PROPOSALS TO PROVIDE FEDERAL AID TO PRIVATE SECTARIAN SCHOOLS CONDEMNED AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL

WHEREAS this Assembly of the American Ethical Union has heard the report by Dr. V. T. Thayer, one of its Leaders, with respect to the developments following the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in the McCollum case (which held unconstitutional a system of "released time" for religious instruction in the public schools), and it is desired to bring to the attention of members of the Union and of like-minded persons the full purport of the decision, and the task remaining ahead, in the interest of traditional separation of church and state in the United States, for the protection of freedom of religion and of the public schools, be it therefore

RESOLVED: that this Assembly of the American Ethical Union recommend to its members continued vigilance and appropriate action on local, state and national levels: first to obtain and enforce recognition that the Supreme Court has not only prescribed any system of released time which involves the use of public funds, or school properties and facilities, to aid sectarian religious instruction, but more than that, condemns as unconstitutional any such system of released time which utilizes public school personnel, or attendance machinery to bring pressure or aid in securing enrollments or attendance at classes, conducted on released time, for sectarian religious instruction; second, to obtain recognition that the decision by clear-cut statement, closes the door upon still-prevalent efforts to obtain grants of federal and state funds in support of non-public or parochial schools

RESOLVED: further, that the Board of Directors be authorized to cooperate with other like-minded groups in obtaining full recognition and implementation of these principles, with the expressed intention of protecting and promoting freedom of religion from governmental encroachment and protecting the public schools from invasion or utilization for sectarian religious instruction.

Source: Whereas ... 1962

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