The issue of extending federal aid to parochial schools is expected to dominate the debate over President Bush’s new education plan, both in the Jewish community and in the country at large.
Specifically, controversy is expected to center on Bush’s proposal for “choice in education,” in which taxpayers’ money would be provided for students in whatever school their parents select, including parochial and other private schools.
Most major Jewish organizations have traditionally opposed any use of public funds for parochial schools as a violation of the constitutionally mandated separation of church and state. But Orthodox organizations, which have long sought government support for yeshivas, support Bush’s proposals.
“By proposing to provide federal aid to parochial schools, the administration is essentially coercing all citizens to pay for the religious education desired by only a few,” said Henry Siegman, executive director of the American Jewish Congress.
Siegman agreed with Bush, as do many in the Jewish community, that there is a crisis in public education.
But he said that “undermining the separation of church and state is not the answer to the crisis.”
Agudath Israel of America, however, said Bush’s proposal is an advancement of the position it has held since 1961, namely that parents who send their children to religious schools are entitled to public support for the non-sectarian parts of such an education.
“For choice to be meaningful and effective, it should encompass all educational options, including non-public schools, which have a proven track record of excellence,” said David Zwiebel, the Orthodox group’s general counsel.
Other Orthodox groups are expected to take a similar position.
OPPOSING VIEWS OF CONSTITUTION
While the American Jewish Committee and the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith are still studying the Bush education plan, both groups have long opposed aid to parochial schools as a violation of church and state.
Jess Hordes, ADL’s Washington representative, said his organization has “real concern” about tax dollars going to religious schools.
Echoing this concern, Judith Golub, AJCommittee’s legislative director, said her organization told the administration it would approve choice only within the context of public schools.
But Abba Cohen, director of Agudath Israel’s Washington office, argued that the Supreme Court “has made it abundantly clear that the First Amendment is not offended when state aid is made available to individuals — in this case parents — who are free to use such assistance at any institution they see fit, even sectarian ones.”
Siegman of AJCongress observed that the separation of church and state was made part of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, “in order to prevent the federal government from exercising its authority to ‘force a citizen to contribute three pence only of his property for the support’ of religion.”
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
