White House releases public/private guidelines

[cbayer]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/white-house-releases-publicprivate-guidelines/2012/04/30/gIQAevkNsT_story.html

By Adelle M. Banks| Religion News Service, Updated: Monday, April 30, 2:28 PM

WASHINGTON — A new White House report that offers guidance on public/private partnerships between the government and faith-based groups leaves critical questions unanswered and does not resolve the issue of religious groups’ ability to discriminate in hiring and firing, church-state watchdogs said.

The 50-page report, issued Friday (April 28), comes 18 months after President Obama issued an executive order calling for more transparency as faith-based groups work with the government to meet social needs.


The report breaks little new ground, but reaffirms that:

— A faith-based organization can provide federally funded social services without removing religious art, scriptures and symbols from their facilities.

— Explicitly religious activities can’t be supported by federal funds but are permitted if they are funded privately and occur at a separate time and location from programs that receive government money.

— Beneficiaries who object to the religious character of a provider must be preferred promptly to an alternative.

more at link