City's Deal With Catholic High School Criticized

On Wednesday, Americans United wrote the South Bend, Indiana Common Council (full text of letter) complaining about a Council decision last month to buy an old Family Dollar store for $1.2 million and donate it to a Catholic high school which will spend $35 million on a new building on the site. The letter says that Council, in approving the transaction, misunderstood its obligations under the U.S. Constitution. Under an agreement with the city, St. Joseph's High School will allow outside athletic groups and the public use its facilities when they are not in use by the school.  In a press release Wednesday, AU said that "the public’s minimal benefit from the transaction does not excuse the constitutional violation."