Josh Cacopardo brings up the recent US Court of Appeals case Bronx Household of Faith, Robert Hall and Jack Roberts v. Board of Eduction of the City of New York and Community School District No. 10 as a potentially landmark case that changes the way faith groups can use public facilities in his article “Taking Liberties.” In the case, the court determined that it was within the constitutional rights of New York City’s Board of Ed. to prohibit the use of public schools by houses of worship.
Josh makes the following point:
If it has been deemed permitted and protected by the U.S. Constitution for individuals or groups who are lawfully occupying government premises to express religious views on those premises, including the singing of hymns, the reading of and instruction in Scripture, acts of prayer, and other individual components of worship, then it is contradictory and even hypocritical to prohibit the actual worship service itself since it consists of no more than the individual components for which the government makes allowance.
Do you agree? Should churches be able to use public facilities such as schools?
