Wednesday, July 4, 2012

City violated religious groups' 1st Amendment rights


From the NY Times:

A federal judge ruled on Friday that religious groups cannot be prohibited from using public schools to hold services, rejecting the argument that such use violates the Constitution’s requirement to keep church and state strictly separate.

The ruling, by Judge Loretta A. Preska of United States District Court in Manhattan, was a major setback for New York City, which has fought for nearly two decades to expel religious groups from the schools.

Religious groups that use the schools hailed the decision, even though the city is likely to appeal.

Jordan W. Lorence, a lawyer for the Alliance Defense Fund, a group representing the churches, said, “The court’s order allows churches and other religious groups to meet for worship services in empty school buildings on weekends on the same terms as other groups.”

In her ruling, Judge Preska found that barring religious groups did not violate the free-speech clause of the First Amendment. Rather, the city’s regulations were problematic because they violated the establishment clause of that amendment, which states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

Before the ruling on Friday, the city required that churches wanting to use a public school list all the activities that were going to take place before they were granted a permit. If the city found that those activities crossed a line — from discussion to worship — the permit could be denied and the group expelled.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

see drudge report :"Homeland Security agency report lists "liberty lovers " as potential terrorists"

one wonders if H.S.A. would consider this religious group as "TERRORISTS " ?

they state that groups who defend GOD are ? so are citizens who fly American flags ???

Anonymous said...

I don't see why these churches should be able to use public schools for free. They should either help fund the schools or they should be forced to buy a place and pay taxes like any other organization.

Queens Crapper said...

Who said they were using the public schools for free?

Anonymous said...

LOL, Gramps!!!

Reread the United States Constitution. Particularly the First Amendment. You're lettling you're imagination and gullibility run wild. No such thing would happen.

Personally, I think that the people who are still questioning where the President was born are the terrorists who ought to be investigated, starting with Donald Trump.

Anonymous said...

is it possible that the children( anchor babies) , of millions of illegal aliens paying no taxes ,now enrolled in Queens public schools are freeloaders ?

would an American citizen ever believe that it's federal government would make it a law for senior citizens to attend "an end of life planning "seminar every five years ?(death counseling). pg 425, lines 4-12.

Anonymous said...

Wise Ruling Lets Churches Stay

Anonymous said...

The schools make money by leasing the space. Out of nowhere, the rule that "religious activity" was prohibited appears and long-standing access to the schools by churches ends. It's a clear a violation of religious liberty to serve an intolerant anti-religion agenda.

Anonymous said...

Just wait until the Klan and the lesbian witches and NAMBLA demand their rights to use the schools. That will be fun to watch!