LITTLE ROCK, AR - A question under consideration by the Arkansas Department of Human Services is whether or not preschools can sing religious songs, read books about Jesus, and pray before snack time.
On Wednesday, representatives with DHS met with State Representative Justin Harris, who runs Growing God's Kingdom Preschool in West Fork. His business has come under scrutiny for being faith-based and taking government funding.
Harris says he won't be pleased if he can't continue to operate a Christian based preschool. "I was very clear with DHS that we want to work through this process. We can't drop the ball. We need to work through it."
At Growing God's Kingdom in West Fork Harris says the children sing Christian songs, read bible stories, and pray at mealtime. "I have not broken any laws. I have sworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the State of Arkansas and no laws have been broken."
Harris says he has no problem telling his teachers to provide religious instruction before or after the seven-hour school day, but he objects to being unable to pray. "We're here because there are going to be rules coming down, and at that point I'm going to fight the rules."
Rules DHS is proposing clarifying a constitutional ban on schools using taxpayer money to teach religion, and to help schools correct any constitutional violations that might be occurring. The rules must be approved by State Department of Education and receive a public hearing and legislative review. That review is in April.
Harris has received around half a million dollars in grant money for his preschool in the past two years. He says parents have a choice where they send their kids, and the kids are not forced to participate in singing songs or praying.
A state inspector visited the preschool after Washington-based Americans United for the Separation of Church wrote to the state seeking an investigation into religious teaching at the school.
