Observers may have disagreed on the correctness of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on school vouchers, but they were unanimous on one thing – it was huge.
“This is the most significant Supreme Court decision in terms of its impact on public education since Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 (which struck down segregation), and I believe it will be a tremendously positive impact,” said Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.
Observers may have disagreed on the correctness of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on school vouchers, but they were unanimous on one thing – it was huge.
“This is the most significant Supreme Court decision in terms of its impact on public education since Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 (which struck down segregation), and I believe it will be a tremendously positive impact,” said Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.
“This is probably the worst church-state decision in the last 50 years,” countered Barry Lynn, who serves as director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. “The Supreme Court has taken a wrecking ball to the wall of separation between church and state. Unfortunately, the court has approved forcing taxpayers to pay for religious indoctrination.”
So it went after the nations high court ruled an Ohio program that allows vouchers to be used at religious schools is constitutional. (See accompanying article)
The ruling “marks a new beginning for children all across America who desperately need educational opportunities,” said Clint Bolick, vice president of the Institute for Justice, a Washington-based organization that represented Cleveland families receiving vouchers. “The constitutional cloud over school choice is finally lifted.”
The ruling represents an “enormous paradigm shift for the nations public education establishment,” Land noted.
“Theyre going to have to compete for the nations children, and theyre going to have to meet performance standards.”
Lands agency signed a brief in support of the Ohio program – and the decision affirmed its argument that government cannot discriminate against religion when offering a benefit that can be used at other private institutions, he said.
“Any other decision would be to affirm the rankest kind of discrimination against religion,” Land said. “This is a tremendous victory for the true religious liberty intent of our founding fathers. …
“Baptists everywhere should rejoice at this sane, just and correct understanding of the true intent of the establishment and free-exercise clauses of the Constitution.”
President George Bush described the ruling as a “victory for parents and children throughout America.” He said he would encourage school districts to adopt voucher programs, calling them “a constructive approach to improving public education.”
As did others, Bush compared the ruling to Brown v. Board of Education.
In Brown, the court “declared that our nation cannot have two educational systems (for blacks and whites),” Bush said.
“And that was the right decision, …” he said. “Last week, whats notable and important is that the court declared that our nation will not accept one education system for those who can afford to send their children to a school of their choice and (another) for those who cant. And thats just as historic.”
It may be historic, but it also is wrong, critics said of the court ruling.
A People for the American Way spokesperson characterized the opinion as a “serious crack in the constitutional wall between church and state.”
National Education Association President Bob Chase criticized vouchers as “a divisive and expensive diversion” from public-school improvement. He said his group will continue to fight against vouchers – “at the ballot box, in state legislatures and in state courts.”
In a written statement, Baptist Joint Committee Executive Director Brent Walker said: “Government has no business subsidizing religion. It does no less by passing vouchers through the pockets of parents.
“We believe voucher programs are unconstitutional, despite what the Supreme Court said, and violate the historic Baptist understanding about the proper relationship between church and state,” he said. (BP)