Last week, news outlets exposed that most applicants for Arizona's private school voucher program were already using private schools. This week, it was revealed that vouchers—a prepaid debit card loaded with your tax dollars—have been approved to be spent on education “experiences,” such as home gyms, snow cone machines, family whale watching tours, dog grooming tools, and playplace memberships. We also just discovered that the state has approved parents to spend vouchers on fundamentalist Christian curricula and activity sets. These aren’t educational items made to teach kids about world religions. These materials explicitly teach kids a literal interpretation of the Bible; creationism; that evolution is a myth; how to pray; and how to “defend the truth of the gospel.” Don't believe us? See for yourself at the state's page here. Search for keyword “Bible” and study the product descriptions. (Materials’ content is exposed by zooming in on pictures and video.) Let’s be clear. If religious parents want to buy these items, that’s their right. But the rest of us—especially those of us with different beliefs—shouldn’t pay for it. What can you do? |
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