Letters to the Editor: Possible approval of church-run schools to be publicly funded opens a 'Pandora's box'
To the editor: If the Supreme Court justices decide to override the Establishment Clause of the 1st Amendment of the Constitution, the question then becomes: Which church will run the schools? Or temple, mosque, gurdwara, wat or basadi ('Supreme Court may allow church-run, publicly funded charter schools across the nation,' April 30)?
The founding fathers wisely did not establish a state religion because history shows us the limitations and divisiveness that arise when politics and religion are mixed together. And now the Supreme Court wants to violate their wishes and open up a Pandora's box of religion into our public schools.
Bob Hoffman, Long Beach..
To the editor: So the Catholic majority on the Supreme Court appears to favor public funding of religious charter schools. I just can't wait to hear how they are going to react when Hasidic schools apply for funding their Torah-based studies with minimal traditional academic classes. And I'm sure they will welcome madrasas as well. Beware of what you wish for, SCOTUS.
Barbara Rosen, Fullerton
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To the editor: If the conservatives on the Supreme Court give the OK for tax-exempt churches to have us taxpayers pay for religious schools, does that mean that the law could be changed and all churches can now be taxed? Shouldn't be able to have it both ways.
Fred Mandel, Encino
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To the editor: Why is the Supreme Court even considering the funding of religious charter schools with taxpayer dollars? We should be promoting and funding science and math schools to compete with China and other nations. Will religious studies develop new medicines and cure cancer, improve agriculture production to feed the poor or save the planet from climate change?
Larry Naritomi, Monterey Park
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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