Discrimination in Head Start, New York Times, September 28, 2005

[Coastie for Truth]

House Republicans have an alarming plan for Head Start, the early childhood program for some of the nation's most impoverished children and their families: They want to give religious groups that sponsor local Head Start programs license to discriminate by not hiring otherwise qualified individuals who do not share a particular religion.

Last week, the House voted 220 to 196, mostly along party lines, for this smashing of constitutional and civil rights protections by tagging it onto an otherwise positive Head Start bill that unanimously cleared the House education committee last May. Sponsored by Representative John Boehner, Republican of Ohio, and backed strongly by the White House, the amendment would allow for the purging of caring and effective teachers on the basis of their religion. Parents who subscribed to a different faith than the religiously affiliated sponsor could be disqualified as classroom volunteers.

This move seems solely designed to placate the Republicans' right-wing base. Many religiously affiliated groups participate in Head Start programs, but they are not among those clamoring for a religious exclusion from the antidiscrimination requirements, which have been part of the program for decades.

In recent years, the Senate has blocked similar attempts by House Republicans to make discrimination based on religion an official feature of publicly financed programs. In the name of preserving the Constitution, and the successful Head Start program, it must do so again. The program serves fewer than half of all eligible children, so what it needs is more money, not religious discrimination.

[rodeodance]

1. it is up to the Senate to stop this nonsence!

[fortyfeetunder]

2. Uh uh...this blurs the line between church and state

allowing religious discrimination for a government program. This stinks big....

[Coastie for Truth]

3. It's as bad as Michael Brown's (Brownie, Yer doin good) suggestion

to reimburse "faith based groups" for Disaster Services.

Salvation Army and the Southern Baptist Brotherhood (the big, mobile kitchen semi-trailers) have said that they don't want the money. The Red Cross has said ONLY under a Federal Acquisition Contract that reads in ALL of the Federal Acquisition Regulations - including non-discrimination in employment and in services provided, auditing, etc. (and they are NOT "faith based." They are a 501(c)(3) charity).

These Repukes are playing to their fundie base so much that it is sickening.