Fox host Pete Hegseth says the separation of church and state is “not in the Constitution, but that's a whole other thing”
Published
Citation From the May 21, 2023, edition of Fox News' Fox and Friends Sunday
DR. JEANINE DOWNIE (GUEST): Let's see, I'm going to pick education. And I'm going to say that education is a key issue in our society. So I want no books banned. I'm very anti-anything being banned. You don't want your kid to read it? That's fine. I want my kid to read a little bit of everything. 2,500 books banned so far Will --
PETE HEGSETH (HOST): So what about like the trans advocacy, elementary school --
DOWNIE: I have one daughter. She can read whatever she wants to read at an age appropriate to what she is, but I want --
HEGSETH: So how about like the Bible? What if we wanted to teach the Bible?
DOWNIE: I'm Catholic. I've already taught her about the Bible because I'm Catholic so --
HEGSETH: No, but what about in school though?
DOWNIE: In school? Oh no. There should be separation --
HEGSETH: (mockingly) On no, can't have God in school!
DOWNIE: Separation of church and --
HEGSETH: That's not in the Constitution, but that's a whole other thing --
DOWNIE: And then all history, all history should be taught. That is African-American history, Native American history, Latino history, you know Asian history, caucasian history, all history should be taught in public schools. So I'm going to say I'm very pro-education.
HEGSETH: It's so interesting because education will be a topic coming in both directions.
DOWNIE: Very pro-education.
HEGSETH: You describe it differently than I think some of our, many of our other panelists will as well.