State tries to give money to religious university

The U.S. Constitution has what seems to be an ironclad safeguard of separation of church and state. It has tended to shield us from controversies seen in other countries. Even in Canada, for instance, religious bodies claim they have a legal right to taxpayer funding - a claim that might not get very far in the good ol' U.S. and A.

Until now.

The Kentucky Constitution is every bit as clear as the U.S. Constitution. It says tax money can't be used to subsidize religious schools.

Naturally, however, Kentuckians' tax dollars are used for religious schools anyway. The state had established a $10,000,000 appropriation for the University of the Cumberlands, a Southern Baptist institution.

Just to make things clear: The state can't legally do this. It's unconstitutional.

The appropriation was first approved by the right-wing administration of then-Gov. Ernie Fletcher. This was particularly controversial because of the university's anti-gay views. (The university also had supporters of a gay rights group arrested for trespassing even though they were on a state highway.) The state's funding of the university has been fought through the courts ever since.

Last year, a judge correctly ruled that the state can't spend money on religious schools.

Now, however, this case has gone to the Kentucky Supreme Court. I guess the university didn't learn, did it?

If the court restores the appropriation, one has to wonder what's next. Will every denomination demand that the taxpayers fund its schools? Does this mean the state can actually erect school systems based on denominational lines? Once we're obligated to fund religious schools with our tax dollars, where does it stop?

(Source: http://www.opposingviews.com/articles/opinion-au-and-aclu-say-funds-for-religious-univ-unconstitutional)