Catholic-Run Charter Schools Arouse Church-State Concerns

Highlight from Chronicle of Philanthropy:

 

Catholic-Run Charter Schools Arouse Church-State Concerns

Church-state watchdog groups say they will closely monitor an Indianapolis project to create what could become the country's first public charter schools run by a Roman Catholic archdiocese, says the Associated Press.
Under a plan approved by the city April 5, St. Anthony's and St. Andrew & St. Rita Academy would become charters under new names and qualify for nearly $1-million in state money in the first year. The proposal was hailed by Mayor Greg Ballard and archdiocese officials as a way to keep the schools open and serving struggling neighborhoods despite a budget deficit.
The schools agreed to end religious education and remove crucifixes, statues of saints, and Bibles from classrooms and other areas. But in a letter to the mayor's office, the advocacy group Americans United for Separation of Church and State questioned whether the archdiocese would fully eliminate religious observances and items.
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