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August 6, 2002
Union Of Orthodox Jewish Congregations On Florida
School
Voucher Ruling: “Not Unexpected; First Step In The Next Chapter Of The
Struggle For School Choice & Religious Equality”
Today, the Union of Orthodox
Jewish Congregations of America commented upon yesterday’s ruling by a
State of Florida circuit court judge declaring that state’s school choice
program a violation of the state constitution’s ban on public funds being
utilized in any way by religious institutions.
Nathan Diament, the Union’s director of public policy, issued the
following statement:
The ruling by the Florida circuit court was not unexpected. Like a
majority of the states in this country, Florida’s constitution contains an
amendment, known as a Blaine Amendment, which is nothing more than a
vestige of the anti-religious bigotry that swept this country in the
late-1800s. The Orthodox Jewish community, along with a broad coalition of
religious liberty and school choice advocates, have long hoped for an
opportunity to have these amendments litigated and, we expect, ultimately
struck down for being the hallmark of anti-religious bias that they are.
These amendments follow neither the spirit nor the law of religious
liberty and freedom that this nation stands for and they will, we are
confident, in the end fall. Yesterday’s ruling is the first step in the
next chapter of the struggle for school choice and religious equality in
America. We look forward to moving ahead with our coalition partners
through the appeals process for the good of Florida’s children and for the
good of us all.
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