What is a good solution to seperation of church and state when it comes to our public schools?

Question

Anyone who pays taxes already pays for their children to go to school. It is required that children under age 18 to be enrolled either in public, private, or home school. I understand and agree that some people don't want their children to be taught religion in schools yet at the same time I understand why others want God in all aspects of their life, yet as it stands now those who want God in all aspects in their life have to either pay to home school or send their children to private schools on top of already paying for the public schools via taxes. I understand there is talk about the federal money given to schools could go where the child goes. Also there are disctricts with different types of schools, ie. arts, science, and others who not only teach the ABC's but certain other disciplines. Why can't we also provide to the public schools system schools that teach religion as well. Money would follow each child and parent's still get what they want without imposing their views

MoonShadow... I would be a hypocrite to say I wouldn't want my tax dollars spent to educate your children in a pagan environment. I don't see why we can't have different religious schools just as we have different specialty schools, ie. The Edison Project, which I thought sucked.
Each school is currently given a certain amount of money for each child. The money should be able to follow the child to whatever school he/she attends regardless of religion. One thing, then we will really know what parents want, rather than just a few loud organizations.

trl_666....""They are there to learn Math, Science, English, and History.""
Yet there are those schools that require that the children be taught sex education, evolution and other things that many God fearing parents don't want their children subjected to. How is this in line with their freedom of religion?
I'm all for your freedom to not have your children be subjected to religion if that is your wishes but I am not for the children of others being subjected to evolution and sex education when they are against those things.
One person's rights should not crush another persons rights.
And...the main point which I may have not emphasized enough is that parents that want their children taught in an environment that doesn't teach evolution and sex education pay their taxes right along with the rest of us. Why should they have to pay for private schooling or homeschooling when other tax payers can send their children to school for free?

Here is what I was referring to...
Universal School Voucher Programs
Allowing all parents, regardless of their income, where they live or any other criteria, to direct all or part of the funds set aside for education by the government to send their children to a school of choice, whether that school is public, private or religious. In effect, separating the government financing of education from the government operation of schools.
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We all pay into the school system so why shouldn't we all benefit from it in a manner we see fitting for our children and our beliefs.

MoonShadow... You seem like an intelligent being unlike most responses I have seen in this yahoo answers forum. You are right about the cost as I thought about it a little more, there are way too many different religions out there. I posted already about the voucher system, I was trying to think of it earlier and couldn't. It includes religious schools and I like the idea. I agree in part about prudish parents and sex education however, it is their rights as parents to teach their children in their ways. However after the conversation I had with a friend today about HOW sex education is being taught in some schools, I think I will definately be checking more into how our schools teach it now. What I heard was very troubling even to my liberal views.

As far as evolution, the fascinating thing about science is they are always discovering new things ie, Pluto, the face on the moon and so on. Some day they may even prove Darwin's theory is as faulty as many believe it is. Or, wouldn't it be fascinating if they actually proved there was a God or even Gods and Goddesses. Science truly is fascinating. What they promote as life saving today is life taking 10 years down the road. I believe in teaching evolution for what it is...as theory with factual findings but not as concrete truth. Just as I believe in teaching comparative religion and religious tolerance. I recently took a comparitive religion class and found it very interesting. Did it change my views? No but it did opened my mind.
Just as I'm sure you have strong convictions in your faith others do as well and don't want their children to be taught things that go against their faith. I think the voucher system will create fairness and freedom in education for all.

MoonShadow... ""So, you're suggesting that we fund a separate school in each school district for each religion? Do you have any IDEA how many religions there are and much that would cost?""
Although I agree to this to a point, I also feel that if there was a will there would be a way. I don't think it would cost much if any more than it already does. My thoughts are that instead of spending more money, it just gets redistributed according to what people really want. There will be the same amount of children attending schools, they will just have freedom to choose which school they attend. So if we find more people want to attend a wiccan school (for example) than an athiest school, then the athiest school will have to be more creative in how they finance things. Some may say this wouldn't be fair however, is it less fair than the way things are now? I wish I had more time to really research this more but I believe we either have to have freedom for ALL or freedom for NONE.

Personally, there are many things I don't like about our public school system. However being a part of the low income population, I don't have many choices. I already moved from the bigger city to a small town. It cost me more to live here and more to send my kids to school but it is a sacrafice I felt was neccisary for the well being of my children. Changes definately need to be made. I believe in freedom of religion however I do see how the behavior of our children are so much more disturbing than when we had God in schools. There is no one solution, but we need to keep in mind that in order for freedom of religion to include everyone we can't ignore one to satisfy the other. Somehow we need to find a way. Maybe we should just stick to the basics of reading writing and arithmatic and leave out evolution, sex ed and religion all together, or leave them as optional rather than required. Anyway.... thanks for listening (or reading LoL)

Since sex education was brought up I wanted to add that I believe many parents aren't teaching their children enough about sex and consequences. My mother never spoke about it at all and what she did say left me with the empression that she felt sex was only for your husband and only because you had to.
Although I would have benefited from better sex educattion programs in school I also recall not liking to discuss it in such an open forum as a class room. Many teens are uncomfortable with learning about sex ed in a class room full of the opposite sex and even same sex peers.

Answer 1

I think it's a great idea to have God in schools. The Goddess too, since I am pagan. How would you feel about your child being taught to worship my Gods and Goddesses? How would you like your tax money to be spent on funding to pay for teachers that will teach your child my pagan traditions?
I think you're brilliant!

Edit:
So, you're suggesting that we fund a separate school in each school district for each religion? Do you have any IDEA how many religions there are and much that would cost? I don't know how it is where you live, but where I am the schools are cutting out all sorts of "extra" programs such as art, music, athletics, the teachers are being let go and class sizes are growing.
How do you propose we fund such an ambitious venture? It is far more cost efficient to leave religion out of schools and let parents teach spirituality.
BTW, evolution is part of modern science. Neglecting to teach that would put the children at a definite disadvantage if they are going to pursue an education past the 8th grade. It should be left out of science class just as much as Adam and Eve should be left out of Sunday school. It's a ridiculous and foolish idea. Less foolish however then leaving sex education to prudish parents and/or the teenage boys that are *more* than willing to help a girl figure out what all those weird feelings are about - and what to do about them, getting them knocked up and in a bad situation. Leaving sex ed out of schools is essentially promoting abortions. Sex education is a social service - it helps to reduce welfare cases.

If it were financially feasible, equal public education that incorporates personal religious beliefs and training for children would be a good thing. It would be good to have those things reinforced. However, there is just too much variation in religious beliefs - even within Christianity there are tons of variations. There are too few resources. There are areas in this country with one school serving multiple towns, it would be impossible for those situations to be able to implement this idea. It isn't a bad idea, just very difficult to realize. Remember schools for blacks - separate but equal - that was just two variables and it didn't work out fairly. Unfortunately we have to compromise. And so that no-one's religious freedoms are tread upon, religion needs to remain out of the schools. (Not that it is fully out of schools - my son was forced to say the Lord's prayer before he could have lunch when he was in first grade in a public school. The area we lived in was very bible-belty, so if we had sued, we would have been physically ran out of town. Keeping religion out of school really is protection of your rights as well as mine.)

Answer 2

I am a Christian and

I think if evolution a "theory" can be taught in school, when why not a religion

I think it it can't be prove without a doubt, it should not be taught in school

Really it the parents Job to teach there children the Word of God,

however

as a Parent I don't want my kids taught a Theroy of Evolution since it can't be proven

Answer 3

Religion should be kept out of school. They are there to learn Math, Science, English, and History. That is ALL that they need. If they want to learn about religion they can go to Sunday school or pay to go to a bible school.

Answer 4

Irregardless of all the comments you added after the initial question, in response to the question itself, there IS no "solution." Nothing is ever going to make everyone happy. No one can figure out any kind of "compromise" on what relationship should exist between church and state, vis-a-vis the public schools.

Answer 5

Because everyone has their own idea about religion but not about educating our children - everyone agrees there.

Teaching evoution is OK because it is not a religion. Just ask the Pope.