The Trump Administration is once again taking a swing at the wall of separation between state and church, this time by proposing a federal voucher-like program that would open the way for public funding to go to religious schools. We need your help to stop it.
A Senate bill, S. 634, has been introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, that would establish a program intended to give tax credits for private school education, dubbed the Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act. (The proposed new federal budget also contains $5 billion in tax credits to fund such a program.)
Voucher and tax credit programs create a host of problems. The lack of oversight of voucher schools encourages widespread fraud and mismanagement. Taxpayers cut the checks to such schools, yet have no say in how they are run. Because private schools receiving vouchers are not subject to the safeguards required for public schools, abuses are rife, such as lack of safe playing spaces, adequate lunches and textbooks. Such schemes are a cynical way of funneling public funds to religious schools, as FFRF has repeatedly pointed out.
This is yet another example of the Trump administration weaponizing religious liberty in pursuit of profit and privilege at the expense of American taxpayers. Please contact your U.S. legislators and ask that they oppose S. 634. Click on the red “Take Action!” link below and feel free to use or adapt the talking points provided.
