He just couldn’t help himself…..he being George W. Bush, who, in the final days of his administration, issued a report on why our country needs more charter schools. The document even suggested ways that schools might circumvent the constitutional ban of school-sponsored religion.

Bush’s report on inner-city education shamelessly advocates massive public funding for religious schools. In addition to voucher subsidies, tax credits and something called “backpack” scholarships (another kind of voucher), it promotes “faith-based charter schools.”

As most Americans should know, charter schools are public schools. What makes them different is that they do not have to abide by the same accountability standards as traditional public schools. But the schools are run with taxpayer funds, and for that reason, are still required to abide by the Constitution.

That’s a recipe for controversy, of course. And Tarek Ibn Ziyad Academy (TIZA), a charter school in Minnesota, is the latest example of how such a dispute can erupt.

Tarek Ibn Ziyad Academy (TIZA),  is a kindergarten through 8th grade charter school, founded in 2003 and named after a Muslim military leader who conquered portions of Spain and Portugal during the eighth century.

Sounds like a recipe for controversy to me……what do you think?

Nevertheless. last week the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota filed a lawsuit against the school. In the complaint, the ACLU argues that TIZA promotes religion, violating the Constitution’s requirement of church-state separation.

According to the court document, TIZA has prominently posted a prayer in the school’s entryway, the cafeteria follows Muslim dietary practices, female teachers and students must follow a dress code that reflects Islamic tradition and prayer meetings are held during school time every Friday, the Muslim holy day.

NOTE: You know what they say….”if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck the”….well you know the rest.

Charter schools are supposed to serve as educational alternatives to the public schools — using specialized, creative teaching methods. For example, some charter schools teach in a foreign language, such as French or Spanish, as a way for students to really become fluent in a second language.

In order to encourage this innovative teaching style, the government allowed these schools more flexibility and less oversight. And not surprisingly, some religious leaders seem intent on creating charter schools that get public funding but skirt constitutional restrictions.

Advocates of church-state separation will have to watch developments closely to ensure that the First Amendment is respected. Actually, anything that Bush touched should be scrutinized.

Here are other stories related to the “government and religion” issues that test the boundaries of our Constitution. You be the judge:

Scandal In School: Virginia Library Staffer Challenges Religious Harassment

Carping Crusaders: Religious Right Whines About Obama Shout Out To Non-Believers

Mormon Might: LDS Church Leaders Have Inappropriate Government Role In Utah

Invocation Imbroglio: Kansas Priest’s Prayer Ignites Legislative Controversy

Passing The Science Test: Texas School Board Derails Most Of Creationist Plot

Prayer Over Politics?: Florida Megachurch’s New Leader Is Weary Of Fighting The ‘Culture Wars’

Inaugural Irritant: Why Rick Warren’s Prayer Left Me Cold