Tennessee Bill Will Let Kids Skip an Hour of School Each Day to Go to Church

[TexasTowelie]

The Tennessee legislature passed a bill yesterday, House Bill 2542/Senate Bill 2473, that would force public schools to allow kids to miss class for up to one hour each day in order to attend church. (They would also allow school buses to transport those kids, as long as the churches paid for it.)

Previously, schools boards were allowed to adopt such policies, but this law would mandate it, meaning the districts could not punish any kids who participated. Just last December, the Knox County School Board rejected the policy after giving it a trial run. Even then, they only let kids skip one hour of school per month. It was still a disaster.

If the governor signs this bill into law, it would go into effect beginning this fall. And it will very likely become law since the State Senate passed it 31-0 on Friday, and the State House passed it 94-0 yesterday. No one wants in power wants to oppose this.

But here’s why it’s a bad idea, anyway: If kids can miss an hour of school every day, there’s a chance they’re missing the same classes on those days. For all we know, these kids won’t learn the scientific method, but they’ll be taught that Noah’s Ark is real. It’s even more bizarre given that kids can always go to Sunday School or read the Bible on their own. There’s no reason to allow them to skip school in order to learn less.

Read more: https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2020/06/09/tn-bill-will-let-kids-skip-an-hour-of-school-each-day-to-go-to-church/

[underpants]

1. Are churches only open certain hours?

Can’t you just stop and say a prayer?

Using buses?!?????

[yellowcanine]

2. And if the kids want to go to a Wicca meet-up?

I guess okay as long as the local coven pays for the bus.

[Turbineguy]

3. That's good!

They could teach science then.

[TreadSoftly]

7. Actually an hour for extra science is not a bad idea!

As long as the new religion is NOT called "scientology".

Maybe this is an alternate child care arrangement. I'm sure the kids will love spending more time on the bus.

[dameatball]

4. One of my daughter and SIL are school teachers. This shit makes me crazy, but the "0" opposed

votes make me even crazier.

[Ohiogal]

5. Whatever happened to Sunday school?

Where you learned religion on your own time?

[Glorfindel]

6. A church that needs the power of the government to fill its pews...

for whatever reason, is a dying institution.

[exboyfil]

8. I bet the churches will also offer an extra hour or so

after the first school hour. Think about the harried parents who will sign up to ship their kids to the church if the school system doesn't also offer that extra hour.

Also they get the advantage of paying only the variable cost of the buses to transport. Those school administrator's who work hand in glove with the churches are going to set the minimum cost they can get away with.

Get them young for the brainwashing. An obvious church-state entanglement.

[stopbush]

9. The only "class" these "schools" will offer is the indoctrination

that these kids need to give them 10% of their income for life, or risk burning in hell.

[njhoneybadger]

10. Jesus Christ on a cracker.

That's what Sunday school is for.
How about these dumb fucks practice the teachings of Jesus instead of praying in the streets and passing laws like this for show.

[Duppers]

11. 😠 That state is being eaten up with religion.

And the state wouldn't even vote for their native son in 2000. How did Al, his dad, & Estes Kefauver ever get elected from my native state!

The state is full of idiots now.