DES MOINES – Democrats are not the only ones frightened about the direction Republicans are taking in the Iowa statehouse on school funding, with the ACLU the latest to warn against cuts to public education.
The Iowa ACLU says school vouchers “are not the cure-all for our educational system that their supporters would have you think.” The liberal agency says “there is no conclusive research showing that vouchers improve educational outcomes … and they drain resources from public schools.”
The ACLU points to two Iowa bills that are being considered in the Iowa Legislature supporting school vouchers (SF 29 and HF 9).
The crux of the ACLU’s fears seems to stem from the possibility of more Iowa kids attending private schools – many of which are religious schools – and funds going to vouchers instead of straight to the bank accounts of local school districts.
“The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of Iowa’s 182 private schools, which would receive the voucher money, are religious schools,” the ACLU explained. “That undermines our state and federal constitutional safeguard against government funding or endorsement of private religious activity. Millions in taxpayer money would be fed into religious teachings — and not just in theology classes but also in math and science.”
The ACLU points out that “unlike public schools, in some cases private schools are not under the same requirements to treat all students fairly, and as a result, schools taking school vouchers may freely discriminate against LGBTQ and other students whose values or religions they do not respect.
“The principles of religious liberty undoubtedly mean that parents may choose to send their children to private religious schools. They should not, however, allow for religious education to be provided at taxpayers’ expense.”
Democrats, backed by the teachers’ union, are railing against changes to collective bargaining proposed by Republicans that seem destined to be signed into law by Governor Terry Branstad. Democrats are also furious that the GOP only gave the public school system an extra $41 million this year than they got last year.
Republicans now face this attack from the ACLU on their school voucher plan. The ACLU urged citizens to contact their state legislators “and tell them that taxpayer funds should not be used for schools that might discriminate.”
Since hundreds of liberal anti americans mooned the Trump towers yesterday – Trump has instructed the FBI to change the retinal identification process to the Rectal identification system – easier to point out the democrats in denial.
Acorn/Aclu = foundation of criminal illegal immigration.
Well if the LGBLT folk are frightened then it must be good for the Working folk !
ACLU – Obummers club of anti American values.
ACLU – not to be trusted , Mexico ownes it – American taxpayers fund it – democrat controlled piece of crap that benefits illegals . Brother to BLM.
Care to elaborate on your statement that Mexico owns the ACLU? Stop pissing on our legs and telling us its raining.
The ACLU is against every thing that makes sense. They should be did-banded.
“Dis-Banded” Of course.
Where did the pic of the broken school room come from? Was it part of the original article or did NIT install it? At any rate that pic qualifies as fake news.
I don’t know Matt that good, just mostly his legend, but I’d say since the pic has a caption with a question under it instead of a statement of fact, it matters not where the pic came from… and I bet 2 cents he used it just to get a moron like you to comment on it. Matt’s a genius, pure and simple.