via Voucher bill could fund Muslim schools on The Murfreesboro Post.
A pair of proposals rapidly moving through
the Tennessee General Assembly could potentially divert tax dollars
currently allocated to public schools to Islamic private schools, and
two Rutherford County senators are raising concerns about the
legislation.
“This is an issue we must address,” state
Sen. Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) said. “I don’t know whether we can simply
amend the bill in such a way that will fix the issue at this point.”
State Sen. Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro)
and Tracy each expressed their concerns Friday over Senate Bill 0196,
commonly called the “School Voucher Bill” and sponsored by fellow Sen.
Mark Norris (R-Collierville), which would give parents of children
attending failing public schools a voucher with which to enroll in a
private school.
State monies that would otherwise be spent
on educating the student in public schools would then be diverted to
qualifying private schools to pay private tuition for the student, in whole or in part.
Islamic schools throughout the state,
including Nashville and Memphis where several of Tennessee’s lowest
performing schools are located, would qualify to receive such students
under the state-funded voucher program.
Where would some tax dollars go and for what?
One such Islamic school, the Nashville
International Academy, states that its vision is “to create a positive
learning environment where students are committed to the teachings of
the Quran and example of Prophet Muhammad.”
The school is located on Charlotte Pike
and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools,
which qualifies it as a Category III private school through Tennessee
statutes.
Other such schools include the Clara Muhammad School, a division of the Nation of Islam that operates a school in Nashville among its 74 other locations, and the Anoor Academy of Knoxville.
The voucher bill, which is a high-priority initiative by Gov. Bill Haslam’s
administration, includes Category I, II, and III private schools as
beneficiaries of state dollars through the proposed program.
Tracy, a member of the Senate Education
Committee, expressed “considerable concern” with directing tax dollars
to Islamic schools, but he said disallowing Category III schools would
also disqualify private schools, such as Montgomery Bell Academy,
Ensworth and Harpeth Hall, all of which qualify for the program through
SACS accreditation as well.
Ketron, who sponsored anti-Shariah Law
legislation in 2009, said the voucher bills have advanced too quickly in
the legislature this year and more consideration is needed on the
measure.
“This issue gives me pause in voting for the governor’s voucher proposal,” he said. “These issues warrant further assessment.”
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