AG ADVISES EDUCATION COMMISSIONER REGARDING RELIGIOUS SCHOOL

July 12, 2002

JULY 12, 2002

CONTACT: Paul Stern, Deputy Attorney General 207-626-8800

Attorney General Steven Rowe today responded to Education Commissioner J. Duke Albanese's request for advice regarding the impact of last month's U.S. Supreme Court decision in Zelman v. Simmons-Harris on Maine's law that excludes sectarian schools from participation in Maine's state-wide, publicly funded education plan.

Rowe advised that the Zelman decision did not address the issue presented by Maine's law, and that the State and Maine school administrative units should continue to consider sectarian schools ineligible for public tuition payments until the Legislature or the courts mandate otherwise.