ACLU Sues New Jersey Over Funding For Religious Schools

[cbayer]

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/06/24/aclu-sues-new-jersey-over-funding-for-religious-schools/

Group: Use Of Tax Dollars Violates Separation Of Church And State
June 24, 2013 5:52 PM


NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) – New Jersey’s plans to award more than $11 million to an all-male Jewish school and Princeton Theological Seminary violates state law and should be stopped, civil liberties groups said in a complaint filed Monday.

The ACLU and its New Jersey chapter, along with Americans United for Separation of Church and State, filed the lawsuit in state court in Trenton.

They claim the grants violate the state constitution’s prohibitions against using taxpayer money for places of worship and giving preference to a religion, as well as violate its stipulation that public money be used for public purposes. In addition, the suit says, the grant awarded to the Beth Medrash Govoha, an all-male Talmudic studies center in Lakewood, violates state law against discrimination based on gender.

ACLU Sues New Jersey Over Funding For Religious SchoolsWCBS 880's Peter Haskell Reports
“We support freedom of religion; however the government has no business funding religious ministries,” Ed Barocas, legal director of the ACLU of New Jersey, said in a statement. “Taxpayers should not foot the bill to train clergy or provide religious instruction, but the state is attempting to do exactly that.”

more at link

[MotherPetrie]

1. GOOD. K&R

[MichiganVote]

2. ACLU does the work state Atty. General should be doing. Lawd Almighty.

[cbayer]

3. Agree, but glad that someone is doing it.

[MichiganVote]

4. Maybe the government will privatize that too. Should go well don't ya' think.

[cbayer]

5. I'm just glad there are organizations that take this on when the government fails.

Privatization seems unlikely, but I don't rule anything out these days.

[MichiganVote]

6. Agree but I think we should be more specific about which arm of the government fails.