The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on Wednesday in a case that could see a major change in the nature of funding for schools that provide religious education across the country. In Carson v. Makin , the nine justices are being asked to decide whether the state of Maine’s tuition assistance program violates the Constitution by excluding so-called "sectarian" schools from receiving funds. The Court has previously indicated a willingness to come down on the side of religious freedom, particularly in the case of schools, but a ruling against Maine would be seen by critics as a blow to the separation of church and state as it could open the door to public funding for religious instruction. The case centers on the fact that Maine has an almost unique system of providing state funds so that students can obtain a public education in private schools. This is due to the fact that more than half of school districts in the state do not have a public high school. About 175,000 students either attend their local public school or another public school in a different district. Some districts allow students to choose a public or private school and […]
