Strenuous efforts were being made here today to work out a compromise which could result in cancelling threats by Jewish and Protestant organizations which announced that they will campaign for the nullification of the work of the entire State Constitutional Convention because they consider the state-church issue of “paramount” importance. The entire convention’s plan for a new constitution is to be put to the voters next November.
The convention voted down yesterday a series of amendments to the state laws which forbid the use of public funds for aid to religious schools. After two days of sharp debate, the convention decided by a vote of 132-49–to repeal the 73-year-old law which bans state financial aid to denominational schools, “directly or indirectly.”
An effort to get the convention to put the educational issue before the voters as a separate referendum failed when the proponent of that move, Minority Leader Earl J. Brydges, a Niagara Falls Republican, said he would not press his plan to a vote because, he conceded, he knew the plan would not be adopted. A third idea, to incorporate in the new law a plan whereby the new constitution would permit the legislature to authorize a “shared time.” was defeated.
Under a “shared time” program, parochial school pupils would be permitted to study certain subjects–like chemistry and other strictly nonsectarian courses–in public schools. Under a ruling at present by the State Board of Education, “shared time” is not allowed in New York State because it is considered unconstitutional.
The effort at working out a compromise revolves around the “shared time” plan. Leaders of the convention felt that, if they reversed their stand against “shared time” authorization, the Jewish and Protestant groups, opposing the lifting of the 73-year-old law. might be willing to support the entire new constitution when it comes before the voters next November.
Leading the campaign against the entire constitution on this issue, are the American Jewish Congress, New York Federation of Reform Synagogues, United Synagogue of America (Conservative), the National Council of Jewish Women, and the Protestant Council. On the other hand. Orthodox Jewry and the representatives of the Roman Catholic Church here have endorsed the revocation of the old law.
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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.
