Separation of Church and School?

Dear Commons Community,

Katherine Stewart has an interesting op-ed article in the NY Times today dealing with the issue of separation of church and state and more specifically on the use of public school facilities for religious purposes.  The article refers to a US Court of Appeals ruling last week that reversed an earlier court ruling in a 2001 decision, Good News Club vs. Milford Central School, in which the United States Supreme Court appeared to suggest that keeping religious groups out of schools after hours amounted to discrimination against their religious views.

Subsequent federal rulings effectively forced the city to open school doors to nearly any religious group that asked for the privilege. On June 2, 2011, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled that the city could restrict religious congregations from conducting worship services in schools. To exclude an activity from a school because it is religious in nature, Judge Pierre N. Leval wrote, is not to discriminate against it on account of its religious viewpoint. Indeed, the school system does not give access to partisan groups, and no one supposes that they are losing their freedom of speech just because they can’t get free space. Using the school system to subsidize houses of worship, on the other hand, risks violating the Constitutional ban on the establishment of religion.

I agree with Ms. Stewart’s conclusion that:

“it’s just that I imagine that that big red door is about education for all, not salvation for a few. Sometimes a building is more than a building.”

I can see this case being appealed to the US Supreme Court.

Tony

 

2 comments

  2. Tony,
    I was glad someone spoke about the churches in school. I remember as a child visiting churches with family that were inside schools and finding it odd. They weren’t doing the things that Katherine experienced but in today’s climate I’ve realized that Evangelicals are a new breed of Christian. I am a Christian and I do believe in separation of church and state. I believe that Evangelicals are using as many back doors as they can to get their agenda heard and pass through. Having moved from the Northeast to California I realize that Evanglicals are a force to be messed with. They’ve got miss information spreading all over the place. I applaud Katherine fit bringing this to light. It’s a bigger problem then people think.

    Thank you!!