***********************************************************
Church-State, A Membership publication of Americans United For Separation
of Church and State, July August 2003
http://www.au.org/churchstate/03-07-feature1.htm
Vouchers Reloaded
Washington State Scholarship Case At Supreme Court Could Rewrite
Church-State Law In America
by Rob Boston
College freshman Joshua Davey decided in 1999 that he wanted to study for
the ministry and become a pastoral counselor – and that Washington state
taxpayers should help him meet that religious goal.
State officials had other ideas. Although they initially approved a $1,125
“Promise Scholarship” for Davey, staffers at Washington’s Higher Education
Coordinating Board rescinded it when they learned that the young man
planned to become a minister.
In a letter to Northwest College, the Assemblies of God-run institution
near Seattle where Davey had enrolled, Board officials cited provisions in
the Washington Constitution that bar any diversion of tax funds for
religion.
“[T]he State Constitution is clear regarding the separation of church and
state,” John Klaeik, the Board’s associate director wrote. “We have
consistently interpreted this constitutional provision as prohibiting state
financial aid funds for students who are pursuing a degree in theology.”
TV preacher Pat Robertson’s legal group, the American Center for Law and
Justice (ACLJ), immediately sensed an opportunity. The facts were very
sympathetic: Davey, a young man from a family of modest means, had
qualified for the scholarship because of academic achievement and hard
work. Now, mean-spirited bureaucrats were trying to take it away.
That was the ACLJ’s media spin. The reality is somewhat more complex. Like
many states, Washington has a provision in its constitution barring direct
tax support for religious purposes. Religious Right groups would like to
see these provisions made null and void and open the floodgates to numerous
forms of government support for religion, not just scholarship aid for
needy students. They see Davey’s case as their best shot.
The Religious Right is already well on the way to achieving its goal. In
July of 2002, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 in Davey’s
favor. Denying him the scholarship aid, the court declared, is a violation
of religious freedom and a form of discrimination. Washington state
officials appealed, and in May, the U.S. Supreme Court announced it would
hear the case.
Davey v. Locke has the potential to dramatically reshape the relationship
between church and state in America. In June of 2002, the high court ruled
vouchers for private religious schools constitutional, holding that states
may choose to offer this type of assistance to religious education if they
want to. The decision in the Davey case would build on that ruling and
greatly expand government funding of religious education in America.
[Click on URL above to read rest of the article]
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| User: "Doug Semler" |
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| Title: Re: VOUCHER ALERT |
01 Aug 2003 07:59:13 AM |
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At some point in the past,
<> posted this drivel:
***********************************************************
Church-State, A Membership publication of Americans United For
Separation of Church and State, July August 2003
http://www.au.org/churchstate/03-07-feature1.htm
Vouchers Reloaded
Washington State Scholarship Case At Supreme Court Could Rewrite
Church-State Law In America
<snip story>
Does anyone know if colleges such as this one (Northwest) require courses in
subjects other than religion (General Education) or religion-based teachings
of those subjects? Are these colleges accredited? How are the terms of
these types of scholarships written?
What this young man should do is take that scholarship, attend a community
college to receive his General Education. Perhaps after completing those
classes, he'll change his mind about his university choice.
--
Doug Semler
http://home.wideopenwest.com/~doug_semler
a.a. #705, BAAWA. EAC Guardian of the Horn of the IPU (pbuhh).
I hate spam, standard email address munging applied.
42
DNRC o-
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| User: "Server 13" |
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| Title: Re: VOUCHER ALERT |
01 Aug 2003 03:17:50 PM |
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Doug Semler wrote:
At some point in the past,
<> posted this drivel:
***********************************************************
Church-State, A Membership publication of Americans United For
Separation of Church and State, July August 2003
http://www.au.org/churchstate/03-07-feature1.htm
Vouchers Reloaded
Washington State Scholarship Case At Supreme Court Could Rewrite
Church-State Law In America
<snip story>
Does anyone know if colleges such as this one (Northwest) require courses in
subjects other than religion (General Education) or religion-based teachings
of those subjects? Are these colleges accredited? How are the terms of
these types of scholarships written?
What this young man should do is take that scholarship, attend a community
college to receive his General Education. Perhaps after completing those
classes, he'll change his mind about his university choice.
Or he could just take the damned financial aid everyone else takes and live
with the consequences of his decision.
But no, his church wants to get into our pocketbooks, and he is being used as
the pickpocket's hand.
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