FAITH BASED SCHOOLS

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" Thursday, The U.S. House of Representatives passed an amendment and a bill to allow government-funded religious discrimination.The School Readiness Act (H.R. 2123), a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Head Start program, was passed 48-0 in committee. However, during floor debate Thursday, Rep. Charles Boustany Jr. (R-LA) added an amendment allowing Head Start providers to exercise religious discrimination in choosing teachers and volunteers. As a result, the final vote on the bill (231-184) was stripped of the unanimous, bipartisan support displayed in committee. " The Interfaith Alliance is very disappointed in the members of Congress who insist on reacting to one crisis by beginning another one, " said the Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, President of The Interfaith Alliance. " The Boustany amendment is a prime example of political opportunists taking advantage of a national tragedy to institute policies that are unconstitutional and have been previously rejected by the Congress. " The Interfaith Alliance was joined by more than 50 organizations in opposition to the bill's passage if it contained the Boustany amendment. The National Head Start Association, which represents more than 2.5 million children and families, program staff and volunteers that comprise the Head Start and Early Head Start community, came out against the entire bill if the Boustany Amendment was attached... " (TIA Press Release, 9-22-05) Read AP Article " House OKs Faith As Head Start Hiring Issue

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