The Supreme Court recently refused to review a ruling in Wisconsin that permits vouchers to be used for any and all schools in that state, including religious schools. They said that since the primary purpose of this wasn't to advance the cause of religion, they saw no violation of the first amendment.
Actually, the first amendment doesn't say anything about "primary purpose." And what it really boils down to is that taxpayer money is being used to fund these vouchers. I, as an atheist, don't really want my tax money used for the purpose of educating children in a religious way, a way that I feel is harmful.
Similarly, a Christian would most likely not want their tax money to pay for children being educated in a pagan school, if there are such things. Or could you imagine the uproar that would be made over vouchers if they were being used to send kids to "Lucifer's Academy?"
As I have said over and over again, a parent has every right in the world to educate their child in a way that they see fit, whether it's to incorporate any religion of their choosing, or none, into the education. But they do not have the right to expect everyone else to pay for it.
This is why our government schools, or public schools if you prefer, do not have religion in them. The government knows that since taxpayer money is being used for them, they have to remain neutral on the subject of religion.
For this reason, voucher programs like the one instituted in Wisconsin work against that rule. They are in violation, perhaps not strictly of the first amendment, but of the principle upon which our religion-neutral public-funded educational system is founded.
Many states are considering voucher programs similar to Wisconsin's. My home state of Pennsylvania is one of them. If you are concerned over them, for reasons similar to my own, I urge you to write your Congresscritter and make your concerns known. We can stop this abuse of taxpayer money.
