Justice Department Files Statement of Interest In Challenge To Maine's Exclusion of Parochial Schools From State Program

The Justice Department announced on Monday that it has filed a Statement of Interest in a suit brought in a Maine federal district court by parents and students claiming unconstitutional discrimination against religious schools.  In Maine, small school districts that do not operate their own high schools or contract with a specific school for educational purposes, pay tuition for residents to attend a high school elsewhere in the state.  The suit challenges the Maine law that bars paying tuition for students to attend sectarian schools under this program. (See prior posting.) The Justice Department said in part:

Today’s filing addresses issues set forth in the Department of Justice’s Guidance on Federal Law Protections for Religious Liberty issued on Oct. 6, 2017, at the direction of President Trump’s  May 4, 2017, Executive Order Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty.

AP reports on DOJ's action. [Thanks to Tom Rutledge for the lead.]