Court Rejects Free Exercise Challenge To Financial Aid Form

In Runge v. Barton, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 92139 (D SC, Oct. 2, 2009), [Magistrate's Report at 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 92138 (Aug. 28 2009)], a South Carolina federal district court rejected a somewhat rambling free exercise claim by plaintiff, father of three college students, who objected to the The College of Charleston's financial aid application process. In order to apply for financial aid, applicants must submit the federal FAFSA form to the U.S. Department of Education. Students under 24 are classified as dependents for purposes of this form, and to determine parents' financial ability they must submit copies of income tax returns. Plaintiff objected to being "forced to participate in a financial aid application" for his adult children "that supports a secular government education program that is religiously repugnant" to him.