CLS JOINS FRIEND OF THE COURT BRIEF TO DEFEND CONSTITUTIONALITY OF FLORIDA VOUCHER PROGRAM
In January the Christian Legal Society joined an amicus brief defending the constitutionality of a Florida voucher program that allows parents and students to redeem vouchers at religious schools. The case is Bush v. Holmes.
In 1999 the Florida legislature created the Opportunity Scholarship program. It allows students at failing public schools to obtain vouchers from the state to attend private schools, including religious schools.
A number of organizations, including the ACLU, People for the American Way Foundation, and the Florida Teaching Profession-NEA, filed a lawsuit against the state claiming the Florida voucher program violated the “no aid” provision of the Florida Constitution.
In August 2004, the Florida District Court of Appeals ruled that the Florida voucher program violated the Florida Constitution. The Supreme Court of Florida will review that decision.
Professor Richard W. Garnett of the University of Notre Dame School of Law, Professor Thomas C. Berg of the University of St. Thomas School of Law, and Stephen C. Emmanuel of Ausley & McMullen submitted the brief on behalf of a number of organizations, including the Christian Legal Society.
CENTER DIRECTOR PARTICIPATES IN ANNUAL CCCU PRESIDENTS CONFERENCE
Center Director Gregory S. Baylor recently participated in the 29th Annual CCCU Presidents Conference entitled “Engaging the Culture … How?”. CCCU, the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, is an association of Christian colleges and universities, and its mission is to advance the cause of Christ-centered higher education and to help its member institutions transform lives by faithfully relating scholarship and service to biblical truth.
At the conference Mr. Baylor, along with Larry Donnithorne and Don Argue, took part in the panel discussion “Protecting Religious Liberty in the Academy.” Mr. Baylor explained the legal challenges religious institutions of higher education currently face.
Dr. Donnithorne, the President of Colorado Christian University, discussed the lawsuit Colorado Christian recently filed against the Colorado Commission on Higher Education. The suit challenges the constitutionality of state statutes prohibiting it from participating in the state’s student aid programs.
Dr. Argue, the President of Northwest University, talked about Locke v. Davey, a 2004 U.S. Supreme Court case in which the Court declined to invalidate the State of Washington’s refusal to allow Joshua Davey to use a state-funded “Promise Scholarship” to pursue a theology degree at Northwest.
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