Public Education Catch-All | Vouchers, Curriculum, Religion, Etc.
- Thread starter nycfan
- Start date
- Replies: 20
- Views: 373
- Politics
- Messages
- 15,351
The religious charter schools case is a bigger deal than you think
The Supreme Court agreed on Friday afternoon to hear a landmark religious charter schools case out of Oklahoma, and it’s a much bigger deal than you might imagine.
“… Many of the headlines refer to whether states “can” or “may” allow religious charter schools. But that’s not the question at all; not a single state has enacted legislation allowing religious charter schools (and the Court does not like to deal in hypotheticals). Despite the efforts of a few policy wonks (among them my colleague Checker Finn and my friend Andy Smarick), not even Oklahoma has amended its charter law to greenlight religious charters.
No, the question for the Court is whether states that allow secular charter schools must allow religious charter schools, too. And given a recent string of decisions, it seems very likely that SCOTUS will say yes.
I won’t get deep into the legalities here; excellent backgrounders are available from Education Next’s Joshua Dunn and Notre Dame’s Nicole Stelle Garnett.
But in lay terms: The Court might view charter schools as essentially government contractors, rather than parts of the government itself. And it might also rule that denying charters to otherwise qualified nonprofits merely because of their religious nature amounts to anti-religious discrimination and thus violates the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause. …”
- Messages
- 15,351
“… The impact that such a ruling could have on America’s educational landscape is massive.
Religious charter schools will be legal overnight in every one of the forty-six states with charter school laws on the books. Religious private schools nationwide will surely take a close look at applying for charters.
Becoming a charter school would unlock thousands of dollars per pupil for their operations and free their families from needing to pay tuition. That will be hugely attractive, especially with private schools struggling to stay afloat financially and those that predominantly serve low-income or working-class families.
However, becoming a charter school wouldn’t necessarily come without a cost. Charter schools must give their students federally-required assessments and face extensive auditing and transparency requirements. These “costs” are foreseeable, but there are some unknowns, as well.
The main one is whether religious charter schools will be allowed to prioritize members of their faith when admitting students. (Charter schools generally have to take all comers, and hold a lottery if oversubscribed.)
Also, will they be allowed to exclude children or families that don’t abide by their values, including LGBTQ students or families?
Could they hire only adherents to their religion as teachers and other staff?
The Court—if it finds that states must allow religious schools—will need to spell all this out. If not, these questions are likely to be litigated for years to come.
I suspect we’ll see thousands of Catholic and other religious schools turn into charter schools in every corner of the country in the next year or two.
But that’s not a foregone conclusion, for a few reasons. For one, some state charter laws make it hard for private schools (even non-religious ones) to “convert” to charter status, though those challenges can probably be overcome. More importantly, states, districts, and authorizers that don’t want religious charter schools might decide to stop approving new charters altogether. Unless the Court rules that such a move itself amounts to religious discrimination, it would be a disaster for the charter school sector—and is what has charter advocacy leaders, who oppose religious charters, understandably worried. …”
Religious charter schools will be legal overnight in every one of the forty-six states with charter school laws on the books. Religious private schools nationwide will surely take a close look at applying for charters.
Becoming a charter school would unlock thousands of dollars per pupil for their operations and free their families from needing to pay tuition. That will be hugely attractive, especially with private schools struggling to stay afloat financially and those that predominantly serve low-income or working-class families.
However, becoming a charter school wouldn’t necessarily come without a cost. Charter schools must give their students federally-required assessments and face extensive auditing and transparency requirements. These “costs” are foreseeable, but there are some unknowns, as well.
The main one is whether religious charter schools will be allowed to prioritize members of their faith when admitting students. (Charter schools generally have to take all comers, and hold a lottery if oversubscribed.)
Also, will they be allowed to exclude children or families that don’t abide by their values, including LGBTQ students or families?
Could they hire only adherents to their religion as teachers and other staff?
The Court—if it finds that states must allow religious schools—will need to spell all this out. If not, these questions are likely to be litigated for years to come.
I suspect we’ll see thousands of Catholic and other religious schools turn into charter schools in every corner of the country in the next year or two.
But that’s not a foregone conclusion, for a few reasons. For one, some state charter laws make it hard for private schools (even non-religious ones) to “convert” to charter status, though those challenges can probably be overcome. More importantly, states, districts, and authorizers that don’t want religious charter schools might decide to stop approving new charters altogether. Unless the Court rules that such a move itself amounts to religious discrimination, it would be a disaster for the charter school sector—and is what has charter advocacy leaders, who oppose religious charters, understandably worried. …”
- Messages
- 567
praise jesus!!!!!
CharmCityTiger
Active Member
- Messages
- 37
I can’t wait for the first taxpayer funded madrassa to pop up in Oklahoma.
- Messages
- 15,351
Alhamdulillah(??)
Carolina Fever
Iconic Member
- Messages
- 2,496
Pubs have wanted to get rid of public education for years. This whole charter school thing is there way of doing it. They don't care about educating everyone. They only want private Christian education that doesn't have to worry about kids with special needs, minorities, or trying to do anything about caring about those that are different, the gay, lesbian, bi, and trans community. As long as the straight white Christian kids have school, that's all they care about. Oh, and also making money off it.
billybobblockhead
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 54
The last sentence of your quote is first and foremost. Bunches of legislators have their hands in charters via collecting rent from buildings or "selling" furniture and supplies to them.
Carolina Fever
Iconic Member
- Messages
- 2,496
Nothing under Trump. Why would that matter when they are already giving public money to private religious schools, but just calling them charter schools?
- Messages
- 2,182
Charter school operators were the single largest source of donations to Ohio Republican legislators when I lived there. They allow for-profit charter schools.
- Messages
- 1,749
Nothing during this admin. DOJ won't pursue it.
- Messages
- 15,351
ChileG
Iconic Member
- Messages
- 1,267
Children will suffer? The GOP will love that. And I’m not even being sarcastic. Because they are children of poor people. Probably over-represented by minorities. They fucking live for this shit.
Carolina Fever
Iconic Member
- Messages
- 2,496
Good luck to all the kids that go to school in rural areas.
- Messages
- 15,351
Interesting article about “hybrid homeschool” learning centers (don’t call them schools) that homeschooled kids can attend a few days a week for enrichment and socialization, which are backed by tech companies and increasingly eligible under state voucher programs.
“… In part because the expansion of vouchers and other school choice programs is expected to continue under President Trump, hybrid schools like Moonrise have proven attractive to Silicon Valley investors aiming to “disrupt” the educational system.
From the funding he’s now receiving from a Peter Thiel–backed venture firm to the political climate, Turner sees signs all around him that hybrid homeschools like Moonrise are poised to grow in popularity.
“So everything that we’re doing,” he said, “is setting up for the ability for us to meet that demand.” …”
www.motherjones.com
“… In part because the expansion of vouchers and other school choice programs is expected to continue under President Trump, hybrid schools like Moonrise have proven attractive to Silicon Valley investors aiming to “disrupt” the educational system.
From the funding he’s now receiving from a Peter Thiel–backed venture firm to the political climate, Turner sees signs all around him that hybrid homeschools like Moonrise are poised to grow in popularity.
“So everything that we’re doing,” he said, “is setting up for the ability for us to meet that demand.” …”
"Hybrid homeschools" are booming, and Silicon Valley cash is rolling in
School voucher programs are expanding and the Trump administration will only accelerate the trend.
www.motherjones.com