SCOTUS strikes down ME law that gives tuition assitance for private but not religious schools

[jojoju1998]

Why was there a program funding private schools to begin with ? At all ?

[jojoju1998]

Disgusting decision.

Not really. The program was a f[inks]ing abomination for funding any type of private schools at all. This will put an end to this practice entirely, no price school should ever receive any public funds under any circumstances whatsoever. I'd even support banning Pell Grants to private colleges.

Agreed, but SCOTUS will most likely rule the opposite when the time comes. This is just setting the stage for public funding of religious schools.

Most other countries in the Western World have funding for religious schools ( and yet, ironically less religion because along funding comes state control of curriculum, and a need to " fit in ". ).

[jojoju1998]

Assuming arguendo that the school while owned and operated by a religious institution does not teach theology on a discriminatory basis (e.g., if a Catholic school teaches Catholic theology, it must also teach the theology of other religions on a non discriminatory basis as part of a liberal arts education on the topic of theology), and thus is barred solely by virtue of the religious status of its owners, does that not trouble anyway as a violation of the free exercise clause. Here the state is handing out money irrespective of the religious status or lack thereof of the owners, and that certainly seems non discriminatory to me.

As an atheist, I concur in the Roberts decision, provided that the religious school avoids discriminating as described above in its curriculum.

Although not relevant here, I have also endorsed school vouchers since rocks cooled as a policy matter, and still do.

I don't know about other christians, but most catholic schools are very light on the theology. In fact; many non christians choose catholic schools because of the academic quality. ( Those jesuits ).

[jojoju1998]

So now any such program must provide taxpayer money for religious instruction? This court hollows out the Establishment Clause with every new decision.

I don’t think any high performing Religous school or even a standard non Religous private school would want state funding, because it would also mean state control.

State control over religion is a bad bad thing.

Also with the exception of evangelical schools, most catholic, episcopal, mainline Protestant schools are very light on the theology.