Charter schools with ties to religious groups raise fears about state funds' use
07:08 AM CST on Monday, November 22, 2010
Students at Duncanville's Advantage Academy follow biblical principles, talk openly about faith and receive guidance from a gregarious former pastor who still preaches when he speaks.
But his congregation is a swath of low-income students. And his sermon is an educator's mantra about the opportunities of charter schools.
Advantage's state-funded campuses showcase the latest breed of charter schools, born from faith-based principles and taxpayer funds. More than 20 percent of Texas' charter schools have some kind of religious ties. That's the case for six of the seven approved this year,