Global Courant
EXCLUSIVE – Keith and Valori Radonis were eager to send their three children to St. Dominic Academy – a prestigious coeducational Catholic school for students in grades K-12 – in hopes of qualifying for the state’s Town Tuitioning Fund , a taxpayer-funded program reserved for students in small towns and rural areas where public schools are not available to help alleviate educational costs.
But the parents found a roadblock to their plans.
Changes to the state’s human rights law requiring schools to be religious neutral, as well as new non-discrimination policies based on gender and sexual orientation, have barred religious schools from participating in the program, making the funds dependent on their compliance.
MELTDOWN IN THE MEDIA ABOUT THE SUPREME COURT’S RUNNING IN FAVOR OF RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS: ‘HONEST CHRISTIAN NATIONALIST STUFF’
St. Dominic Academy and the Radonis family are the plaintiffs in an ongoing lawsuit against the state of Maine. (St. Dominic Academy/Becket Law)
The Radonis family and St. Dominic Academy filed a lawsuit against the state last week, arguing that the amendments cut off students’ access to faith-based education.
“I think given that Carson v. Makin was only decided last June, this is very fresh, and you have the same argument here where the state was told by the Supreme Court that what you are doing is unconstitutional. You are violating the clause of free exercise of religion under the First Amendment of the Constitution,” Keith Radonis told Fox News Digital in an interview Monday.
“All they’ve done now is Removed Barrier A and brought in Barrier B and C to still try to prevent people from accessing this tuition, so it’s very similar to the previous case,” he continued.
SUPREME COURT: COLUMNIST IN STOKER SUGGESTED FOR TWEETS TRYING TO VOTE AGAINST RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS RUNNING
Maine’s amendments to the human rights law act as a roadblock to faith-based institutions seeking to accept students from religious families under the state’s tuition assistance program. (Fox news)
Last year, the Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling in Carson v. Makin declared that Maine could no longer withhold program funding from faith-based schools like St. Dominic Academy, arguing that the practice violated the free exercise clause of the First Amendment.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor slammed the outcome for allegedly “dismantling” the separation of church and state. Chief Justice John Roberts, meanwhile, argued that the state had discriminated against religion.
“(The decision) said Maine can’t withhold this money from a family just because they’re religious… what’s happened here is another series of unconstitutional hurdles have been put in place to prevent people from accessing their municipal education and sending their children to the school of their choice’ Kees continued.
CNN PROVIDES SUPREME COURT RUNNING IN FAVOR OF RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS ‘ERODEN’ ESTABLISHMENT CLAUSE
St. Dominic Academy is a Catholic school that challenges the guidelines surrounding Maine’s educational support program for rural families. (iStock)
“Even before the decision was announced, there was some maneuvering within the highest levels of the state, between the attorney general and the commissioner of education, in a sort of effort to position themselves to, if you will, block) In effect, we say, ‘Even if we lose this, we will make sure that people of faith will never use this money.’ But it seemed like they were trying to say, ‘Okay, we’ll determine when a school is too religious.'”
One of the changes made to the state’s human rights law in 2021 would require schools to be religiously “neutral,” meaning faith-based schools would be forced to be religiously neutral and incorporate the ideologies of all religions into their to express worship.
“It gives the Maine Human Rights Commission — not the parents or the school — the final say in how the school teaches students to live Catholic beliefs regarding marriage, gender, and family life. As a result, faith-based schools continue to be excluded from the state’s program to help rural families,” said a summary of the case from the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which represents the plaintiffs.
RELIGIOUS LEGAL ORG BEARS BACK AGAINST MEDIA CLAIM SUPREME COURT WANTS TO PROMOTE CHRISTIANITY
The Radonis family clarified that providing funds to attend faith-based schools would not be the same as giving money to religious institutions, but instead allow families to choose which school is best for their children suits.
“Essentially, the tax dollars you pay for that education never go to a public school, but are more or less paid back to the parents, and they have the option of using that money to go to whatever school they see fit for their needs. kid. and it’s critical that people understand that it’s not the state that’s giving money to a religious institution. All they’re doing is giving that person’s hard-earned tax money back to that family to make a decision:” Okay, I can send my child to a school in my city. Which school?” said Keith.
Valori Radonis told Fox News Digital that giving Maine’s rural students access to as many options as possible is critical, saying, “It’s important to have that choice. It’s an excellent education from these institutions. St. Dominic’s School is an academically accredited school that has proven to be excellent and should be open to all rural families, despite the school’s religious status.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“One size doesn’t fit all and because we are in a rural area where we have choices, we can provide each child with the right school, the best choice for them, depending on their needs. And when the state closes options, it is not correct.”
The Radonis family say they want the best for their children and remain hopeful about the outcome of the case.
Kristine Parks of Fox News contributed to this report.
Taylor Penley is a production assistant at Fox News.
