Charles C. Haynes of the First Amendment Center turns in a strong counter-argument explaining why religious charter schools are a "Faustian bargain" that aren't "worth the spiritual costs":
A faith-based school without the faith does religion no favors. Devout Christians, Jews, Muslims and others may be tempted to take the money and start the school. But substituting "culture" for "religion" is no way to advance the mission of faith.
Perhaps so. That's why allowing truly religious charter schools would be even better, though Haynes calls that idea "a First Amendment oxymoron."?? So we're back to non-faith-based faith-based charter schools, such as the ones being born from Catholic schools in Washington, D.C. Yes, these schools must take their crosses off the walls, but they avoid being closed outright. As the Center for Education Reform's Casey Carter says in this National Review Online article about the conversion,
After working with local authorities, the Church has created the legal and the financial mechanisms to serve the same children with twice the financial resources.
Maybe such a "bargain" is bad for the Catholic faith, but it's a good deal for inner-city children, bless their little souls.
(That makes two devilish posts from me in one day.)
