I would agree, that in practice, government funding of education would lead to government/ACLU control. I was being idealistic in that I would wish for the government funding without the government control. Also I would limit it entirely to local government; state and federal governments should have no part in the funding. As far as abiogenesis, you are free to believe that this is a specualtive idea because it is. It is also no part of the theory of evolution. Life could have been created directly by God, and that fact would not damage evolution one bit, because the ultimate origin of life is not a topic that evolution deals with. Actually, I think a lot of this debate arises from misconceptions. Evolution does not, in and of itself, state that there is no God or that there is no intelligent guidance involved in the process (it doesn't say that there is either.) Admittedly there are people who state that evolution demonstrates that there is no God or that the process must be entirely random, the actual theory doesn't state this. This is no more a part of the theory of evolution than Inquisitions are a part of Roman Catholic teaching.
Thank you for your measured response! It's always a pleasure discussing things such as this with someone who is polite!
Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!