The public schools in Maine must pay for students to attend religious schools, as they do for private schools IF students live in a district that does not have a public high school. This was the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in June 2022. At that time there were 29 private schools that met the criteria for the tuition reimbursement program and were awarded about $12,000 per student in taxpayer funding.
The decision invalidated provisions in 37 state constitutions that ban the direct or indirect use of taxpayer money in religious schools (NPR.org). Many hailed this as a victory for education reformers who support taxpayer money for private and religious education.
The Association of Christian Schools International, a Colorado-based organization that promotes Christian education, said the fact that 32 other states already have a school choice program speaks volumes. “We hope that the 18 states that do not have school choice programs will one day have one” (apnews.com).
At that time, Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey criticized the ruling, saying that all schools that accept public funds must abide by the Main Human Rights Act, which bans discrimination on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or disability (apnews.com).
Crosspoint policy requires staff and students to support a biblical stance on marriage and sexuality, which includes a rejection of homosexuality, same-sex marriages and transgender ideology (Christianpost.com).
U.S. District Judge John Woodcock denied a preliminary injunction this week requested by Bangor Christian Schools, concluding that the church’s lawsuit is not likely to succeed. Woodcock ruled that Bangor Christian Schools must follow all the Maine Human Rights Act provisions (apnews.com).
Lea Patterson, a representative of Crosspoint Church that runs Bangor Christian Schools said they plan to appeal the decision. Patterson said, “Government punishing religious schools for living out their religious beliefs is not only unconstitutional, it is wrong” (Bangor Daily News).
Crosspoint called the restrictions a “poison pill” that keeps the school unable to accept state taxpayer money due to these restrictions on employment discrimination.
Exactly.
Real quick, Crosspoint, in case you were absent the day this was taught in school…
The First Amendment prevents the government from creating or establishing a religion, and thereby prevents the power of the government from expanding beyond civil matters. The First Amendment also protects people’s right to worship however they choose, or to not worship any God at all.
Here endeth the lesson.
These are my reflections for today.
March 22, 2024
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Reflections in Education 