Supreme Court Rules Against , Religious Exclusion From Maine's , Tuition Assistance Program.<br />On June 21, the Supreme Court ruled that <br />religious schools in Maine cannot be excluded <br />from the state's tuition assistance program. .<br />CNN reports that the state program allows <br />parents in Maine to use vouchers to enroll <br />their children in public or private schools.<br />Maine’s ‘nonsectarian’ requirement for its otherwise generally available tuition assistance payments violates the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, Chief Justice John Roberts, via CNN.<br />Maine’s ‘nonsectarian’ requirement for its otherwise generally available tuition assistance payments violates the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, Chief Justice John Roberts, via CNN.<br />Regardless of how the benefit <br />and restriction are described, <br />the program operates to identify <br />and exclude otherwise eligible schools <br />on the basis of their religious exercise, Chief Justice John Roberts, via CNN.<br />Regardless of how the benefit <br />and restriction are described, <br />the program operates to identify <br />and exclude otherwise eligible schools <br />on the basis of their religious exercise, Chief Justice John Roberts, via CNN.<br />According to CNN, the ruling by the conservative <br />court expands religious liberty rights <br />and brings religion into public life.<br />Critics say the decision <br />amounts to an erosion of the , separation of church and state.<br />Justice Stephen Breyer, who voted against <br />the measure, wrote that the court had , “never previously held what the Court holds today, namely, <br />that a State must (not may) use state funds to pay for religious <br />education as part of a tuition program designed to ensure <br />the provision of free statewide public school education.”.<br />Justice Stephen Breyer, who voted against <br />the measure, wrote that the court had , “never previously held what the Court holds today, namely, <br />that a State must (not may) use state funds to pay for religious <br />education as part of a tuition program designed to ensure <br />the provision of free statewide public school education.”.<br />In response, Justice John Roberts emphasized that , "the state pays for tuition for certain students at <br />private schools – so long as they are not religious.”.<br />That is discrimination <br />against religion, Chief Justice John Roberts, via CNN.<br />Justice Sotomayer, who also voted against the majority, accused the conservative court of dismantling , “the wall of separation between church <br />and state that the Framers fought to build.”
