Submitted to and Passed by AEU Assembly, which convened in Brooklyn, NY

Whereas, there has been introduced into Congress, Senate Bill 246 known as the Educational Finance Act of 1949, and whereas said Act includes as one of its provisions a section known as Section 6 reading as follows:

“Section 6. Availability of Appropriations: In order more nearly to equalize educational opportunities, the funds paid to a State from the funds appropriated under Section 3 of this Act shall be available for disbursement by the state educational authority, either directly or through payments to local public school jurisdictions or other State public education agencies, for any current expenditure for elementary or secondary school purposes for which educational revenues derived from State or local sources may legally and constitutionally be expended in such State”

Now, therefore be it Resolved that the American Ethical Union Assembly endorses and supports in principle Federal Aid to Public Schools as embodied in Senate Bill 246 known as the Educational Finance Act of 1949, except the provisions of Section 6 of said act regarding Availability of Appropriations.

Resolved further, that, in view of the traditional position of the Societies in regard to separation of church and state and against State subsidy or support of sectarian education, the American Ethical Union takes the position that these important principles should not be sacrificed because of the need or desirability of federal aid to schools and therefore the Union opposes the provisions of Section 6 of the said Educational Finance Act.

Resolved further, that the Union declare that it recognizes in Section 6 of the Act permission to the States which so desire to use federal funds contributed by all citizens of the United States for private schools and sectarian purposes contrary to the salutary principles of separation of Church and State.