The Mountain States Region of the Anti-Defamation League sent a letter today to the members of the Douglas County School Board, expressing its opposition to the proposed Choice Scholarship Program that would send public school money to parents to be used to pay for private and religious school tuition.  Here is the text of the letter:

Dear Douglas County School Board Member:

As you may know, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is one of the world’s leading civil rights and human relations organizations.   It is also a strongly pro-religion organization.  For over 95 years we have been ardent advocates for religious freedom for all Americans – whether in the majority or minority.  We believe that the best way to safeguard religious freedom is through the principle of separation of church and state embodied in the First Amendment.

We write to urge you to reject the proposed Choice Scholarship Program (Program) that would allocate public school funds to families to use to pay tuition at private and religious schools. The Program might sound like a good way to increase educational choices for parents, but in effect, it does so primarily for parents who wish for their children to receive religious education – and even then, only for parents who share the faith of the particular schools participating in the Program.   As you know, a very large number of schools that would qualify for the Program are religious schools.  Almost all of the private schools located within the District are religious schools, which means that families who want a private NON-religious education will have to drive long distances to use a scholarship.  Furthermore, some non-religious schools have high academic admissions standards.  The proposed scholarship program will offer few meaningful options for families who do not want their children sent to a religious school, or for families from minority religious groups that do not have sufficient demographic strength to support a private religious school at a nearby location.

Even if a family decided to use the scholarship at a religious school, problems will arise.  As you know, religious schools are permitted to refuse the enrollment of students who do not meet the school’s religious enrollment standards, including declarations of faith.   In effect, if this proposal is adopted, Douglas County School District would be funding discrimination based on religion.  The result will be that one District-funded student seeking an education from a religious school may be admitted and another rejected – solely because of the religious beliefs of the students.

We also understand that the current version of the program allows Program-funded students to opt out of religious education if they request it.  This is a laudable goal, but will likely be hard to enforce.  In many religious schools, religious references and teaching are inextricably wound into the educational programming of the school – not just in classes on doctrine or prayer, but throughout the curriculum, in history, music, art, and science.  It will be difficult, if not impossible, for a student to “opt out” of religious education at a pervasively sectarian school.

Please also consider that this proposal will necessitate governmental intrusion – often unwelcome — into the religious activities of the participating schools.  Separating church and state means not only that religion should stay out of government, but that government should not tell religious institutions what to say, teach or do. This proposal necessarily requires the intrusion of government into the content of the curriculum, as well as the finance and administration of religious schools, a prospect that should be frightening to anyone concerned with protecting the liberty of religious institutions.

For these reasons, this proposal runs contrary to important American values of religious freedom and equal opportunity.  As Justice Sandra Day O’Connor wrote, “Those who would renegotiate the boundaries between church and state must therefore answer a difficult question: Why would we trade a system that has served us so well for one that has served others so poorly?”

ADL urges you to reject the Choice Scholarship Program.  I would be happy to speak with you about ADL’s concerns at any time.

Sincerely yours,

Scott L. Levin

Regional Director