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fandomtownies2011-07-13 01:35 pm
glasses-justice.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomtownies2011-07-13 01:35 pm
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Civics: Failed Amendments, The Community Center, Wednesday Evening
"Welcome back," Alex said, offering a smile to any of the adults gathered in the classroom. As always, there were snacks and drinks along the side wall, and as always, there was a quote on the whiteboard behind Alex's desk. "As you know from last week, this class is Civics, and we're here to discuss amendments that were proposed as additions to the Constitutions but failed to be successfully added, for various reasons. This one came closer than most."
She gestured to the quote on the board as she took a sip of her tea.
"Any of you who were here for the first half of summer -- or who are familiar with the Bill of Rights -- might think I wrote down the wrong amendment, here. The start of this certainly sounds like a retread of the First Amendment, with the clause insisting there being a separation between church and state. But the First Amendment made a sharp turn to deal with the matters of a free press and assembly, while the Blaine Amendment concerns itself with school funding."
She set the mug of tea down and glanced back at the quote before continuing. "So. We're extending the First Amendment to cover schools, then. If your school teaches religion, then your school will be ineligible for the same kind of public funds that secular schools receive; ones that are funded by public taxes. Presented in that light, this seems straightforward. Naturally, it isn't."
"The issue was partly one of bigotry. There were a growing number of Irish Catholics immigrating to the United States, setting up parochial schools. These classes did, indeed, have religious courses mixed in with their general education requirements, so it's hard to say that the Amendment was wrong-headed in nudging the government to separate out the funding. But the Catholics felt like this was a direct attack at them, and they're not wrong, either.
"Having said that, the man who proposed the Amendment -- James G. Blaine himself -- was hoping a clear-cut amendment would stave off a much uglier fight down the line. He was actually pro-Catholic, and thought this solution might ease some of the tension. Keep federal funds away from schools that teach religion, and that would keep politicians from stirring up anti-Catholic sentiment." She shrugged, picking up the tea for another sip. "It's hard not to view many of those anti-Catholic politicians as hypocrites, incidentally, when you consider that there are still public schools which refuse to teach evolution because the populace feel that it contradicts their specific religious beliefs. The ones the majority practice, naturally."
She sighed. "The amendment wasn't completely a failure. Many of the states themselves chose to adopt a similar rule on the local level. But it's a messy issue. Where should the line be drawn? Can a hard rule prevent bigotry? Can you be right for the wrong reasons?"
She gestured to the quote on the board as she took a sip of her tea.
No State shall make any law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; and no money raised by taxation in any State for the support of public schools, or derived from any public fund therefor, nor any public lands devoted thereto, shall ever be under the control of any religious sect; nor shall any money so raised or lands so devoted be divided between religious sects or denominations.
"Any of you who were here for the first half of summer -- or who are familiar with the Bill of Rights -- might think I wrote down the wrong amendment, here. The start of this certainly sounds like a retread of the First Amendment, with the clause insisting there being a separation between church and state. But the First Amendment made a sharp turn to deal with the matters of a free press and assembly, while the Blaine Amendment concerns itself with school funding."
She set the mug of tea down and glanced back at the quote before continuing. "So. We're extending the First Amendment to cover schools, then. If your school teaches religion, then your school will be ineligible for the same kind of public funds that secular schools receive; ones that are funded by public taxes. Presented in that light, this seems straightforward. Naturally, it isn't."
"The issue was partly one of bigotry. There were a growing number of Irish Catholics immigrating to the United States, setting up parochial schools. These classes did, indeed, have religious courses mixed in with their general education requirements, so it's hard to say that the Amendment was wrong-headed in nudging the government to separate out the funding. But the Catholics felt like this was a direct attack at them, and they're not wrong, either.
"Having said that, the man who proposed the Amendment -- James G. Blaine himself -- was hoping a clear-cut amendment would stave off a much uglier fight down the line. He was actually pro-Catholic, and thought this solution might ease some of the tension. Keep federal funds away from schools that teach religion, and that would keep politicians from stirring up anti-Catholic sentiment." She shrugged, picking up the tea for another sip. "It's hard not to view many of those anti-Catholic politicians as hypocrites, incidentally, when you consider that there are still public schools which refuse to teach evolution because the populace feel that it contradicts their specific religious beliefs. The ones the majority practice, naturally."
She sighed. "The amendment wasn't completely a failure. Many of the states themselves chose to adopt a similar rule on the local level. But it's a messy issue. Where should the line be drawn? Can a hard rule prevent bigotry? Can you be right for the wrong reasons?"
Sign In - CIV202
Re: Sign In - CIV202
Arrive and Mingle - CIV202
Re: Arrive and Mingle - CIV202
Discussion #1 - Blaine Amendment - CIV202
Re: Discussion #1 - Blaine Amendment - CIV202
Discussion #2 - The Separation of Church and State - CIV202
Re: Discussion #2 - The Separation of Church and State - CIV202
Discussion #3 - General Discussion - CIV202
Talk to Alex - CIV202
OOC