Mastodawn

Tony, Pretty Much

I’m happy to pay taxes to support public schools because I recognize that having an educated populace is a public good.

However, I would deeply resent my tax dollars paying for religious indoctrination and the undermining of public schools.

There is nothing good in this and I wish but dare not hope that the SCOTUS would agree with me.

Oklahoma to vote on first taxpayer-funded religious school in US |
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/oklahoma-vote-first-religious-charter-school-us-2023-04-11/

Oklahoma board rejects first taxpayer-funded religious school in US

An Oklahoma school board on Tuesday unanimously rejected the Catholic Church's application to create the first taxpayer-funded religious charter school in the U.S., taking a first step toward a long legal battle testing the concept of separation of church and state.

Reuters

BC253 Apr 11, 2023

@TonyStark
That’s quite a deal for all those churches that pay no taxes, but will benefit from those of us who do. Same old same old. With an extra bonus of religious indoctrination

Tony, Pretty Much Apr 11, 2023

@bridgetc253 This money would (obviously) be better used to improve the public schools that serve everyone. But religious zealots don’t actually want to do things that benefit everyone. Something a lot of people need to realize.

BC253 Apr 11, 2023

@TonyStark
Yes, exactly that

Partly Peaceful Chris Apr 11, 2023

@TonyStark it’s complete fucking blasphemy… so wrong in every way 🤬

Sir Real 🇵🇸Apr 11, 2023

@TonyStark Didn't read the story, but I'll go out on a limb and guess they have a preference for one particular religion, hmm?

Tony, Pretty Much Apr 11, 2023

@LeftCoast Catholic and the prospective director refused to answer if an openly LGBTQ student would be admitted (not that I’d send my kid somewhere like that under any circumstances) but it’s the messaging. Hate messaging.

Hawkeye Apr 11, 2023

Taxes should fund public schools. Religious schools require tuition.Not everyone can afford to send their children to these schools.

And What About Separation of Church and State:

The 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution says that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” The function and intent of this amendment have been translated as “separation between church and state” Thomas Jefferson

1of2

Hawkeye Apr 11, 2023

The concept has been used in multiple Supreme Court cases such as Everson v. Board of Education, Engel v. Vitale and Lemon v. Kurtzman, and is not argued as apart from the First Amendment even though it is not explicitly stated. The Treaty of Tripoli, of the United States’ first treaty agreements, also reinforced this idea in Article 11, which reads, “the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.”

Tony, Pretty Much Apr 11, 2023

@ClintBarton Plenty of places you can get a religious education if you want one. Try church. They get out of paying taxes there, too.

OtownKim Apr 11, 2023

@TonyStark @ClintBarton UGH. Religion is so Vile. WORST fiction ever!

Brent, in a jar Apr 11, 2023

@ClintBarton Shout out to Treaty of Tripoli! Our side needs to trot that sucker out more often :)
@TonyStark

Arena Cops 🇺🇦✌Apr 11, 2023

@ClintBarton @TonyStark The First Amendment, in its very first sentence, is unmistakable:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;..."

to neither enable state-supported confessional dogmatism & exclusion, nor terrorism masked as religious supremacy restricting the lives, liberties & pursuit of happiness of the sovereign people of the United States.

#DefendAmerica #DefendTheConstitution #DefendDemocracy #DefensiveDemocracy #Democracy #RespectLife #CivilRights #HumanRights #YourVoiceMatters #YouMatter #StandWithHumanity

Lucifer ☄️Apr 12, 2023

@ClintBarton @TonyStark
Well yeah but you have to realize these people are not guided by history or law or fact, they have a job to do- and that is to give power to their patrons.
Dobbs shows you that Scalia was willing to borrow law from the 17th century that cannot be reconciled with the notion that women are human beings with rights

Unprecedented 2023 Apr 11, 2023

@TonyStark Nothing is sacred anymore. MAGA forces are blatantly doing what they want.

Tony, Pretty Much Apr 11, 2023

@Mallulady Will continue until enough stop them.

Homerbrew Apr 12, 2023

@TonyStark @Mallulady
But we keep electing “moderate” Dems that do nothing to stop the right wingers and by doing nothing it enables them. I personally wish all the politicians were moderates, but with so many far right wingers in office, moderates will only keep the country moving tight (aka wrong)

Richie Enameller Apr 11, 2023

@TonyStark this is terrible but not surprising considering Oklahoma is run by Christian fascists.

edgeoforever 🍎Apr 11, 2023

@TonyStark Any religion in particular? First Amendment would like to know!

Hunter Perrin Apr 11, 2023

@edgeoforever @TonyStark Republicans don’t let silly things like the constitution get in the way of their fascism.

Mc Mafalda Apr 11, 2023

@hperrin @edgeoforever @TonyStark

Scotland in the UK has enormous bigotry issues, and it starts from school. Catholic have their own schools while the other ones are non-denominational. Kids living in a same area are separated depending on parent's religion. I still don't get it why Catholic believe education has to be different. Maybe a kind of elitism and control, everybody tends to consider others as daftier. Otherwise, how different is maths history or literature ?

Samhain Night Apr 11, 2023

@TonyStark I'm pretty sure this violates Freedom of Religion and I can't wait for Satanists to point this out.

A Tattered Scrapbook Apr 11, 2023

@TonyStark Isn’t religious education an oxymoron?

NerdGirlInVR 💜🇺🇸🌎🐘💜Apr 11, 2023

@TonyStark maybe Oklahomans don't keep up with the news.

Yeah, send your children to the church for an education..... 🤬

https://abcnews.go.com/US/church-child-sex-abuse-allegations-600-victims-detailed/story?id=98405822

Church child sex abuse allegations from more than 600 victims detailed in new report

The report comes from the Maryland Attorney General.

ABC News

Mickrob9777 Apr 11, 2023

@NerdGirlInVR @TonyStark

Oh, but look, trans people….

NerdGirlInVR 💜🇺🇸🌎🐘💜Apr 11, 2023

@Mickrob9777 @TonyStark 🤣🤣🤣 exactly!

Mushifoot Apr 11, 2023

@TonyStark Time for someone to try to open a madrasa or yeshiva in Oklahoma, to make it plain which religion the state is attempting to establish.

Mushifoot Apr 11, 2023

@TonyStark
🇺🇸✝️: Religious freedom!
🇺🇸✡️☪️: 🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏽
🇺🇸✝️: NO, NOT LIKE THAT!

Scott Knowles Apr 11, 2023

@TonyStark Washington State Constitution, passed in 1889, provisions about education.

1. Public education will be fully funded by taxes. It took State Supreme Court ruling to get it, and we're close.

2. Charter schools must be under public school districts and state board for special needs only. Funds can not come from public education funds. Currently the state lottery.

3. Private or religious schools can not receive public funds. This includes vouchers.

Lindasue Apr 11, 2023

@TonyStark
We need to be vigilant.

Sad. Public education is being attacked with the idea that it will eventually go away. It's not even that they just want private industry to teach kids it's that they want a two class society; the educated and the uneducated. Mark my words.

After they have abolished public education, the tax payer funded vouchers, etc will go away (gotta kill those " entitlements!") and only the wealthy will be able to afford an education.

Swagpuss McG Apr 12, 2023

@TonyStark
Faith schools aren't the worst, tend to have high standards and uniforms, liberal arts and natural science education are extremely high in Catholic schools across the world.

But I would still oppose it at every stage. Education has secular, human, civic value that embedded religion will seek to undermine and, where available, usurp. I'd be out voting against it, but if my knowledge of America's legal system is correct, then this motion didn't get under a court's nose by osmosis.

Ω 🌍 Gus Posey Apr 12, 2023

@TonyStark Nightmare fuel.

Dr. Brad Rosenheim has moved!Apr 12, 2023

@TonyStark I think the clearest path forward is to open a satanic school to create a test case. Or one that worships the #FlyingSpaghettiMonster. They won't go for either, and then they will have gone against the first amendment.

Awakened Dragon 🏳️‍🌈🦒🌊🌻Apr 12, 2023

@Brad_Rosenheim @TonyStark That always does the trick for these clowns, it's all fun and games until a different religion demands the same rights, especially Satanism. And I love it.

Brian Grinter Apr 12, 2023

@TonyStark @donmelton one thing you do better than Australia

@TonyStark
Countdown until #TheSatanicTemple opens a state-funded private school... 3... 2... 1...

Tony, Pretty Much Apr 12, 2023

@JamesDBartlett3 I’m a fan of their work. I support it.

1finekitty Apr 12, 2023

@TonyStark I doubt this will happen, in the final analysis! There is no “separation of church and state” in the Constitution but we have generally avoided religion in schools these days

1st Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Heimdall 🏳️‍🌈Apr 12, 2023

@TonyStark A whole lot of people if this goes forward-

caseyjonesed Apr 12, 2023

@TonyStark You don’t need to be a judge to know that this is bullshit.

Humble Fan of Atty. Woo Apr 12, 2023

As we learned all too well last week, those religious schools don't make your children safe from some nutjob with an AR-15. Hi, Tony.

Tony, Pretty Much Apr 12, 2023

@BillMcGuire Hi-ya, Bill. As always, hope things are going OK down there.

@TonyStark this and many other things are reasons why people should be able to CHOOSE what thier tax money goes to