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Chris Parker's avatar

Thanks to Hemant for bringing this to my attention in August of 2022. I was able to get in touch with FFRF and be the lead plaintiff in this case, along with three others (Ian quoted in the article is also based in Greenville County). I was the one that had standing in that my two kids go to schools in Greenville County and was asked to be the lead plaintiff by FFRF. I must admit that it was a bit nerve wracking given the possible blowback I could face given where I live (home of Bob Jones University for one). I even had to sit down with my two teenagers and explain what was about to happen and reassure them that this was something that their dad had to do, to take a stand. It was satisfying to take a stand for the Establishment Clause and I was pleasantly surprised that the South Carolina Constitution is even stronger in its prohibition of tax payer funds going to sectarian institutions. A major thank you to Patrick Elliott and Karen Heineman of FFRF and Steven Buckingham, the local SC based attorney that handled the case for us and FFRF. I was pleased at the outcome for the most part, what with the judge tossing out the case as Christian Learning Centers of Greenville County withdrew their request for the money. But a win is a win. Ian was correct in that this being SC, more of this can be expected. It just means that more people need to stand up for secularism and the separation of church and state more than ever.

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oraxx's avatar

No religious institution, be it a school or otherwise, should ever get one cent of public money, for any reason. The law makers who thought they could get away with this would go out of their tiny little minds at the mere suggestion public money go to an Islamic school. There needs to be national legislation that bars religious organizations from having access to public schools, period. It isn't as if this country suffers from a lack of churches.

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