New Jersey’s plans to award more than $11 million to an
all-male Jewish school and the Princeton Theological Seminary violates state
law and should be stopped, civil liberties groups said in a complaint filed
Monday.
The ACLU and its New Jersey chapter, along with Americans
United for Separation of Church and State, filed the lawsuit in state court in
Trenton.
They claim the grants violate the state constitution’s
prohibitions against using taxpayer money for places of worship and giving
preference to a religion, as well as violate its stipulation that public money
be used for public purposes. In addition, the suit says, the grant awarded to
the Beth Medrash Govoha, an all-male Talmudic studies center in Lakewood,
violates state law against discrimination based on gender.
“We support freedom of religion; however the government has
no business funding religious ministries,” Ed Barocas, legal director of the
ACLU of New Jersey, said in a statement. “Taxpayers should not foot the bill to
train clergy or provide religious instruction, but the state is attempting to
do exactly that.”
A spokesman for Gov. Chris Christie did not return multiple
requests for comment Monday.
The state announced last spring a list of higher education
projects it plans to fund through a $750 million bond issue voters approved in
November. Higher education institutions had to apply for the grants, and if the
legislature takes no action on the grant awards by Friday, the schools will
receive the money. The state made additional bond money available for higher
education construction, bringing the total to $1.3 billion.
The projects include a $10.6 million grant to Beth Medrash
Govoha, to be used for a library and research center and new academic space in
an existing building. The school is described by the U.S. Department of
Education as “a program that prepares individuals for advanced Talmudic
scholarship and research.” It is one of the largest schools of its kind in the
world. A spokesman for the school did not immediately return a request for comment.
Princeton Theological Seminary would receive $645,323 to
upgrade library information technology and a training room and to remodel a
conference room. The school is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church; its
mission statement says it “prepares women and men to serve Jesus Christ.” A
school spokeswoman declined to comment.
The ACLU says 20 percent of the funds allocated for private
institutions are slated for the two religious schools.
“New Jersey should support our state colleges and universities,
but shouldn’t do so at the expense of church and state,” said Udi Ofer,
executive director of the group’s New Jersey chapter.
The Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of New
Jersey and Gloria Schor Andersen, a Hebrew tutor from Voorhees Township, are
also plaintiffs. A hearing is scheduled for Friday in Trenton.
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