WASHINGTON — A church-state watchdog group is objecting to a plan by Florida Gov. Jeb Bush to create a “faith-based” prison. Americans United for Separation of Church and State issued a press release objecting to Bush’s Dec. 5 announcement that he would create an 800-man medium-security prison at Lawtey Correctional Institution in Bradford County.
According to the Palm Beach Post, inmates at the facility would “receive religion-based classes in everything from parenting to character building to job training.” Bush announced the plan at a White House conference in Tampa promoting President George W. Bush’s “Faith-based initiative” to expand the government’s ability to fund social services through religious institutions.
American’s United’s director said the plan was “a clearly unconstitutional scheme.” According to the press release, Barry Lynn added, “A state can no more create a faith-based prison than it could set up faith-based public schools or faith-based police departments.”
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