“Much of the House argument against the formula centered around how the bill funds vouchers and that some of the schools that are expecting to enroll students in August do not have the facilities to house them. Also, lawmakers said they didn’t want state money going to an Islamic school near New Orleans, which is one of the applicants.
“When you cross that line between government and religion, you never know where that path is going to take you,” Edwards said.
Rep. Kenny Havard, R-Jackson, said he couldn’t vote for “giving state money to Muslims for Islamic schools.” He said he asked the Department of Education if it was going to fund the school and he was told it would not but it’s on the department’s website that it is.
“I can’t take those votes back” supporting the governor’s education plan, he said, but “I’m not going to vote to fund any Islamic organization. Our men and women die overseas every day fighting Islamic extremists.””
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“When you cross that line between government and religion, you never know where that path is going to take you,” Edwards said.
Rep. Kenny Havard, R-Jackson, said he couldn’t vote for “giving state money to Muslims for Islamic schools.” He said he asked the Department of Education if it was going to fund the school and he was told it would not but it’s on the department’s website that it is.
“I can’t take those votes back” supporting the governor’s education plan, he said, but “I’m not going to vote to fund any Islamic organization. Our men and women die overseas every day fighting Islamic extremists.””
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Session ends like it began: in controversy | Shreveporttimes | shreveporttimes.com
1) If they try to prevent the Islamic school from participating in the voucher program, when several Christian schools are participating in the voucher program, it’s a lawsuit waiting to happen, and the state won’t win.
2) We are fighting terrorists, not Islam.