ABSOLUTELY I defend Jay Bennish!!!
I am not so terrified of my children hearing a different point of view from my own. Education is about more than facts and numbers, it's about challenging your own beliefs. When you challenge your beliefs, they either falter and wither under the light of truth, or they become stronger.
And I fully support school choice, but don't expect me to support you pulling 100% of your tax money from the system. You can take a portion of it. That money also goes for colleges as well, not to mention that you as a citizen benefit from public education whether your child attends public, private, religious, or home school.
You drive on roads designed by an engineer that went to a public school or univeristy. You are defended by soldiers who went to a public school or university. You receive public works run by people educated in a public school or university. So, no you can't take your money from a public resource so you can feel good about your child being ignorant about evolution or being sheltered from a liberal point of view. If you want a private education for your child, you have to pay for it like everyone else.
But I refuse to sit idle as a small group of religious people dictate public school policy. And I would refuse to sit idle if the motivations of that small group were religous, political, economical, racial, or any other non-sensical reasoning.
So, no you can't take your money from a public resource
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You want to bet? Yes, government schools can be replaced with a completely private system.
It is IMPOSSIBLE for any government school to be politically, culturally, or religiously neutral. IMPOSSIBLE!
Private schools have every constitutional right NOT to be neutral. But,,,,even if they attempted neutrality it would be impossible because the education of the young can NEVER be neutral.
Did you speak out when a small group of atheists dictated public school policy in Murray v. Curtlett? Have you been idly sitting while the ACLU has systematically removed any references to God from the public schools?
The religious sensibilities of these parents are offended by these plays. While they are certainly not offensive to the majority, they are offensive to the minority. Why didn't the courts merely tell Mrs. O'Hair to take her children to a private school if she was offended by the morning prayer, or references to God?
Yet now that these Christians are offended, they are the ones who must find a private school.
It's a two way street, Lunatic. Either we allow certain people to be offended by the majority, or we cater to every whim of every minority.
I say let the prayers begin.