WASHINGTON – The U.S. House voted Thursday to let Head Start centers consider religion when hiring workers, overshadowing its moves to strengthen the preschool program’s academics and finances.
The Republican-led House approved a bill that lets churches and other faith-based preschool centers hire only people who share their religion, yet still receive federal tax dollars.
Democrats blasted that idea as discriminatory.
Launched in the 1960s, the nearly $7 billion Head Start program provides comprehensive education to more than 900,000 poor children. Though credited for getting kids ready for school, Head Start has drawn scrutiny as cases of financial waste and questions about academic quality have surfaced nationwide.
Overall, the House bill would insert more competition into Head Start grants, require greater disclosure of how money is spent, and try to improve collaboration among educators in different grades. Yet on Thursday, the dispute over religion eroded the bipartisan support for Head Start’s renewal.
The House passed the bill 231-184; only 23 Democrats voted for it.
The bill would reauthorize the Head Start program through 2011. A similar measure in the Senate is pending.
GOP lawmakers, with backing from the White House, contend that preschool centers should not have to give up their religious autonomy in order to receive federal grants.
“This is about our children, and denying them exemplary services just because the organization happens to be a religious one is just cruel,” said Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C.
The Republican plan would, for example, let a Catholic church that provides Head Start services employ only Catholic child care workers.
Democrats and Republicans offered different interpretations of whether the Constitution, federal law and court rulings protected – or prevented – federally aided centers from hiring based on religion.
“Congress should not be in the business of supporting state-sponsored discrimination,” said Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla.
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