Proponents of State Aid for Parochial School Predict Aid Will Be Available

Proponents of state aid for religious-oriented schools took some consolation today from a promise by Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller and leaders of the Republican-controlled State Legislature to draft new legislation that would comply with the Constitution. The $2,5 million that would have gone to yeshivas across the state under the $88 million aid law struck down yesterday by a Federal Court will be obtained under new plans to be presented to the legislature later this month, it was predicted by Rabbi Moshe Sherer, executive president of Agudath Israel of America.

He also predicted that the 1970 “Mandated Services” law would be upheld in the courts because of its proposals for purportedly “non-ideological and non-instructional aid” to private schools. This law is also opposed by the major American Jewish organizations. “The battle for government aid to non-public education will ultimately be won by the non-public school forces as new constitutional means are formulated to obtain the aid to which this sector is entitled,” Rabbi Sherer said.

Howard Rhine, president of the National Jewish Commission on Law and Public Affairs (COLPA) called yesterday’s court decision “unfortunate but not altogether unexpected.” COLPA’s attorneys, he said, “have been exploring such forms of indirect aid as tax rebates, tax deductions and educational vouchers” and were “confident that acceptable programs of aid are feasible.”

Furthermore, he said, “I might add that in light of the financial plight of parochial schools in this state and nation, they are absolutely necessary.” The court suit which challenged the constitutionality of state aid to parochial schools was brought by the Committee for Public Education and Religious Liberty (PEARL) and argued by its counsel, Leo Pfeffer.