The House of Representatives is expected to debate today the School Readiness Act of 2005 (H.R. 2123), which would reauthorize the Head Start program. It is expected that some members of Congress will attempt to amend the bill to allow religious organizations that are Head Start providers to hire teachers based on their religious beliefs. (See prior posting.) The ACLU yesterday urged the House of Representatives to oppose any amendments that would repeal current anti-discrimination provisions in the law. In its letter to members of Congress, the ACLU argues that the statute would be unconstitutional if amended to exempt religious organizations from anti-discrimination provisions.
UPDATE: The AP reports that Thursday afternoon, the House, by a vote of 220-196, approved an amendment offered by Rep. John Boehner to provide hiring protections for faith-based Head Start providers. The ADL immediately issued a release criticizing the amendment. It said: "Federally funded religious discrimination is always wrong, and to permit such discrimination in Head Start, an historic anti-poverty program universally acclaimed and present in so many communities across the country, is misguided and dangerous."
