Toto
January 13, 2005, 11:14 PM
Religion-based prison program struck down (http://www.madison.com/tct/news/stories/index.php?ntid=24407&ntpid=0)
U.S. District Judge John Shabaz handed the Madison-based Freedom From Religion Foundation (http://www.ffrf.org) a victory Wednesday in ruling that federal funding of a prison mentoring program in Arizona violates the First Amendment prohibition against the promotion of religion.
Evidence produced by the foundation's attorney, Richard Bolton, in November caused the Department of Health and Human Services on Dec. 16 to suspend the further funding of MentorKids USA. DHSS then asked Shabaz to dismiss the foundation's suit, contending it was moot.
. . .
Gaylor said the DHSS response that it didn't know the religious mission of the program was "incredible."
"They said it was up to watchdog groups like ours to monitor the activities of groups getting federal funding. That says the government has no guidelines in place or desire to monitor these groups," she said.
edited to add - FFRF has a new website design, very cool. Pictures of Newdow, Julia Sweeney, and others on the front.
Story on their site (http://www.ffrf.org/news/2005/mentorkidsdec.php)
The bad news:
In the same decision, Shabaz ruled in favor of HHS granting nearly $4.5 million to the Interfaith Health Program at Emory University in Capital Compassion Fund money to fund a "Strong Partners Initiative" in which Emory awarded money to eight or nine religiously-sponsored foundations (Strong Partner Foundations, or SPFs), who in turn gave out "sub-sub-awards" and matching grants to other groups, with preference to faith based community organizations "which have links to local congregations; and which attempt to engage body/mind spirit." The Foundation submitted evidence that 80% of these grants was awarded to religious organizations.
. . .
Said Gaylor: "What is being legitimized by this decision is public funding of religiously-exclusionary groups which say 'anyone may apply,' but which admit giving preference to applicants of their own faith! We believe this statement is a 'smoking gun,' and that the proof is in the pudding--nearly $4.5 million in tax dollars went almost exclusively to faith-based organizations to promote other faith-based organizations."
text of the decision (http://www.ffrf.org/news/2005/mentorkids05_decision.html)
U.S. District Judge John Shabaz handed the Madison-based Freedom From Religion Foundation (http://www.ffrf.org) a victory Wednesday in ruling that federal funding of a prison mentoring program in Arizona violates the First Amendment prohibition against the promotion of religion.
Evidence produced by the foundation's attorney, Richard Bolton, in November caused the Department of Health and Human Services on Dec. 16 to suspend the further funding of MentorKids USA. DHSS then asked Shabaz to dismiss the foundation's suit, contending it was moot.
. . .
Gaylor said the DHSS response that it didn't know the religious mission of the program was "incredible."
"They said it was up to watchdog groups like ours to monitor the activities of groups getting federal funding. That says the government has no guidelines in place or desire to monitor these groups," she said.
edited to add - FFRF has a new website design, very cool. Pictures of Newdow, Julia Sweeney, and others on the front.
Story on their site (http://www.ffrf.org/news/2005/mentorkidsdec.php)
The bad news:
In the same decision, Shabaz ruled in favor of HHS granting nearly $4.5 million to the Interfaith Health Program at Emory University in Capital Compassion Fund money to fund a "Strong Partners Initiative" in which Emory awarded money to eight or nine religiously-sponsored foundations (Strong Partner Foundations, or SPFs), who in turn gave out "sub-sub-awards" and matching grants to other groups, with preference to faith based community organizations "which have links to local congregations; and which attempt to engage body/mind spirit." The Foundation submitted evidence that 80% of these grants was awarded to religious organizations.
. . .
Said Gaylor: "What is being legitimized by this decision is public funding of religiously-exclusionary groups which say 'anyone may apply,' but which admit giving preference to applicants of their own faith! We believe this statement is a 'smoking gun,' and that the proof is in the pudding--nearly $4.5 million in tax dollars went almost exclusively to faith-based organizations to promote other faith-based organizations."
text of the decision (http://www.ffrf.org/news/2005/mentorkids05_decision.html)