School Choice and Taxpayer Money for Independent Schools Debate

Separation of Church and State has always been a constitutional given. However, Kendra Espinoza a mother from Montana is arguing that religious schools should have the right to receive public funding from tax money, just like every other public school. A Montana state constitutional amendment makes it illegal for taxpayer money to go to religious schools. Similar amendments are currently instituted in 37 additional states (NPR). Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue has reached the Supreme Court and the ruling could redefine the separation of Church and State. Kendra Espinoza is attempting to reinstate a religious school program that was deemed unconstitutional. In the program, donors would receive tax credit for contributions to private schools, including religious schools. Should the taxes families pay to their local public schools instead be given to their independent schools? While Conservatives and school choice supporters believe that it is only fair to be able to send children to a school that aligns with their religious beliefs, Liberals believe that Espinoza’s case could tear away much-needed money from the public schools. One of the arguments for funding independent schools is that if students can not afford tuition for a religious school then they are forced to be taught against their beliefs. Since funding only non-religious private schools would be religious discrimination due to schools not receiving benefits based on their beliefs there is no middle ground. Either all private schools have access to taxpayer funds or none do. This also brings up a separate question for those who are looking for compensation if private schools do not get taxpayer funds. If a family doesn’t have a child enrolled in public school, should they be required to contribute to support public education? Read this article to find out more.




Do you support Kendra Espinoza’s case why or why not?




What implications positive or negative can you see if Espinoza wins the case?




Do you believe that everyone should have the right to go to an independent school that teaches their beliefs? If so, what if they can’t afford this and need taxpayer money?




Do you feel that you should have to pay taxes for community services you don’t use? Why or why not?

The Assassination of Qassem Soleimani

If you hate someone, how do you deal with conflict peacefully or not peacefully?

Amid rising tensions with Iran, last Thursday Donald Trump approved a missile strike that killed the second-most powerful leader in Iran, Qassam Soleimani. The killing of Soleimani occurred after Iranian backed militias attempted to storm the American embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. General Soleimani was the leader of the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, “a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization,” according to the Pentagon. As the head of the Quds force, Soleimani was the leader of Iran’s most elite special forces unit, as well as all the leader of all Iranian military and quasi-military operations conducted abroad. The Pentagon claimed that “General Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region,” and now President Trump claimed that Soleimani was trying to blow up the embassy in Baghdad. Soleimani was also responsible for hundreds of American deaths in the Iraq War, as he supplied and trained Shiite militias fighting U.S.forces. Soleimani’s death is a major blow to the Iranian military, as they lost their most capable commander. 

Fears of a possible World War Three have been echoing since the attack, but both Donald Trump and Iranian foreign minister Javid Zarif have said that war would only be seen as a final resort. However Zarif said that the U.S.had committed “international terrorism” and was entirely to blame for the attack. Since Soleimani’s assassination, Iran has launched missiles at Iraqi bases where American troops are stationed. Additionally, a Ukrainian Airlines plane crashed after takeoff in Iran, killing all 176 people on board. Canadian and American intelligence suggest that the plane was accidentally shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile, further heightening tensions between the two countries. The U.S. claims that the assassination of Soleimani was a justified takedown of an international terrorist, while Iran states that the attack was unwarranted and a reckless show of aggression. Regardless of the outcome, this assassination has increased American tensions with Iran and may lead to further escalation in the region. Read one of these articles and answer the four questions in the comments. 

Should Soleimani have been assassinated?

Should the United States go to war with Iran? If so, what would Iran need to do to justify a war?

If you were Iranian, how would your opinion of the US-Iran standoff be different than it is now ?

If you hate someone, how do you deal with conflict peacefully or not peacefully?