Measure Faces Veto By Locke Senate Republicans Pass Church-Schools Legislation

Churches could set up schools staffed by uncertified teachers who would be under no duty to teach basic skills in a measure sent to the governor Monday.

An aide to Gov. Gary Locke said he opposes the measure.

Republican Senate passage came over objections that the bill would leave children vulnerable to bad teachers and extremist groups that might set up schools under the guise of religion.

But backers of the measure, HB2330, said church schools, including parochial schools, have a long history of educational excellence in the United States, and have proven they don’t need state oversight.The measure would allow churches to create “religiously affiliated exempt schools” free of certain rules and regulations imposed upon other private schools.

The church schools could hire teachers who were neither certified by the state nor supervised by a certified teacher, and could offer curricula that did not meet state standards requiring the teaching of “certain basic skills.”

The schools would not be required to provide the state with enrollment figures, but would have to meet the same health and safety regulations required of nonchurch schools.

Fellow Republicans in the House passed the bill by a wide margin two weeks ago. The measure faces a likely veto by Democrat Locke. He opposes the measure because children in the schools would not have to meet “new tough academic standards” required of all students, press aide, Marylou Flynn, said.

Before the 30-18 Senate vote for the measure, opponents, mostly Democrats, argued that the state is creating a new class of schools.

“There are no academic requirements, no certified teachers,” said Sen. Julia Patterson, D-SeaTac.

She and other foes worried that hate groups such as the Aryan Nations could claim a religious affiliation and set up isolated schools to teach children their philosophies.