Gov. Bush invites religious groups to provide public services

[teach1st]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-ffaith09feb09,0,1402963.story?coll=sfla-news-florida

Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, 2/9

TALLAHASSEE -- Jeb Bush is bringing down the wall between church and state.

Religious groups in Florida, especially conservative Christian organizations, are caring for foster children, overseeing adoptions, teaching students from elementary school through college and rehabilitating inmates.

Encouraging religious institutions to provide public services is a policy that "now permeates life in our state," says the governor, a converted and devout Catholic who has never been shy about embracing a conservative Christian social agenda.

In his first inaugural address five years ago he pledged that state government would pursue a "moral and spiritual awakening."

more

[WillParkinson]

1. Yes, but WHOSE morals?

I'm deeply saddened by the death of Church/State separation.

[Rationality]

2. Heh.

Slightly off topic, but a few weeks ago I eavesdropped on Jebbie making a speech at the Brain Institute in UF, where he was hyping the deal the state Congress had with the Scripps Institute, funneling our education dollars into this private, for-profit research company. His "moral and spiritual awakening" is more of the blending of corporate and church interests into our public policy; that's all. Dollars and Christ.

[izzie]

3. One of the reasons govt took all this over is churches did not do a

good job at it.It seems it will have to be seen in that light once more.It will not be the first time a fight will have to be re-done.

[soup]

4. Thanks for posting this, teach1st.

Here's another I just read to add to the list of things to watch:

Probationer questions Salvation Army contract
A Bay County man and other critics object to having a religious organization supervise people on probation.
By Associated Press
Published February 9, 2004


PANAMA CITY - County contracts with the Salvation Army to monitor misdemeanor violators while on probation are being challenged on the grounds that they abridge religious freedom.

Kevin Wood filed an appeal last year in circuit court after he was sentenced to probation and put under the supervision of the Salvation Army Correctional Service. Americans United for Separation of Church and State also is questioning the practice.

Through contracts with Florida counties, including Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas, 30 Salvation Army offices provide supervision for 26,000 probationers, according to the Salvation Army's Web site.

Wood said he was raised Methodist and should not be forced to contribute to the Salvation Army, a branch of the Universal Christian Church. He said no one should be forced to pay supervision fees to or be sentenced to control by a religious organization.
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/02/09/State/Probationer_questions.shtml

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from the article you posted:
>snip<
Alia Faraj, a spokeswoman for Bush, said the governor has asked all state departments to name a faith-based coordinator.

DCF also is studying a possible "adopt a worker" program to get churches praying for caseworkers.

Regier has started a Character First employee training and recognition program in Central Florida modeled after one by conservative Christian evangelist Bill Gothard. Hundreds of DCF employees are being taught the importance of meekness, deference and obedience.
>snip<

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meekness, deference and obedience....

Do we have an emoticon for 'my head just exploded, Again'???

[salin]

5. Aren't we still reading reports about the Florida dept of

family services (may not be the proper title)... that jeb! brought in a controversial religious right ringer from OK to head up? Have things improved? Is there more (or less) accountability? Has there ever been a resolution to the tragic case of the young child (was she five) who was missing from her dfs placement - with no idea where she was (or if she was alive)?

Given Jeb!'s track record of his Voucher program (all sorts of programs) where he continues to assert that there should be NO oversight or accountability - while ratcheting up those things on the public sector.... there should begin a constant mantra per ANY of these moves... "public oversight over public dollars... public oversight over public dollars... public oversight over public dollars..." otherwise this ploy will continue and if services decline (poorer services for the same $s) no one will be the wiser, but the safety nets for the most vulnerable citizens would become degraded.

[joefree1]

6. *poison of immorality*

Today Christians ... stand at the head of ... I pledge that I never will tie myself to parties who want to destroy Christianity .. We want to fill our culture again with the Christian spirit ... We want to burn out all the recent immoral developments in literature, in the theater, and in the press - in short, we want to burn out the *poison of immorality* which has entered into our whole life and culture as a result of *liberal excess* during the past ... (few) years.

The Speeches of Adolph Hitler, 1922-1939, Vol. 1 (London, Oxford University Press, 1942), pg. 871-872