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Tuesday Jul 24, 2007
The Road to the White House: Religious Education
About 'The Road to the White House' Question #5The cost of education has become almost unaffordable for parents who send their children to parochial schools, Jewish or other. No one is asking for the state to pay for religious studies. Americans want to keep Church and state separate. But what is your platform/plan/program to assist parents who want their children to have a religious as well as secular education?Contributors: (read it all or click on name to read post) Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico (D) Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York (D) Former Senator John Edwards of North Carolina (D) Senator Barack Obama of Illinois (D) Senator Joe Biden of Delaware (D) Senator John McCain of Arizona (R)
While our nation's government must be secular, we cannot and should not strive to remove religion from our public lives. Most of us are devoted to our God and inextricably linked to the values and teachings of our religion. Parents who wish to provide their children with a religious education certainly have the right to do so. The challenge for the next President will be to help these parents find affordable options while keeping government at an appropriate distance. It will take some creative, out-of-the-box thinking, but one thing is clear: we need to stop thinking like bureaucrats and do what is best for children and families. In New Mexico, we've designed several options that have worked well: New Mexico's Children Youth and Families Department works with some religious day care centers that offer pre-kindergarten. To be eligible for Pre-K funding, the centers must have open enrollment and must not teach religion for the portion of the day funded with state money. Some New Mexico districts offer "Family School." In this model, children attend public school for half the day, usually taking core subjects like reading, math, and science. Parents may choose to have their children attend home school or a private, religious setting during the other half of the school day. We also have a Catholic church operating a charter school that doesn't teach religion until after school hours, and it isn't mandatory for all students to attend. Earlier this year, I signed the Cyber Academy Act, which will provide opportunities for kids to take courses online. Parents may choose to enroll their children in these online courses alongside religious instruction. As Governor of New Mexico, I'm proud of my state's efforts to help parents find the type of education they want for their children. As President, I'll continue to work with parents, educators, and the private sector, finding creative, viable solutions that respect the separation of church of state.
I have been a longstanding champion of charter schools, magnet schools and traditonal public schools, some of which are heavily influenced by a certain culture, set of values or even ethnicity. In New York City, we have many wonderful examples of such schools. I know many graduates of these schools and recognize the fine education they have received. I also support the federal law that provides funding for students with special needs who are enrolled in private schools. So, I believe there is room within the public system to create diverse options. I do not support vouchers that redirect limited resources away from the public system and to private schools.
But I believe we need to invest in our public schools and strengthen them, not drain their fiscal support. And for this reason I do not generally support vouchers. I would prefer to see energy and resources provided for the improvement of public schools, including innovation and options provided through public charter and contract schools, held to the same standards as other public schools, as is occurring in Chicago.
These Coverdell Education Savings Accounts allow families to place money ($2,000 per year) in a tax-deferred savings account, as long as the funds are used to pay for a beneficiary's elementary, secondary, or postsecondary education expenses.
I support school vouchers because they bring competition back to our schools, encouraging public, private, and religious or parochial schools and communities and parents to all work together to raise the level of education for all students. We have a moral obligation to explore all options and to see what works and what doesn't work when it comes to educating the future of our nation. Too many kids are trapped in failing schools and that's unacceptable for a nation as great as ours.
1 | Michael A. Shoemaker; Eugene, Oregon, Friday Jan 18, 2008
McCain is the only one talking straight here. The "Public School" system in America is nothing more than an indoctrination tool of Secular Humanists -- which very few Americans are. Education is ALWAYS the expression of some religious point of view, and Americans ought to be free to choose which point of view is presented to their children. Vouchers are the only way to do this: The "public school" system should be disbanded.
2 | breeze, usa, Saturday Sep 27, 2008
we homeschool.
not every American has it mixed up about church and state It was supposed to keep the state out of the church, not keep church out of the school.
But in all honesty, i do not want just anyone to teach my child the Bible, i want it taught God's way and what he wants, not what man's interpretation is and what man's opinion is. So homeschool it is God leads we will follow.
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