm now unable to remember which information was likely valid and which wasn't.