The GOP-dominated West Virginia legislature is rushing through a massive education overhaul bill that would, if passed, allow taxpayer money to fund Christian education. The 144-page bill passed through the Senate Education Committee on Friday, just a day after it was revealed (with little time for public input), and will move toward a full vote very soon.
The bill includes a section (on page 88) creating “education savings accounts.” These are essentially vouchers that would allow parents to use public funding (based on “average net state aid allotted per pupil”) for “tuition and/or fees at a private school,” with no exception for religious institutions. The money could also be used for textbooks or other materials if the education provider requires it — “without limitation.” So public funding could be used to purchase Creationist textbooks that lie to students about basic concepts of science and history.
