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We the People

Vouchers, Prayers, and Religion in American Schools

We the People

National Constitution Center

News, News Commentary, History

4.6 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 30 June 2022

⏱️ 53 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Toward the end of yet another landmark Supreme Court term, the Court issued decisions in two major cases concerning religious liberty when it comes to education in America. Carson v. Makin held that the state of Maine can’t withhold public funding from families relying on vouchers to attend religious schools. And Kennedy v. Bremerton came out in favor of a public high school football coach who lost his job after leading prayers on the 50-yard line. These are big First Amendment cases with widespread implications for free exercise of religion and separation of church and state in schools nationwide. In this episode, Michael Moreland, of Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, and Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of Berkeley Law, unpack the Court’s reasoning and help explain the outcomes. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates. Also check out: “Student Aid, Religious Education, and the First Amendment,” We the People episode on Carson v. Makin “Football, Faith, and the First Amendment” and “Football, Faith, and the First Amendment – Part 2” We the People episodes on Kennedy v. Bremerton   Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org. Continue today’s conversation on Facebook and Twitter using @ConstitutionCtr. Sign up to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate, at bit.ly/constitutionweekly.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hello friends. I'm Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National

0:06.7

Constitution Center and welcome to We The People, a weekly show of

0:10.2

constitutional debate. National Constitution Center is a nonpartisan nonprofit chartered by Congress to increase

0:17.1

awareness and understanding of the Constitution among the American people.

0:21.5

The Supreme Court just handed down two major religious liberty cases.

0:26.0

Carson versus Macon held that the state of Maine can't withhold public funding

0:30.1

from families who want to attend religious schools,

0:33.2

and Kennedy versus Bremerton came out in favor

0:36.4

of a public high school football coach

0:38.8

who lost his job after leading prayers

0:41.0

on the 50-yard line.

0:42.6

Here to explore the implications of these cases

0:44.8

for the First Amendment and religious liberty,

0:47.2

we've invited two of America's finest First Amendment

0:49.8

scholars.

0:51.0

Michael Morland is the University Professor of Law and Religion and Director of the

0:55.7

Eleanor H McCullen Center for Law, Religion and Public Policy at the Villanova University Charles

1:01.8

Wiger School of Law.

1:03.8

Michael, welcome to We The People.

1:06.1

Glad to be with you, Jeff.

1:07.4

And Erwin-Chamrinsky is Dean of Berkeley Law.

1:09.6

He's the author of 14 books, including leading case books and treatises, and his most recent books are

...

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