Latest news with #religiousschools
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Supreme Court derails taxpayer-funded Catholic school in major First Amendment case
Oklahoma won't be able to open the country's first-ever taxpayer-funded religious public charter school after a surprise tie from the Supreme Court. A 4-4 decision, with conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett recusing, avoids a major ruling on First Amendment protections and the separation of church and state. There was no written decision. A single-page announcement of the court's tie did not note which justices voted in support or against the state. The court did not explain Barrett's recusal, but the Donald Trump-appointed justice has tied with Notre Dame Law School, where she earned her law degree. The law school's religious liberty clinic represents the charter school in this case. A lack of a decision means lower court decisions against the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School will stand, with the school violating the Constitution and state law. The school, backed by Oklahoma 's Republican Governor Kevin Stitt, triggered a high-profile legal battle to decide whether public funds can be used to create religious schools, setting up a major test to the First Amendment 's establishment clause, which prevents the government from endorsing any religion, as well as the free exercise clause, which bars religious discrimination. Oklahoma's schools, under the direction of controversial superintendent Ryan Walters, have emerged as a testing ground for a growing movement to integrate religion and conservative politics into public education. Last year, Oklahoma's highest court said the school's contract would 'create a slippery slope and what the framers' warned against — the destruction of Oklahomans' freedom to practice religion without fear of governmental intervention.' The school is an 'instrument of the Catholic church, operated by the Catholic church, and will further the evangelizing mission of the Catholic church in its educational programs,' state justices wrote. A decision on Oklahoma's proposal follows a wave of attempts from Republican lawmakers and conservative special interest groups to move public funds into religious education, dovetailing with efforts within the Trump administration and across the country to let families use taxpayer funds to send their children to private school. In 2023, the nation's highest court ruled that the state of Maine cannot exclude private Christian schools from a taxpayer-funded school voucher program that helps students attend private schools, which critics feared could have broader implications over whether the government is obligated to support religious institutions on the same level as private ones. Justice Sonia Sotomayor's dissent in that case warned that the Supreme Court 'continues to dismantle the wall of separation between church and state that the Framers fought to build.' 'The consequences of the Court's rapid transformation of the Religion Clauses must not be understated,' she wrote at the time.
Malay Mail
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Johor allocates RM47m for repairs to 442 religious schools since 2022
ISKANDAR PUTERI, May 22 — A total of 442 religious schools in Johor, including those in critically dilapidated conditions, have undergone repairs costing over RM47 million from 2022 to 2025. 'For these repairs, priority was given to the safety aspects, including wirings, roofs and toilets, to ensure the welfare and safety of students and teachers,' State Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid said at the Johor State Legislative Assembly sitting at Kota Iskandar here today. He said this in reply to an oral question from Datuk Jefridin Atan (BN-Kukup), who asked about the number of state religious schools that had received assistance for upgrading and repairs, as well as the total amount of allocation channelled to religious schools in the Kukup state constituency. Meanwhile, Mohd Fared, the Semerah state assemblyman, said 10 religious schools in the Kukup constituency have received repair assistance totalling RM779,934 since 2023. He added that the applications for repairs by three religious schools in the Kukup constituency have been submitted to the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim). 'Jakim recently held a workshop on applications for the maintenance and upgrading (of religious schools) together with the Islamic Education Division, Johor State Islamic Religious Department for applications for this year. 'As such, I wish to urge religious schools that are in dilapidated conditions and in need of repairs to make their applications through their respective District Islamic Education Office (PPID),' he said. There are 575 state government religious schools and eight integrated religious primary schools in Johor. — Bernama
Fox News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
California ends ban on special education funds for children in religious schools
The state of California agreed in federal court Monday to stop barring children with disabilities who want to attend religious private schools from receiving special education funding. For decades, children with disabilities have been able to access federal funding for free special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The federal law allows some of this funding to be used in private schools as well, but California lawmakers had, until this week, disqualified religious private schools from access to this program. A group of Orthodox Jewish parents and schools first brought a lawsuit against the California Department of Education in 2023 over this state law, which barred them from receiving IDEA funds to send their kids to Orthodox Jewish schools. The parents argued that their children should be able to receive an education that is in line with their Jewish traditions and beliefs while also providing a quality education that meets their needs. "It's outrageous that California politicians are using religion as an excuse to deny special education benefits to kids with disabilities," Nicholas Reaves, senior counsel for Becket, a legal group representing the parents, previously told Fox News Digital. "Excluding religious schools from programs which help these children reach their full potential is just plain wrong." In October, a federal appeals court agreed, declaring that California was violating the Constitution by requiring schools to be non-religious for families to apply for these funds. The case returned to district court. On Monday, California and the Los Angeles Unified School District agreed to a court order that permanently prohibits them from enforcing a "nonsectarian" requirement to access the special education funding. Becket hailed the court victory in a press release. "California spent decades treating Jewish kids like second-class citizens. Today's settlement ensures that Jewish kids with disabilities can access the resources they need and deserve—just like everyone else," Eric Rassbach, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, said in a statement. The California Department of Education did not return a request for comment.
