State
Censorship Of Religious High Schools
Heads To Supreme Court
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 28, 2010 - The Pacific Justice
Institute is asking the US Supreme Court to review
a case involving government censorship of faith-based
high school curricula and discrimination against religious
students.
PJI has filed an amicus brief on behalf of the
Catholic League and Ignatius Press in Association of
Christian Schools International v. Stearns. This brief
asks the Supreme Court to review a recent Ninth Circuit
Court of Appeals decision, which approved actions by
the University of California system that effectively
prevent private Christian, Catholic, and Jewish high
schools from teaching courses in accordance with their
faith traditions.
In essence, the UC system has declared that students
from religious high schools will have difficulty being
admitted to UC schools because those students will
not be given credit for key courses such as biology,
history, and literature when those courses are taught
from a religious perspective. UC officials stated in
the lower courts that they considered religious perspectives
- such as the role of divine providence in history
- too narrow - minded. As a result, students from religious
schools may be required to post higher test scores
than their public school counterparts in order to be
admitted to one of the ten UC schools, which include
UC Berkeley and UCLA.
"The ACSI decision represents yet another
appalling case where the Ninth Circuit has approved
blatant government discrimination against religious
students," said Brad Dacus, president of Pacific
Justice Institute. "We are hopeful that the Supreme
Court will accept review of this case in order to restore
the basic rights of Christian, Catholic, and Jewish
high schools to teach their religious values without
hindrance," he continued.
About The Pacific
Justice Institute: Pacific Justice Institute
is a non-profit 501(c)(3) legal defense organization
specializing in the defense of religious freedom, parental
rights, and other civil liberties. Pacific Justice
Institute works diligently, without charge, to provide
their clients with all the legal support they need. Pacific
Justice Institute's strategy is to coordinate and oversee
large numbers of concurrent court actions through a
network of over 1,000 affiliate attorneys nationwide.
And, according to former US Attorney General Edwin
Meese, "The Institute fills a critical need for
those whose civil liberties are threatened." " Through
our dedicated attorneys and supporters, we defend the
rights of countless individuals, families and churches...
without charge."
# # #
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Pacific Justice Institute
P.O. Box 276600
Sacramento, CA 95827-6600
Phone: (916) 857-6900
Fax (916) 857-6902
Internet: www.pacificjustice.org
To donate $10.00 to Pacific Justice Institute,
text "PJI" to 20222
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 28, 2010 - The Pacific Justice Institute is asking the US Supreme Court to review a case involving government censorship of faith-based high school curricula and discrimination against religious students.
PJI has filed an amicus brief on behalf of the Catholic League and Ignatius Press in Association of Christian Schools International v. Stearns. This brief asks the Supreme Court to review a recent Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision, which approved actions by the University of California system that effectively prevent private Christian, Catholic, and Jewish high schools from teaching courses in accordance with their faith traditions.
In essence, the UC system has declared that students from religious high schools will have difficulty being admitted to UC schools because those students will not be given credit for key courses such as biology, history, and literature when those courses are taught from a religious perspective. UC officials stated in the lower courts that they considered religious perspectives - such as the role of divine providence in history - too narrow - minded. As a result, students from religious schools may be required to post higher test scores than their public school counterparts in order to be admitted to one of the ten UC schools, which include UC Berkeley and UCLA.
"The ACSI decision represents yet another appalling case where the Ninth Circuit has approved blatant government discrimination against religious students," said Brad Dacus, president of Pacific Justice Institute. "We are hopeful that the Supreme Court will accept review of this case in order to restore the basic rights of Christian, Catholic, and Jewish high schools to teach their religious values without hindrance," he continued.
About The Pacific Justice Institute: Pacific Justice Institute is a non-profit 501(c)(3) legal defense organization specializing in the defense of religious freedom, parental rights, and other civil liberties. Pacific Justice Institute works diligently, without charge, to provide their clients with all the legal support they need. Pacific Justice Institute's strategy is to coordinate and oversee large numbers of concurrent court actions through a network of over 1,000 affiliate attorneys nationwide. And, according to former US Attorney General Edwin Meese, "The Institute fills a critical need for those whose civil liberties are threatened." " Through our dedicated attorneys and supporters, we defend the rights of countless individuals, families and churches... without charge."
# # #
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Pacific Justice Institute
P.O. Box 276600
Sacramento, CA 95827-6600
Phone: (916) 857-6900
Fax (916) 857-6902
Internet: www.pacificjustice.org
To donate $10.00 to Pacific Justice Institute, text "PJI" to 20222