The Supreme Court handed Christian schools a victory in the case of Carson v. Makin.
According to The Washington Post, the court struck down a Maine tuition program that prohibits public funds from going to religious schools.
The decision was 6 to 3.
“There is nothing neutral about Maine’s program,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote.
He added, “The State pays tuition for certain students at private schools — so long as the schools are not religious. That is discrimination against religion.”
Justice Sonia Sotomayor argued the court “continues to dismantle the wall of separation between church and state that the Framers fought to build.”
JUST IN: The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that Maine’s tuition assistance program must cover religious schools.
— NPR Politics (@nprpolitics) June 21, 2022
In her dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote: "This Court continues to dismantle the wall of separation between church and state that the Framers fought to build."
Justice Stephen Breyer claimed the majority “pays almost no attention” to the first clause of the First Amendment.
“[W]e are today a Nation of more than 330 million people who ascribe to over 100 different religions. In that context, state neutrality with respect to religion is particularly important,” Breyer said.
He added, “The Religion Clauses give Maine the right to honor that neutrality by choosing not to fund religious schools as part of its public school tuition program. I believe the majority is wrong to hold the contrary.”
The Post noted the question in the case was, “May states refuse to provide such aid if it is made available to other private schools?”
The court received praise for the decision from Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL).
“The Supreme Court sent a strong signal that discrimination against private schools because of their faith is unconstitutional,” Rubio said in a statement.
He continued, “For far too long the government and courts have chipped away at protections for people of faith. I pray that today marks a turning point for our nation, which was founded on God-given rights.”
