Recently in Public Schools Category

Little did I know when I started writing about Halloween that new "research" by the Christian Broadcasting Network uncovered that witches were contaminating Halloween candy and allowing demons to be ingested by "Trick or Treaters."  But here it is.

Now moving on to Planned Parenthood.  I think it is morally outrageous that one of the most well-respected sources of information on sexuality and pregnancy prevention is given so little government funding, and that their clinics providing abortion services are not funded by the federal government at all.  Why Congressman Mike Pence wants to cut funding even more is beyond me. Does he want young people to remain ignorant of human sexuality, or would he prefer they learn about it by finding their father's stash of old Playboy magazines? We are either going to be honest with young people or we have nobody to blame but ourselves when things go wrong.

Obviously, I am not privy to the details of your lawsuit regarding one or more Planned Parenthood affiliates' alleged "over billing."  It seems that the state of California has already conceded that the rules were unclear and doubt that Planned Parenthood will ever owe anything.  In addition, the state was apparently investigating this even before your "whistleblower" suit.  We'll see where all this goes.

Barry, we don't get a lot of calls about Halloween.  Over the years, it's not something we hear much about.  And this year is no exception.  What we are hearing about from a lot of folks, though, is the continued frustration and concern about the use of taxpayer dollars to fund organizations like Planned Parenthood - the nation's largest abortion provider.

A recent example is what's taking place in Ohio where a local government body approved a $50,000 grant to Planned Parenthood to provide 'sex education' in public schools.  

At the national level, as Planned Parenthood continues to receive hundreds of millions of federal taxpayer dollars each year, debate is intensifying over whether the organization should receive ANY federal funds in the future.  In Congress, Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana has introduced H.R. 614 which would prohibit federal dollars from going to Planned Parenthood.

Every year about this time Americans United starts getting calls about celebrations of Halloween in public schools.

They come from two kinds of people.  First, we get calls from Christians wondering why Pagans are able to get decorations and parties at schools around one of their holidays, but Christians can barely get a tree in the schoolhouse door in December, much less have a Christmas party.  Second, we get calls from Pagans and Wiccans wondering why their local schools are insulting their religious traditions by putting up ugly pictures of "witches" and acting like Halloween is just about loading your mouth with chocolate bars and gumdrops.

Do you get these calls, too?  Do both sides have a point?  Would you, Jay, suggest schools put up--oh, maybe-- maps and math puzzles from October to January and leave black cats and pine trees out of the decor?

Ok, Barry - looks like we won't agree on the Ten Commandments and what we consider to be the proper and constitutional displays present in Judge DeWeese's courtroom.

Let's try this one. 

A federal district court in New Hampshire has issued a decision upholding the voluntary recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance by students in school and has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

The suit was filed in 2007 against two New Hampshire public school districts and Congress on behalf of several parents and students who objected to the voluntary recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in school.  Specifically, the lawsuit challenged the addition of the words "under God" in 1954 in the Pledge and the practice of reciting the Pledge in public schools as a patriotic exercise.

Barry, even as another health care plan is being introduced into Congress, there's a continuing - and a very real - concern about the issue of abortion.

Senators Michael Enzi of Wyoming and Charles Grassley of Iowa have expressed their concern to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus who is offering his own health care measure.  Senators Enzi and Grassley are correctly concerned about the lack of language in the bill.

According to the New York Times report:

Mr. Enzi and Mr. Grassley also told Mr. Baucus that health legislation must include language affirmatively prohibiting the use of federal money to pay for abortion. The restriction, they said, should apply to any subsidies that help low-income people buy insurance. In addition, they said, health plans should not be obliged to provide abortion. Thus, they said, the bill should "include a conscience clause to protect entities from being required to contract with abortion providers."