Religion

rug

(82,333 posts) Fri Jul 13, 2012, 08:30 PM Jul 2012

Pre-Schools Restricted from Using State Money to Teach Religion

Posted on: 6:47 pm, July 13, 2012, by Meredith Baldwin, updated on: 07:03pm, July 13, 2012

The Arkansas Department of Education ruled this week that pre-schools receiving public tax money are no longer allowed to teach religion.

Schools participating in the Arkansas Better Chance (ABC) program can’t use the money for religious instruction or worship occurring during school hours.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a national group based in Washington D.C., voiced concerns about three Northwest Arkansas pre-schools last year, promoting state inspections.

The pre-schools in question are Growing God’s Kingdom in West Fork, as well as two pre-schools in Mountain Home Noah’s Ark Preschool and Open Arms Living Center.

http://5newsonline.com/2012/07/13/pre-schools-restricted-from-using-state-money-to-teach-religion/

7 replies

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Pre-Schools Restricted from Using State Money to Teach Religion (Original Post) rug Jul 2012 OP

GOOD! robinlynne Jul 2012 #1

Wish they would take a look at Pennsylvania. femmocrat Jul 2012 #2

I live in PA. I didn't know that. rug Jul 2012 #3

It is called the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program. femmocrat Jul 2012 #5

Thanks for this information. rug Jul 2012 #7

Good! If preschools want to fill the kids' heads with mythology, they can do it on their own dime. backscatter712 Jul 2012 #4

Dispicible people who want to shove their shitty religions down everybody's throat! longship Jul 2012 #6

robinlynne

(15,481 posts)

1. GOOD!

Reply to rug (Original post)

Fri Jul 13, 2012, 08:31 PM

Jul 2012

femmocrat

(28,394 posts)

2. Wish they would take a look at Pennsylvania.

Reply to rug (Original post)

Fri Jul 13, 2012, 08:50 PM

Jul 2012

There is a back-door system by which corporations can fund "scholarships" to private schools in return for a tax break. Seems to me that tax money is still going to fund private schools, some (most?) of which have to be religious. Our corrupt governor has slashed funding for public schools at the same time.

rug

(82,333 posts)

3. I live in PA. I didn't know that.

Reply to femmocrat (Reply #2)

Fri Jul 13, 2012, 08:56 PM

Jul 2012

I'm in Pike County. Got any more info on this program?

femmocrat

(28,394 posts)

5. It is called the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program.

Reply to rug (Reply #3)

Fri Jul 13, 2012, 10:05 PM

Jul 2012

There are a lot of links if you Google it. Corporations get a tax credit for funding scholarships to private schools. Some of the links were to Parochial and religious school publications, which gave it positive coverage.

There is an income eligibility (seems like around $82,000 for a family of four, I think) for students. Apparently the money follows the student who can use it to pay for private school tuition, including religious schools.

I believe that the program received increased funding this year, while public schools were frozen at last year's levels which had around $1 billion in cuts. If you feel like digging, there is a wealth of information out there about it.... it's just a lot to sift through.

rug

(82,333 posts)

7. Thanks for this information.

Reply to femmocrat (Reply #5)

Fri Jul 13, 2012, 10:47 PM

Jul 2012

There are very few private schools in Pike County but this corporate tax break angle is something to look into. Corbett is weilding his republican funding cut axe in all the wrong places.