Now it is well known that Catholics have long been the mainstay of the school choice movement; they are also among the most vociferous supporters of parental rights. Let's be clear: this does not mean that anyone who opposes both of these causes is necessarily a bigot. But in Weingarten's case, she took the next step: she engaged in Christian bashing.
After speaking at length, with utter contempt and derision, about those who are pro-school choice and pro-parental rights, Weingarten let her guard down and went right for the jugular. "They want to have, basically, a Christian ideology, their particular Christian ideology to dominate the country as opposed to those that was born on the freedom of the exercise of religion."
The subject under discussion had nothing to do with religion, so it tells us volumes about Weingarten that she would indict Christians, without cause.
What she said just prior to her bigoted remark puts her animus against Christians in perspective. She had just commented that some parents want school choice because they want universal vouchers, and "others want it because they hate knowledge."
So who is it that "hates knowledge?" Those Americans who are bent on shoving their "Christian ideology" down our throats. The context says it all.
In other words, taxpaying parents who believe that they should have the right to send their child to the school of their choice—which includes most African Americans—and insist that their rights as parents be respected by the state, are somehow seeking to impose a Christian ideology on the nation. To top it off, these same religious zealots "hate knowledge."
Weingarten should resign. The hatred that she has for millions of school choice and parental rights advocates—especially those who are Christian—disqualifies her from serving in any public role.
Contact Andrew Crook, National Press Secretary at AFT: acrook@aft.org
SOURCE Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights
CONTACT: 212-371-3191, pr@catholicleague.org
