Americans United Blasts House For Approving D.C. School Voucher Scheme

[Malva Zebrina]

Measure Threatens Church-State Separation And Public Education, Says AU’s Lynn

Americans United for Separation of Church and State today criticized the House of Representatives for approving a wide-ranging legislative package that includes voucher subsidies for religious and other private schools in the District of Columbia.

The House voted 242-176 to approve the omnibus spending package Dec. 8.

Americans United Executive Director Barry W. Lynn said the House has made a serious mistake.

“Voucher schemes divert scarce dollars from our public school system to private religious schools,” Lynn said. “They are bad for religion, bad for public education and bad for the taxpayers.”

Lynn called on the Senate to reject the omnibus bill. The $328-billion legislative package is controversial because it contains many pork-barrel provisions. The Senate is not scheduled to debate the legislation until next month.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

[central scrutinizer]

1. here's a related story and link

http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=12856

excerpt:

Funding a Movement


PFAW Analysis of U.S. Department of Education Grantmaking Reveals Steady Stream of Public Funds to Support School Privatization

An initial People For the American Way analysis of federal education grants has uncovered a pattern of major — and at times unsolicited — grants made to a small cadre of pro-voucher private advocacy groups. The funds diverted to these groups total more than $75 million over the last three years, and were doled out by the U.S. Department of Education despite chronic underfunding of the Bush administration’s own landmark ‘No Child Left Behind’ education legislation.

“As the Bush administration has closed the tap on education funding, even abandoning much of its commitment to ‘No Child Left Behind’ and other critical education programs like IDEA and Headstart, money is flowing to private, pro-voucher advocacy groups,” said People For the American Way President Ralph G. Neas. “This administration is sending millions of taxpayer dollars to groups that have been built by an interconnected network of right-wing foundations dedicated to privatizing education in America.”

[Malva Zebrina]

2. thanks for that info

that is incredible.

more information on those groups mentioned in that article:

PFAW’s analysis traces the millions from the Department of Education to various initiatives sponsored by pro-voucher, pro-privatization groups such as the Black Alliance for Education Options, the Hispanic Council for Reform and Education Options, the Education Leaders Council, and the Center for Education Reform.

“The mission of the Department of Education is to advance and promote public education,” said Neas. “Why is the Department handing out $75 million to groups whose work undermines public education?”