Some people do not know that the Ku Klux Klan has been vehemently anti-Catholic. Its quest to eliminate Columbus Day began years ago because of Columbus’s religious beliefs.
Today, many carry out this mission without having any background knowledge of what Columbus actually did. Read more about that here.
Religious bigotry oftentimes comes through veiled comments or attacks on religious institutions. Some of those who oppose tax dollars going to religious schools hate this idea because they don’t want your children learning the religious tenets included in the curriculum. Many people will simply say that they don’t want their tax dollars going to religious schools, and leave it at that. They won’t explain their disdain for the religious views of those who subscribe to that particular faith.
I’ve been following the school choice initiative for two decades now. I’ve watched how the courts have weighed in when it comes to public tax dollars funding private or religious schools. The courts have been consistent in that you cannot discriminate against religious schools simply because of your hatred or bigotry against them. I may disagree with everything taught in a religious school, but if a parent chooses that education for their children, we cannot discriminate against them.
Recent court decisions have struck down discriminatory practices and upheld a parent’s right to choose a religious school for their children. In Espinoza v Montana Dept of Revenue, the Montana Department of Revenue promulgated an administrative rule prohibiting scholarship recipients from using their scholarships at religious schools. Much like the arguments used to stop local tax dollars from leaving SAU90 to pay tuition on behalf of the students at Sacred Heart, the Justices ruled against discriminatory practices and laws.
On June 30, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court decided one of the most important education reform cases in the past half-century. This landmark case, Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, held that the U.S. Constitution does not allow states to discriminate against religious parents or schools if policymakers choose to enact a private educational choice program to empower parents to choose the educational environment best suited to their own children. In his majority opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that while a “State need not subsidize private education[,] . . . once a State decides to do so, it cannot disqualify some private schools solely because they are religious.”
The case was argued on the basis of discrimination. The ruling states clearly that taxpayer funds can be used at religious institutions and that discrimination against religious parents or schools is not allowed under the U.S. Constitution.
Hampton residents have been paying tuition to Sacred Heart Catholic School located in Hampton for decades. Some residents want that to change. They want to end the funding to Sacred Heart, but why?
Is it because they don’t like public dollars going to a religious school? Some have indicated that on social media. They’re not comfortable with public dollars going to religious schools. That’s not a good enough excuse. I personally don’t agree with the tenets of many religious schools that receive public tax dollars, but it is up to the parents to decide what kind of education their children should receive.
SAU90 had a discrimination problem a few years ago when parents filed a complaint after their child had been bullied for several years. As a parental rights advocate, I worked with the family and the NAACP to see how this could best be resolved. How tough is it to stop a bully from tormenting a little girl? Sadly, they proved it was an impossible task. So the parents pulled their daughter out of the public school and sent her to a private school.
HAMPTON, NH — An administrative review of bullying incident against an African-American student in the Hampton School District has prompted officials to make changes to policies and procedures to prevent future incidents in the school system. The independent review was commissioned after a number of incidents, both inside and outside of school, between 2016 and 2018, according to School Superintendent Kathleen Murphy. SAU 90 commissioned the report last year.
Was she supposed to endure bullying because some of these aren’t comfortable with their tax dollars going to a religious school? Do these parents have some pent-up hatred towards what the religious school is teaching children? Was the family supposed to be punished if they chose a religious school?
That’s been my question to the petitioners. Why not work on improving public schools, so parents aren’t forced to remove their children in the first place?
What are the problems that exist in SAU90 since enrollment is declining? What draws families to Sacred Heart? In the bullying case, a child was tormented over the color of her skin. What is the solution? Wouldn’t it be better to make sure that these issues are resolved so parents aren’t forced to flee the public school they are in?
After repeated questions on the problems in SAU90, no one (on social media) said that they wanted to identify the problems that drive families out. No one said that they wanted to figure out how to keep families in the public school. They just wanted to make sure that those families can’t escape. Or if they escape, they are going to have to pay for it!
This appears to be a classic case of religious bigotry, and discrimination. Does it mean that everyone who signs the petition hates religious people? I wouldn’t say that. I would question their intent. I would question what they have done to fix the problems in the public school. I’d want to know why they are opposed to public tax dollars used to successfully educate a small portion of the students in the district.
Not all bigots wear white hoods. Some are very vocal moms and dads who can’t stand the thought of your children receiving any kind of religious instruction with YOUR tax dollars. Many of them are ok with your kids being bullied, and receiving a subpar education.
In this case, I hope that the current school board members will NOT support this type of bigotry and discrimination that plagued this district in the past. Let’s find ways to improve the public school without punishing some of the families who live in Hampton. Let’s make sure that the academics are the best, children are in a safe learning environment, and all families feel welcome.
This action is NOT a good way to overcome the discriminatory practices that have happened in the past. In fact, it doesn’t move the district forward at all. I hope the school board members understand that this kind of message that the petitioners are driving, is one that looks like discrimination in nature, and this kind of action will further cast a shadow of bigotry over the towns people.
To the current State Representative in Hampton who put herself in the middle of this town/ political battle, Candice O’Neil:
You serve all of your constituents in Hampton. Taking sides in a battle that divides the community over what appears to be a move to discriminate against some of the families residing in Hampton, doesn’t look good for an elected politician. It would be better to listen to all sides, and then look for ways to unite the community in an effort to improve the public schools. I hope in the future, instead of taking sides in a political battle such as this one, you will instead be that voice of reason that supports our public schools, while supporting all families who reside in the district.
