The Committee for Public Education and Religious Liberty (PEARL) filed suit in Federal Court yesterday, challenging the constitutionality of a new state law that could enable non-public schools to obtain money denied them when the 1970 Mandated Services Law was ruled unconstitutional by a three judge federal panel in April.
The suit is directed against a bill signed by Gov. Rockefeller last Thursday that would allow the New York Court of Claims to rule on the claims of non-public schools arising from the April ruling. PEARL’s attorney, Leo Pfeffer, charged that the new law violated Articles 3, 4 and 6 of the Constitution and the First Amendment clause banning the establishment of religion by the state. If upheld, he said, it would “defeat and frustrate the jurisdiction of this (federal) court and render nugatory and ineffective its declaratory judgement and injunction” in the Mandated Services suit.
A poster that had been hanging in a Copenhagen street for 3 days was removed by friends of Israel today. It warned, “Don’t visit Israel. We are not responsible for your life.” It was signed “Palestinians.”
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