What? You mean forcing my religion on others opens the door to have theirs forced on ME!?

[veronica_rich]

Reich-wing lawmaker expresses amazement there are religions other than Christianity in God's America

If this is true, on the one hand, I hope there's some more squirming to watch; on the other, I get really weary of the rest of the world seeing these people and possibly thinking all Americans are this ignorant of our government's origins and purpose. Some religious Republicans in my state recently passed one of these bullshit voucher programs that basically forces me to spend MY tax dollars on educating other people's children on THEIR parents' chosen mythology instead of, you know, in a public school with real science and legal enforcement of a semblance of tolerance for all faiths (and lack of), sexualities, etc. and the like.

tl;dr - I want to see my tax money spent on education go to improve the public schools we have, not funneled into anyone's God Factory, be it Christian, Muslim, Jewish - ANY

Comments

[johnnypenn.livejournal.com]

That's just silly, I knew there are other religions and I grew up home schooled! what an idiot.
I dunno about that voucher, it just sounds like the politician's are trying to smooth stuff out and make other people happy. They aren't actually thinking about rl People. Just won't get them the most abuse and ruin their political career.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

The vouchers are every bit against one of our biggest founding principles, which is that everybody is created equal. Which means everybody gets the chance at an education - in a public school. If you want to subvert that and not have your kid go to one, you either homeschool or YOU pony up the $$$ for a different education. Lots of captains of industry and other smart people making money started in families with not much money and graduated from public school.

[johnnypenn.livejournal.com]

I respect people who worked hard to get a good education to do whatever they wanted to do with their life.
That's the American thing - you work hard, get what you want in life and enjoy yourself while doing it.
not sit around waiting for other people to hand you stuff on a silver platter.

The voucher's are idiots.

[janamelie.livejournal.com]

Faith schools of all varieties give me the creeps. But if one type is publicly funded, they all should be.

I'd definitely rather all kids were educated in schools which teach them about religion without indoctrinating them.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

Once again, I must facetiously thank your country for sending its most batshit religious nutters off to the colonies to reproduce and fan out instead of locking them in a dungeon somewhere as would have been appropriate. :-P

[janamelie.livejournal.com]

We have faith schools in this country too. Although probably far fewer. :p

[bayliss.livejournal.com]

Agreed. I am so sick of this idea that they need a voucher program for faith based schools. Seriously, improve our public schools instead. Faith based schools charge an arm and a leg, if parents what to send their kids there, they'll figure out a way to pay.

Lest you forget Veronica, the founding fathers were deists. They didn't care what you believed as long as you did. I learned that in my studies of Lewis and Clark. Meriwether Lewis was Thomas Jefferson's private secretary.

[keechakatt.livejournal.com]

I was in public school until 3rd grade. My parents placed me into a religious school not for religious education, in 4th grade.

The public schools at the time were promoting kids because they thought it damaging to make them repeat a grade. I was in a class of kids who were not doing grade level work.

When I went to private school, it was an eye opener. While considered smart in public school, I was average in private school.

I know thankfully, it's not that way everywhere. California schools especially S. CA need a lot of work.

[bayliss.livejournal.com]

Agreed that religious schools can give a better education. There is something to be said about the smaller class sizes and the teachers ability to give more one on one time to students. My school here in Iowa only held you back if you completely failed most of your classes. Frankly my teachers also had a few favourites that they let slide. My English teacher let me slide a bit. Not my fault I was a favourite. :)

[keechakatt.livejournal.com]

Struggling in a few subjects is one thing. My Pre-algebra teacher passed me because my father had died when I was in her class. She took the act of compassion that lives with me to this day.

As for 3rd grade we had kids who couldn't read. IMHO compassion or social promotion, not be able to read and passing them was not doing the child any favors.

English and Pre-algebra we had the fundamentals even as these were a challenge.