PA Governor Tom Corbett unveiled his educational reform package yesterday. Those interested in education and worried about religious intrusions should take note. The plan is designed to “improve” education in the poorest performing school districts, which in this area includes places like Aliquippa, Clairton, Duquesne, McKeesport, Sto-Rox, Wilkinsburg, and some of the Pittsburgh schools. Corbett’s plan ignores the fundamental problem of education in the area, which is that we have way too many districts that are being funded primarily through local property taxes. (This means, for example, Wilkinsburg has a millage rate of 14.00, while O’Hara Township has a millage rate of 2.20, both in Allegheny County!).
But rather than address the funding and districting issues directly, his plan will instead provide vouchers, so that students can attend religious schools paid for by our tax dollars. Such a school would be free to teach their dogma, be it creationism, faith-healing, or the miracles of weeping icons.
Not surprising, the Catholic Church is thrilled to ignore the constitutional violations of this proposal:
“I think the Catholic Church has always felt that a parent being able to choose the educational program for their children is really a matter of justice,” said the Rev. Kris Stubna, secretary for education in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. “Right now, that’s something that isn’t allowed.”
Let us be clear what might be included in religious teaching in these schools. Reporting on a recent traveling religious exhibit, Ann Rodgers notes:
The icon, which depicts the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus, is a replica of a replica, but its healing qualities are said to be the real thing.
The establishment of public schools, funded by public tax dollars, was a unique innovation that began in the 1800s in the United States. Watering down this concept will only hurt education in the long-run.
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As has been pointed out before, but which deserves repeating for emphasis, this is nothing more than a bald-faced back door plan to funnel tax dollars to religion, something that is clearly unconstitutional. Clear, that is, to anyone not afflicted by magical or delusional thinking. And of course, for the extreme right-wing morons, it presents another opportunity to destroy public education and keep the poor as ignorant as possible.
How can I be so sure about the intent of this legislation? Simply thus: when an amendment was offered to allow parents to opt their children out of any religious instruction, the amendment was soundly defeated. So the obvious intent is to use tax dollars to brainwash kids into delusional thinking.