At the outset, I’d like to thank JL A, who knew I have published similar articles as the start of the Supreme Court term. Had she not emailed me the link, I would have missed it. The Supreme Court is evenly split. The four Justices of SCOTUS are Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor and Kagan. The four Injustices of SCROTUS (Republican Constitutional VD) are Roberts, Scalito, Thomas and Kennedy. I fear many cases will be deadlocked, but several will be interesting.
The Supreme Court begins a new term next week with a docket of cases that could have sweeping implications for religious freedom, jury deliberations and congressional redistricting.
Whether the court will be able to resolve all of its cases remains to be seen. The justices deadlocked several times last term, with the court evenly split between the conservative and liberal wings after the death in February of Justice Antonin Scalia…
…Here are five of the most interesting cases before the court.
1. Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia Inc. v. Pauley
This case centers on a Missouri program that gives schools money to buy recycled tires to resurface playgrounds.
Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia requested funding for a playground on church property that’s used by its licensed preschool and daycare, called the Learning Center.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources denied that request, citing state constitutional policy prohibiting public funds supporting churches.
Both the district court and the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the state.
The justices are being asked whether religious schools can be denied equal access to government benefits. Trinity additionally argues the rejection is a violation of both the First Amendment’s religious freedom clause and the 14th Amendment’s promise of equal protection under the law.
Court watchers note that the court accepted this case before Scalia died.
From <The Hill>
I shared just one. Chick through for the other five.
In my opinion, religions schools should not receive government financial aid of any kind. If people want to send their children to religious schools, that is their right, but religious organizations, especially ones representing Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christians, want everyone else (taxpayers) to pay for it.
