Mark Rubio's Old World Style

Would many US taxpayers object to supporting The Vatican's schools in America, with their tax dollars? I know, I know, many folks like the idea of "school choice", but in reality, Rubio's scheme will mostly revive the Catholic elementary and high schools in America.

OK, feel free to differ, and try to convince me I'm wrong.

http://www.redefinedonline.org/2013...school-choice-voucher-program/comment-page-1/

 

Not at all. Most, at least 60%, of private schools in America are owned by religious organzations, and most of those are Roman Catholic. Since the days of President Grant and the 38 Blaine Amendments, Roman Catholic leadership in the USA has seen taxpayer support as a goal.

That's not anti-Catholic bigotry. It's just historical and political fact. I do think Protestants and Jews and Muslims have jumped upon that church's bandwagon.

 

I'm researching that number for ya. I see 5% of all schools in the USA are Catholic.

http://www.economist.com/node/21560536

(Let me reiterate: criticism of Roman Catholicism is not the same as anti-Catholic bigotry, and attempts to equate the 2 are perhaps designed to stifle scrutiny.)

 

The following doesn't answer much but gives a clue.

61.2 % of New Hampshire's private general education schools are religiously owned, and NH is 35 % Catholic

(The first statistic is from a group that was largely Baptist, 50 years ago, BTW)

https://www.au.org/church-state/feb...atured/covert-convoluted-and-unconstitutional

http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/200...gelicals-Catholics-And-Black-Protestants.aspx

 

Good point.

 

Some public schools are wretched, and some are excellent. Even a mediocre system of public education provides a more level playing field than a system of privatized schools. Equal opportunity; a component of democracy. In the 1930's, the Pope issued a statement saying fascism's heirarchical nature was the best reflection of the world's natural order. You wanna give tax money to that institution?

Your congressperson might make sure you get a 3,000 dollar voucher, so they can get the votes of whichever pastor has the most parishioners in your district. But, the -good- private school will charge 6,000 a year, and the priviliged will have daddy's who can make up the other 3,000.

Lasty, all throughout the 1800's, Americans were highly worried about tax dollars being given to that church's schools. Hence, 38 or 39 "Blaine Amendments" passed by state legislatures, prohibiting the giving of tax dollars to religious schools. Nowadays, they hide it by roundabout ways, such as by calling them "corporate tax credits". Some of the public falls for it.

Why make religion beholding to the US Treasury and its guardians: politicians?