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Religion & Law

: Religion Clause

School District Sued For Permitting Free Use of Buildings By Religious Groups

By Howard M. Friedman

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The Freedom from Religion Foundation has filed suit (press release) against the Rio (WI) Community School District and the Wisconsin state Superintendent of Public Instruction challenging the Rio district's policy of allowing all local non-profit groups to use school buildings after school hours free of charge. The schools also post information from the non-profits on school bulletin boards and send home information about events with school children. The complaint (full text) in Freedom from Religion Foundation v. Burmaster, (Dane Co. Cir. Ct., filed 4/25/08) alleges that inclusion of religious groups, including the Child Evangelism Fellowship, in this policy violates the Wisconsin state Constitution. Art. I, Sec. 18 prohibits the use of state funds for the benefit of religious groups, and Art. I, Sec. 24 permits the legislature to authorize the use of public school buildings by civic, religious or charitable organizations during nonschool hours, but only upon payment by the organization of reasonable usage fees. Today's Portage Daily Register reports on the lawsuit.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on April 30, 2008 (boomark / email).