Taxpayer funds and religious schools

There has been a big debate over whether or not school choice programs should include religious schools. To me, this is pretty straightforward. As long as it's the decision of the family rather than the government, I see nothing wrong with education dollars going to religious schools.

Before I go any further, there is something that I want to once again bring up regarding government-run schools. Teachers are openly referring to their jobs as a higher calling. Additionally, I have seen people online referring to government-run schools as sacred. There are implications on freedom of religion if we force taxpayers to fund the government-run model of schooling.

When it comes to taxpayer funds going to religious institutions, this already happens to an extent. There's nothing prohibiting anyone from receiving social security from using funds for religious reasons. I believe that there are also some programs that already allow funds to go to religious schools, but I honestly haven’t looked into that too much.

What this primarily comes down to is whether the money belongs to the government or to the people. To me, school choice refers to funds usable by the people for the purpose of their children's educations. As such, the government should not restrict usage on the basis of religion.

I am not a religious person myself, but I have found the liberal portrayal of freedom of religion to be ridiculous. We are taking money from families and then returning their money on condition that they strip away religious pursuits. Freedom of religion never should have been interpreted this way. Using the tax code to force religious families to abandon religious pursuits is clearly contrary to the concept of religious freedom.

On top of all of this, let's keep in mind the purpose of school choice. Government-run schools are doing a lousy job. We need options for children. If a child is being harmed by government workers, that child should not be trapped. If religious institutions are willing to help, we shouldn't use their religious views as an excuse to trap the child in an unhealthy environment.

The reality is that the argument about religion is not really about religion. It's about power. Corrupt teachers’ unions want to seal off as many escape routes as possible. Given a choice, a lot of families would leave. Minimizing options maximizes the number of students trapped under their authoritarian control. They will use any means possible to put their power over the best interests of children. Their flawed interpretation of freedom of religion has given them a legal path. If we care about future generations, we can't allow these unions to inhibit parents from doing what is best for their children.