The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1959-03-27
JOSEPH BREIC-
We Need Fair
Tax Deal

do not think that Sen. John F. Kennedy or any,
body else can succeed in sweeping under the rug the
question of a square deal in distribution of tax aid to
education. ~
The issue is bound to keep on coming up until
some measure OF Justice to all parents and children Is
written into our laws.
Sen. Kennedy was much too facile in dismiSsing
as unconstitutional the idea that students in %independ-
ent, as well as public schools, might share ~equitably in
such aid.
Persons attending religious and private, along
with state-owned, colleges were included in both the
CT Bill of Rights and the National Defense Education
Act. /.
BOTH ACTS are constitutional. And there is Moth
ing either in law or justice to prevent extension of the
same principle to pupils in grade and high schools.
The best approach in this matter is through
students and parents to schools, not through schools
to parents and students. That was the approach Of
the CT bill. :
Each veteran, without discrimination, was entitled
to a certain amount of assistance in getting a college
education. 1t was up to him and his parents to decide
what college would educate him. 4
Sen. Kennedy, In my opinion, is very much mis-
taken If he imagines that parents are going to be con-
tent with his position that only aid to public school
pupils is constitutional.
The fact is that American constitutional respect
for conscience and for freedom of religion points to-
an entirely different concept. This is the situation.
l. Parents are required by law 10 send their
children to school. 4 =
z. The Supreme Court has ruled under The consti-
fuf'on they may select any school which meets state
educational standards.
3. Millions Of parents consider it their duty, in
conscience, to select religious schools. -
q. 1t, for doing 50, they are Disseminated against
IN distribution Of tax benefits, their constitutional !
rights as citizens are violated. -
Sen. Kennedy may disagree with this analvsis
If he chooses. But he is badly mistaken if he does not
realize that great numbers of citizens agree with it,
and are in no mood to be lightly brushed aside.
The same thing goes for the American Association
Mt Achn0i a ny prc anI fN ~ N.-~-% N-As-A-
Education Association. .
The AASA is an organization of principals and
superintendent in public schools, and of officials of
state departments of education.
Because of that fact, opposition to any kind of
aid to parents of children in Independent schools
comes with poor grace from the AASA. s~-e.
1t comes with poor grace from the NEA, too. go
Nevertheless, it comes repeatedly. In convention
in Atlantic City recently, the AASA adopted this reso-
luton: =
The association again expresses It's opposition
to use Of funds collected by public taxation for nom
public elementary and secondary schools, whether in-
tended to strengthen or support reaching, scientific
training, or school facilities" . i
The AASA added insult to injury by asserting
that public schools are "the one sound educational:
institution that ought to benefit from tax funds. i
Very well. That's the AASAs attitude. We are
glad to have it spelled out. We are glad, too, to know
where Sen. Kennedy stands. .@
But the issue remains. It will keep bobbing up.
and it will become more and more ~insistent as more
parents realize that religious truth is an integral part :
of any complete education. .t
\ Religious illiteracy is a plague nowadays. It
causes men and women otherwise highly educated,
to talk foohshness on many matters.
Many public school leaders, along with other
citizens, realize that fact, and are trying to find
methods of getting some knowledge Of religion into
public school curriculums. y
Even the AASA said that 'the school should
play an important part in building spiritual values"
The AASA is right about that.