Tennessee May Deliberately Exclude Muslim Schools From New Voucher Program

[mollywobbles867]

Several conservative lawmakers in Tennessee are throwing the brakes on a fast-moving bill that would divert money away from public schools and towards vouchers for students to attend private or parochial schools.

Republicans are taking a second look at the bill after the possibility arose that some Islamic schools could apply for the same funding

Comments

[nextdrinksonme]

“This is an issue we must address,”

What?? Why?

And holy shit that proposed bill from 2011.

[evildevil]

I am pretty sure they cannot make a bill that specifically targets a religious group from exclusion from gov funding unless they have a very good reason (that is not based on religious bias). Either every religious school gets funding regardless of their religion or none gets it.

[carmy_w]

Correct. Their asshattedness tromps even further on the constitution.

Whatever happened to protection from religious discrimination???

[yamamanama]

Jailing people for being Muslim? Do states' rights supercede freedom of religion or something?

[tigerdreams]

I don't know; ask North Carolina.

[empressith]

No. A law like that would be challenged by the ACLU and struck down. There is literally no point in passing a law like that.

[yamamanama]

And then they'd whine about how the ACLU is a front for a Muslamic communist terror organization.

[aviv_b]

Not a fan of vouchers for parochial schools, but I don't think you can just decide to exclude some religion because you want to.

Also - that 2011 bill is about the vilest thing I've read in a long time. Yes, Repugs are all about freedom! unless its regulating the private conduct of someone who isn't just like them.

[nikoel]

What is TNs obsession over Muslims?! Did I miss something major happening there or are they just THE most xenophobic state in the union??

[yamamanama]

They have new competition in the Crazy Olympics from North Carolina and North Dakota.

[jettakd]

We have a very large population of Muslim Persians and Khurds (we actually have the largest Khurdish population in the world outside of their native country). This sets off the klaxon of racism within my fellow statesmen at all times.

[nikoel]

That explains it!!