(WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/21/22) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that the state of Maine cannot exclude religious schools from a program that offers funding for private education.
In the 6-3 ruling, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the program violates the Constitution’s protections for religious freedoms, because it discriminates on the basis of religion. The ruling stated in part: “A State need not subsidize private education…[b]ut once a State decides to do so, it cannot disqualify some private schools solely because they are religious.”
SEE: High Court Rules Religious Schools Can Get Maine Tuition Aid
In a statement, CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:
“We welcome the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the basic First Amendment principle that a state may never treat individuals or institutions differently because of their faith. By striking down a law that barred students from receiving tuition assistance for private school simply because their school of choice has a religious character, the court has preserved the constitutional rights of Christians, Muslims, Jews, and many other students of faith.”
He noted that this ruling would be of benefit to many Islamic educational institutions nationwide.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Coordinator Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com