Do you believe there should be religious/faith based schools?

Question

I understand that public schools can not encourage faith or religion but what about private/parochial/faith based schools?

Do you agree or disagree or do they infringe on laws of separation of church and state?

Before you gloat about it not being in the first amendment of the Constitution it is often implied by many.

Thoughts?

Answer 1

Sure. They're called Madrassas, and we should leave them in Pakistan where they belong.

Answer 2

A private school would not be a state run school so there would be no need to separate church and state because theres no state even involved. Now, if a religion based school is getting federal funding then its a touchy issue. I personally believe that the government should not fund religion based private schools but i understand the argument that supporters of the funding have. Having kids in private schools relieves the strain on the public system and saves them money so the saved money can be used to support the private school. However, my opinion on the matter is that church and state must be separated as much as possible in this country.

Answer 3

Religious schools are private for a reason. Except for having to teach certain core courses imposed by the state board of education and minimum certification of teachers in the state the school operates, the state takes no interest in its operation. Of course the school structure still has to comply with local zoning and health and safety regulations and it's employees in most states have to pass a background check. If a school, religious or otherwise accepts federal money, then that school has to comply with a variety of federal regulations..after all, if it's the taxpayers money, the taxpayers have a right to insist that it be spent for the reasons it was given. Seperating church and state works mostly in favor of the church...why any religious organization would want to get in bed with the government defies logic. Which of these entities would be on top? Some snake handler church or the power of the federal government? The catholic church may be 'big' and powerful, but the federal government is way bigger and far more powerful. Realistically. if the government gets involved with any church then the government would have to set out a set of rules..which is 'making a law'.....not allowed by the 1st amendment.

Answer 4

There is nothing wrong with private religious schools and I don't see how they would violate the first amendment or the idea of separation of church and state.

Private schools don't receive government funding and although children are required to attend school, they can choose to not attend one that is faith-based. How can anyone have a problem with that?

Answer 5

It depends on one key point that you've neglected to specify: publicly funded or privately funded? If they're privately funded, I say let religious people knock themselves out for all I care. Publicly funded, on the other hand, would be something I'm against. And to those who disagree, here's a question, which perhaps someone will answer with something other than thumbs downs: Other than debating whether or not such mixing of church and state is constitutional, from a logistical standpoint, who's to decide which of the following religions deserves public funding? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religions_of_the_world

Answer 6

There are many faith based schools, they are called private schools, and most times have much higher GPA's than public schools. Of 40 graduating students, and my kids' private faith based school, 38 recieved scholorships... We must be doing something right... and as for statistics, in over 16 years of operation, not one teen pregancy in our abstenance only education environment..Since no state money is involved, there is not an issue.

Answer 7

Private/parochial/faith based schools are not publicly funded.

So the separation of church and state is a moot point.

Answer 8

There are many faith based schools throughout the country. These are all privately run and charge tuition from the students.

In mt old neighborhood there is a Christian Elementary School and a Catholic High School. I do wonder what people are going to say when they start building Islamic Elementary and High Schools.

Answer 9

There already ARE many religious schools! What planet are you from, anyway? You talk as if you had no idea that there are many church-run, faith-based schools with children enrolled in them.

Furthermore, it is already "settled law" from over 80 years ago that it would be unconstitutional to ban private schools. That was from the Supreme Court decision Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 1925. I have NEVER heard tell of anybody wanting to overturn that precedent; I have NEVER heard of anybody saying that they want to ban religious schools!

Answer 10

Not only are there religious schools, in my area they are far superior to public schools. People pay to have their kids challenged and receive a better education. You do not need to be Catholic to send your kids to a Catholic school, but they do have to take classes in religion. I think it helps them develop goods morals and a strong character.

It would be wrong to forbid different faiths from opening and operating private schools. I don't see how it harms the community or our nation. I think it actually helps.

Answer 11

as long as private schools teach the mandatory material they can teach what ever they want.

public schools can teach about religion they just have to be fair and balanced.

i think we should teach about all religions, because maybe if we understand each other better we could get along