President Johnson submitted a special message to Congress today, calling for the expenditure of $1,665,000,000 for education, but immediately aroused opposition from some groups interested in the principle of separation of church and state because he included certain types of assistance to parochial schools, and seemed to endorse the idea of “shared time” to which some Jewish and other groups are opposed.
In his message, the President issued an open invitation to private and parochial schools to take part in his program. A group here known as “Protestants and Other Americans United for Separation of Church and State” made known its opposition immediately. However, the Roman Catholic hierarchy and the National Education Association, which traditionally objects to the use of public funds for non-public schools, were ready to support the Johnson plan on educational aid.
White House sources said they believed the plan offers “maximum encouragement” to shared-time practices. Under such practices, in effect in some 200 school districts around the country, parochial school pupils are allowed to pursue studies in general subjects–such as mathematics or science–in public schools. Opponents consider such practices as tantamount to giving public fund assistance to religious education.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
