Religious conservatives have been trying for years to change federal law to allow faith-based agencies that receive federal funding to discriminate against people based on their religion when hiring staff. Yesterday they scored a victory in the US House. The Interfaith Alliance reports:
The School Readiness Act (H.R. 2123), a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Head Start program, was passed 48-0 in committee. However, during floor debate Thursday, Rep. Charles Boustany Jr. (R-LA) added an amendment allowing Head Start providers to exercise religious discrimination in choosing teachers and volunteers. As a result, the final vote on the bill (231-184) was stripped of the unanimous, bipartisan support displayed in committee.
“The Interfaith Alliance is very disappointed in the members of Congress who insist on reacting to one crisis by beginning another one,” said the Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, President of The Interfaith Alliance. “The Boustany amendment is a prime example of political opportunists taking advantage of a national tragedy to institute policies that are unconstitutional and have been previously rejected by the Congress.”
The Head Start funding bill was even opposed by Head Start.
The Interfaith Alliance was joined by more than 50 organizations in opposition to the bill’s passage if it contained the Boustany amendment. The National Head Start Association, which represents more than 2.5 million children and families, program staff and volunteers that comprise the Head Start and Early Head Start community, came out against the entire bill if the Boustany Amendment was attached saying:
“In spite of its positive provisions, if HR 2123 contains a religious discrimination amendment, we must reluctantly oppose the bill.”
A funding bill for Head Start has been passed by the Senate – without the religious discrimination provision – and will therefore be sent to a conference committee for debate. Senators must be urged to reject the discrimination provision .
The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism issued a statement last night saying:
As a religious organization, we recognize the importance of faith in our society and support all those who come to our synagogues in search of spiritual fulfillment. But for those houses of worship that also serve their community as a Head Start center, there must be a clear division between religious mission and secular service. The constitutionality of permitting religious discrimination in hiring when using federal tax dollars remains an open question, yet on a policy level it is clear that such discrimination is simply misguided. Throughout its history, the over 20 million children served by Head Start have been taught by teachers qualified in early childhood education – not theology.
To now overturn more than three decades of proven public policy ensuring religious non-discrimination in Head Start is foolish at best and reckless at worst. Congress would better spend its time focusing on legislative efforts to improve American public education than considering how to use public funds to divide pre-schoolers along religious lines. We call on the Senate to reject any similar effort to include religious discrimination in Head Start and ensure that our nation’s children are provided with the best education we are capable of providing.
Contact your senators.
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