Supreme Court Rules Against , Religious Exclusion From Maine's , Tuition Assistance Program.
On June 21, the Supreme Court ruled that
religious schools in Maine cannot be excluded
from the state's tuition assistance program. .
CNN reports that the state program allows
parents in Maine to use vouchers to enroll
their children in public or private schools.
Maine’s ‘nonsectarian’ requirement for its otherwise generally available tuition assistance payments violates the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, Chief Justice John Roberts, via CNN.
Maine’s ‘nonsectarian’ requirement for its otherwise generally available tuition assistance payments violates the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, Chief Justice John Roberts, via CNN.
Regardless of how the benefit
and restriction are described,
the program operates to identify
and exclude otherwise eligible schools
on the basis of their religious exercise, Chief Justice John Roberts, via CNN.
Regardless of how the benefit
and restriction are described,
the program operates to identify
and exclude otherwise eligible schools
on the basis of their religious exercise, Chief Justice John Roberts, via CNN.
According to CNN, the ruling by the conservative
court expands religious liberty rights
and brings religion into public life.
Critics say the decision
amounts to an erosion of the , separation of church and state.
Justice Stephen Breyer, who voted against
the measure, wrote that the court had , “never previously held what the Court holds today, namely,
that a State must (not may) use state funds to pay for religious
education as part of a tuition program designed to ensure
the provision of free statewide public school education.”.
Justice Stephen Breyer, who voted against
the measure, wrote that the court had , “never previously held what the Court holds today, namely,
that a State must (not may) use state funds to pay for religious
education as part of a tuition program designed to ensure
the provision of free statewide public school education.”.
In response, Justice John Roberts emphasized that , "the state pays for tuition for certain students at
private schools – so long as they are not religious.”.
That is discrimination
against religion, Chief Justice John Roberts, via CNN.
Justice Sotomayer, who also voted against the majority, accused the conservative court of dismantling , “the wall of separation between church
and state that the Framers fought to build.”