Private religious schools should be shut down.

Thanks for the great debate, pattjk. I guess it's time to wrap up. Refutations "MY issue is that religion is a BIT different than sports. Have a child play football at a young age doesn't make him play football until the day he dies. Theology and sports are very different things and sports have no place on this debate. When children are taught this at such a young age, it becomes their life." There's absolutely no evidence that when a child is taught a religion, he/she is somehow chained to it throughout the rest of their life. I compared sports to religion as an example of little to no choice as a child. It's totally normal. You gain the ability to choose when you're a young adult. No one's there to monitor you. You can pick your own religion or go atheist, just like you can choose to continue to play, say, football or give it up. "I stated that they are separated from other cultures, not prejudiced against them. Private schools kids don't really get too know other children of other religions. They are only exposed to their own culture." So prejudice is out of the matter, it would seem. That's good. Prejudice would've been bad. Anyways, when you have a religious child, that kid is not going to exist in a cut-off world. For example, a Christian child is not going to meet and talk with 1000 Christian children and no one else. The Christian child can't shop at a specifically Christian supermarket or hang out at a Christian-only park. Just because you go to a Christian school does not mean everything in your life is 100%, pure Christian. That's ludicrous. Everybody's already integrated into this society filled with people of all ethnicities, racial backgrounds, and religions. As you and I agree, a Christian kid won't learn to hate them. And that same child will not be separated from them, as our societies are mixed ones. In a normal week, a child will spend 35 hours in a school. That leaves 35 hours on weekdays alone. Combined with 28 hours on weekends, that kid will have 63 hours to spend at a park, or hang out with friends, or go somewhere else in the public. There's only a little bit of room for separation, but otherwise, that kid has plenty of experience with other types of people. "It should be the kid's choice later in life if they want to be part of a certain religion." And they have that choice! Just because a kid learns "x" religion doesn't means that person, as an adult, will have to stay with that religion. You can form your own opinion in life, once you break free from the bonds of your parents. Once again, there is no evidence. "I'm just stating that if there are no more private schools, then the parent's would save money, even if they are pissed. It's like drug addiction in some ways. They don't completely know what they are doing." If there truly exists a parent who doesn't know that he/she is taking money out of their pocket and giving it to a school, I say they're definitely crazy. But we don't have the right to teach them how to live their life. We can't shut down all parochial schools just because a few parents are giving them money they don't have. Doesn't that just spoil it for all the other good-mannered, sane parents? It certainly does. Argument negated. "My opponent states that places of worship are no different then private schools. You couldn't be more wrong. These children go too these schools EVERYDAY and learn about this stuff EVERYDAY." I don't understand how you insinuated that my argument was that places of worship are no different than private schools. Your original argument was that religion only exists in the home. I merely gave examples of other places that have religion. "If a child were to go to public school and learn about all the different religions, and actually inform himself correctly about the world, the child would make his/her own decision based on their thoughts, and not their parents." Now, honestly, how many children can truly form their own decision on the world from politics to religion? Parents have many, MANY influences on their kids early on. They can implant their own political ideologies in their kid, and they also have the right to plant their religious fundamentals there as well. In the United States, of all the children in the country, only 6.5% of Republicans came from a liberal household and 18.8% of Democrats came from a conservative household [1]. How much influence was there? It would seem that there was a lot. "I have every right too state that these kids are being brainwashed, and not just because it's my right, but because it is the total truth." Assuming that parochial schools were banned and parents wished to send their kid there, if they weren't "brainwashed" to learn a religion in a parochial school, they most likely would have learned the same religion from their parents. Once more, just because a kid learns this religion does not mean that the kid is stuck with the religion throughout their entire life. They are able to choose once they grow up. Many decisions are made by parents when you're a young kid, but once you grow up and become an adult, you can forge your own path. "In closing, these schools are basically forms of child abuse. They totally mistreat these children in way my opponent may not comprehend, but most of the intelligent human population may." Ouch. That stings. But anyways, do parochial schools physically harm a student? Do they completely scar him/her for the rest of their lives? No, they're just doing what they're payed to do. Teach religion along with normal education! They don't want to hurt a kid and there's absolutely no evidence that they even are. The most basic of things they're teaching is some sort of religion + regular education. You can't call that abuse. Furthermore, please don't assume that I'm Christian simply because I'm defending this. Plusses of Parochial School [2] 1. Authority and self-discipline are taught at these schools. 2. Children at parochial schools are taught to work harder and have more focus than the average public school student. 3. Offers religious teachings which can be beneficial for a parent's needs. Conclusion The Proposition has viewed religion hatefully and has seen it as "brainwashing" and "abusive." I tell you that these parochial schools are none of these things. They exist for parents who want their children to learn a regular education, tacked on with religious studies. Sure, a parent may be forcing their child to attend these kinds of schools. But a parent is also forcing the child to attend a school in the first place! As a child, you don't have much say in whatever you do. Your life will not be forever determined by what your parent's believe you should do. Once you become mature and can truly learn, you can make your own decisions and forge your own path in life. All of the Proposition's arguments have been refuted and the burden of proof has never truly been answered. For these reasons, please vote CON. Sources: 1. http://ase.tufts.edu... 2. http://school.familyeducation.com...