For those of you in the DC area, the DC Young Democrats invited me (Jesse) to participate in an Oxford-style debate tomorrow night and you should come! For those of you not in the DC area, I’ll still be in the debate, but you probably shouldn’t travel just to hear me.
The topic is the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program (Vouchers). I’ll be one of the three panelists speaking in favor of the resolution, which reads:
BE IT RESOLVED, the District of Columbia should stop accepting new students into the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program (sometimes referred to as the DC voucher program) and should end the program once the children who are already in the program have finished their schooling. [Flyer (pdf)]
The Secular Coalition objects to the DC voucher program because, as it’s written, the program violates the separation of church and state. We have no position on vouchers for secular schools, but when it comes to taxpayer money being used for religious instruction in religious institutions that discriminate on the basis of faith… we’re against that. You can read more in our position paper.
Joining me in supporting the resolution are Tanya Clay House (Dir. Public Policy, People For the American Way) and Iris Toyer (Pres., Parents United for the DC Public Schools).
Opposing the resolution will be Harry Thomas, Jr. (DC Councilmember – Ward 5), Virginia Walden Ford (Exec. Dir., DC Parents for School Choice), Gregory Cork, and (Pres. & CEO, Washington Scholarship Fund).
At the end of the debate, the members of DC Young Democrats vote on who won, and that determines the group’s official position on the issue.
Our perspective is often overlooked in the discussion, so come by and support the separation of church and state!
LOCATION
Jack Morton Auditorium @ 805 21st St., NW, Washington, DC
(just 3 blocks from the Foggy Bottom Metro station).
DATE & TIME
September 29th from 7:00pm – 8:30pm