The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, urged the U.S. Supreme Court to review the Florence Doyle v. Taxpayers for Public Education case and strike down “Blaine Amendments” contained in many state constitutions that bar state aid to parochial schools. The Colorado Supreme Court relied on that state’s Blaine Amendment to invalidate a school voucher program in Douglas County, CO.
The Orthodox Union filed a “Friend of the Court” brief in the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that although state Blaine Amendments are typically associated with anti-Catholic bias, “history discloses that they more broadly reflect bigotry toward a number of minority faiths—including Judaism.” The Orthodox Union expressed its concern that if Colorado’s Blaine Amendment is permitted to stand, it would “perpetuate bigotry against minority religious faiths, hamper efforts to educate children from underserved and underprivileged communities, and prevent parents (especially poor parents) from making meaningful choices concerning their children’s education.”
Nathan Diament, the Orthodox Union’s Executive Director for Public Policy, noted that this case could lead to an important watershed moment in American society. “This case provides the Court an important opportunity to make clear that nineteenth century bigotry against minority faiths has no place in twenty-first–century America,” he said. “The Orthodox Union is committed to fighting for educational opportunity and resources for Jewish day schools on all fronts,” Diament added.
The principal author of the brief was Ms. Alyson Ho of Morgan Lewis & Bockius.
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5 Responses
The Blaine law was explicitly anti-Catholic and pro-Protestant by the author of that law. It is a clear case of government favoring one religion over another and should have been regarded as unconstitutional from Day One.
obama will veto whatever can help religous people that are non-Muslims.
#2 Obama can’t veto a supreme court ruling.
Commenter #2 karlbenmarx apparently thinks that Obama lived in the 19th century when these manifestations of vile anti-Catholic bigotry were enacted. Next the Obama haters will be blaming him for the Spanish Inquisition!
It would be nice for the Supreme Court to overturn all the Blaine Amendments. As a supporter of coercive federal power over the states I believe that it is consistent with the First and Fourteenth Amendments and will be another nail in the coffin if the “states rights” nonsense that states should have the power to discriminate against unfavored minorities. It will be a great day for religious freedom and a terrible day for bigots when this happens.