Money for Baptist college

[Pah]

Money for Baptist college stays in
But nothing will be spent until case is heard in courts
By Jack Brammer And Frank Lockwood
HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITERS

http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/14421456.htm

FRANKFORT - Gov. Ernie Fletcher will not veto $10 million for a pharmacy school at the University of the Cumberlands, but he said no money will be used on the project until courts determine whether it's constitutional for state dollars to go to the Baptist school.

Fletcher, on statewide television last night, said, "I believe we need to answer once and for all in Kentucky the legality of funding private faith-based institutions for public purposes."

Kentucky's Constitution, Section 189, since 1891

No portion of any fund or tax now existing, or that may hereafter be raised or levied for educational purposes, shall be appropriated to, or used by, or in aid of, any church, sectarian or denominational school. http://www.lrc.state.ky.us/legresou/constitu/189.htm

Doesn't the Kentucky Governor understand the Constitution that empowers his office? Where is the awareness of Kentick's Constitution within the legisalive branch?

Why is this not to be considered a "religious" power play?

 

[retrorich]

Thumbs down on government funds for private schools, religious or otherwise.

 

[jeffrey]

Kentucky has a very large Baptist population. He's more worried about pleasing them then upholding the law. Our town is like 4.000? in population and has at least 3 baptist churches I can think of off the top of my head.

 

[standing_alone]

Thumbs down on government funds for private schools, religious or otherwise.

I second that.

 

[michel]

Looking at it as an Englishman, it doesn't sound so bad...........after all, it is for a pharmacy school. I guess you guys have religion thrust at you from everyside; I oughn't to be surprised at your reaction.

 

[jeffrey]

Let's say I opened a Wicca college. Should I not recieve funds then for a Wiccan herb pharmacy? Their would be an outcry. The best is if it's private, leave funds private.

 

[Pah]

Aside from the Constitutional question, why should public tax money be used to fund any private school. There is less money avaialable for public schools.

 

[c0da]

why should public tax money be used to fund any private school. There is less money avaialable for public schools.

I agree with Pah. Private schools should be funded privately.

 

[Booko]

Let's say I opened a Wicca college. Should I not recieve funds then for a Wiccan herb pharmacy? Their would be an outcry. The best is if it's private, leave funds private.

There would be an outcry from the medical-industrial complex just because it was an HERB pharmacy.

Ever notice how if someone dies because they used some herb WRONGLY, there's talk of banning it, but gosh, people die all the time from pharmaceutial drugs and we just brush that under the rug. Hm...

But to get back on topic, what is a "religious" college? Technically speaking, I went to a Baptist College. Uh, I never met a Baptist there. Plenty of Catholics and Jews, though. The "services" on Friday morning (optional) were non-denominational, which mostly means sorta Christian, but sometimes they went outside of Christianity for ideas. If I had asked to put on a non-denominational service inspired from Baha'i pov, they would've let me. I was just usually having coffee with friends at that time.

So if someone gave money to that college, I wouldn't have a problem with it at all. It's just a college that happens to have been founded by Baptists.

otoh, I'm not naive. Even though money might be given to something as purely academic as a pharmacy school, I've seen how easy it is to funnel the funds into something else.

 

[kevmicsmi]

There would be an outcry from the medical-industrial complex just because it was an HERB pharmacy.

Ever notice how if someone dies because they used some herb WRONGLY, there's talk of banning it, but gosh, people die all the time from pharmaceutial drugs and we just brush that under the rug. Hm...

But to get back on topic, what is a "religious" college? Technically speaking, I went to a Baptist College. Uh, I never met a Baptist there. Plenty of Catholics and Jews, though. The "services" on Friday morning (optional) were non-denominational, which mostly means sorta Christian, but sometimes they went outside of Christianity for ideas. If I had asked to put on a non-denominational service inspired from Baha'i pov, they would've let me. I was just usually having coffee with friends at that time.

So if someone gave money to that college, I wouldn't have a problem with it at all. It's just a college that happens to have been founded by Baptists.

otoh, I'm not naive. Even though money might be given to something as purely academic as a pharmacy school, I've seen how easy it is to funnel the funds into something else.

Mooney is all fungible in these cases.

 

[Booko]

Aside from the Constitutional question, why should public tax money be used to fund any private school. There is less money avaialable for public schools.

Because they may have an already existing program that may be of benefit to the state. Actually, if a state is short on pharmacists, funding the pharmacy school, in theory, might not be such a bad idea. This assumes there's no viable pharmacy school at a public school in the region, of course.

I'm suspicious of this too, but in theory it's not necessarily bad. It's just that I've seen too much of what happens in practice NOT to be suspicious.

 

[jeffrey]

Private schools, as pah stated, and others agreed, should remain private. Is Notre Dame Private? I know they would recruit an atheist if he could throw a football. But that's another story.

 

[Booko]

Private schools, as pah stated, and others agreed, should remain private. Is Notre Dame Private? I know they would recruit an atheist if he could throw a football. But that's another story.

It definitely is safer if private schools are limited to private funds.

As I mentioned, I'm still suspicious. While "in theory" the idea of givine public funds to religious organizations to do useful charitable works is ok, you see how that's worked out in practice.

 

[Green Gaia]

I've been following this story, being born and bred in Kentucky (and because I still receive emails from the Kentucky Fairness Alliance because I forgot to tell them I moved out of state). I just don't understand why there isn't more public outrage over this. The timing of the funding right after a gay student was expelled just seems a little fishy to me. What kind of message is this sending to Kentucky students? "The state of Kentucky rewards discrimination against gay and lesbians."

Now, if the school is private, then yes they have the right to accept or reject any student they wish, I have no problem with that. I am concerned about states funding private schools that do not accept or reject students solely on the basis of academic merit.

 

[Ardent Listener]

I've been following this story, being born and bred in Kentucky (and because I still receive emails from the Kentucky Fairness Alliance because I forgot to tell them I moved out of state). I just don't understand why there isn't more public outrage over this. The timing of the funding right after a gay student was expelled just seems a little fishy to me. What kind of message is this sending to Kentucky students? "The state of Kentucky rewards discrimination against gay and lesbians."

Now, if the school is private, then yes they have the right to accept or reject any student they wish, I have no problem with that. I am concerned about states funding private schools that do not accept or reject students solely on the basis of academic merit.

Solely on the basis of academic merit Maize? I always thought you were a closeted conservative.