“I actually support funding for teaching the fundamentals of America’s Founding Fathers’ religion, which is Christianity, in public schools or private schools. I liked the idea of giving parents the option of sending their children to a public school or a Christian school. We need to insure that it does not open the door to fund radical Islam schools. There are a thousand Muslim schools that have sprung up recently. I do not support using public funds for teaching Islam anywhere here in Louisiana.”
–State Rep. Valerie Hodges (R-Denham Springs), on having second thoughts about her vote in favor of House Bill 976, Gov. Piyush Jindal’s school voucher bill, that he subsequently signed into law as Act 2.
Louisiana Voice 
I’m aghast. This duly elected public official thought the law would only recognize and apply to one religion?
The parental choice talking points Rep. Valerie Hodges parrots miss the fact that parents have choices. Livingston population and schools are the result of parents choosing white flight from EBR. Her “Duh” factor is the choice to segregate children in private, parochial and home schools should not be paid for by the state.
To reduce revenue available for public schools, in Jindal’s first year his minions gave a $5000 state tax deduction/incentive per household for parents who chose not to use public schools. That incentive has now increased to $5000 per child in each household. And Jindal’s newest scam is to bleed additional revenue by rebating tuition spent in the 2011-2012 school year to parents, and to kickback revenue to corporations and individuals who contribute “scholarship” funds for private schools. BTW, they get the deduction and the kickback.
Millions of dollars have poured into Louisiana to “reform” education. The money helped stack BESE and the Jefferson Parish School Board with Jindalite rubber-stampers. Up to $49,000 each in campaign contributions for Jindal men (and women) was contributed to purchase votes for his radical, destructive, privatizing agenda.
Rep. Hodges Campaign finance reports for 2011 don’t show the huge contributions other Jindal minions have received to destroy public education. But they do show $5000. from the governor, and many thousands from his major henchmen, Kleckley, Schroeder and others who received mega-bucks from ALEC. And she received many thousands from PACs and the corporation Jindal used to privatize health care, the Centene Corporation of St. Louis.
Her confusion about Article 1 and the strong objection the Constitution framers had to a partnership of church and state could be corrected. But given her and the governor’s agenda, will there be a public educator left to enlighten her? RECALL JINDAL: http://www.recallbobbyjindal.com.
Can’t discriminate.
What–no money for the Mandeville Madrasa?!?
No funding for the Wicca School of Magical Arts?
All religions are created equal, but some are more equal than others. (Apologies to George Orwell).