drop shadow decoration
Card-Carrying Member? Join ... Donate
Home → News → Release

ACLU Stops Religious School From Getting County Funds

Tuesday, May 25, 1999

The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors has settled a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California. The suit stemmed from the County's grant of $2,500 to the Mission College Catholic Preparatory High School for a school theater production. The ACLU had argued that the grant violated the Establishment Clause of the United States constitution and Article IX and Article XVI of the California constitution, which prohibit government funding of sectarian schools and institutions. We are very pleased to have settled this matter without the need for protracted litigation,. said ACLU attorney Peter Eliasberg. "This suit sends a clear message that government should not be spending taxpayer money to fund sectarian schools." As a result of the lawsuit and settlement, the grant to Mission College Catholic Preparatory High School has been withdrawn. In addition, the defendants have agreed to abide carefully by the provisions of the California and federal constitutions guaranteeing the separation of church and state and to reimburse the ACLU for its costs and attorneys' fees in bringing the suit.

home | contact us | jobs | privacy policy | user agreement | legal intake | chapter calendar | RSS/feeds

This is the web site of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California and the ACLU Foundation of Southern California.
Learn more about the distinction between these two components of the ACLU. Copyright 2007 The ACLU of Southern California.