School’s Raffle Should Be Legal
Many parents find that state-run schools are not doing the job, so children are sent instead to church-run schools.
It is felt that church schools better educate children, as well as teach respect for others, self-discipline, morality as well as religion.
The parents have to pay twice for schools--both for the school they want as well as for the state-run school they don’t want. Because the religious aspect of private education prevents state funds from being used, any school expenses that exceed tuition fees must be met in other ways.
Santa Clara High School had a raffle for 20 years, until Deputy Dist. Atty. Gregory Brose told the school that this was an illegal lottery, under an ancient 1872 law.
If Ventura County is so free of crime that the district attorney’s office must stoop to such stupid activities, then the surplus deputy district attorney should be fired. However, there is lots of crime in this county, and fighting it is more important than a school lottery. The anti-dope war is being lost. Perhaps this is why.
And just why was the church-run school persecuted? After all, the state has a lottery to help its schools.
RICK SCHWEMLER
Santa Paula
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