Funding Fundamentalism: Student Documents Louisiana Voucher Subsidy For Creationism
There
is not a doubt that Louisiana’s voucher program can only be justified
under a gross misinterpretation of the separation of church and state.
Aug. 1 will be a day that marks Louisiana’s continued effort to bore a hole though the wall of separation between church and state. That Wednesday is when the state’s new school voucher program kicks in and private schools that teach religion become eligible for taxpayer support.
Zack Kopplin, a Louisiana native and student at Rice University who has fought attempts to lower the church-state wall, published an article discussing research he has conducted on the implications for science education.
Wrote Kopplin, “My review of the Governor's voucher program identifies at least 20 schools who use a creationist curriculum or blatantly promote creationism on their websites. These 19 schools have been awarded 1,365 voucher slots and can receive as much as $11,602,500 in taxpayer money annually.”
I shuddered as I scanned the article. It’s troubling that a state government is giving almost $12 million to sectarian institutions to teach religion in science class (as well as other courses) instead of designating that money to its own public school system.
See rest of the story HERE.
