The holding of a public school interfaith baccalaureate service in which a rabbi and a Protestant minister would participate was ruled illegal yesterday by Lewis A. Wilson, Acting New York State Commissioner of Education. The ruling was issued in connection with a decision by the board of the Central School of Somers, N.Y., this week-end to hold such a baccalaureate service, despite the protests of a local Catholic priest.
The Commissioner said that baccalaureate services are religious services and consequently under the state Constitution may not be held in schools. He explained that the practice is to hold baccalaureate services in various churches and to permit the children who wish to attend to do so. However, attendance cannot be made compulsory.
Ferdinand T. Hopkins, chairman of the five-member Somers school board, today said that he would recommend to the board that a test case be made of the issue and that the matter be appealed to the courts. Mr. Hopkins, president of the Northern Westchester Bank, revealed that he had already sought legal advice.
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