The principle of separation of church and state is being up held by an “overwhelming majority” of the states, according to results of a survey made public today by the American Jewish Congress. Only in Virginia, West Virginia and Florida is religious teaching allowed in public schools during school hours, the study established.
In a 90-page report, the American Jewish Congress found that the chief law-enforcement officers of the states were faithfully supporting constitutional religious safeguards as interpreted by the United States Supreme Court.
The study summarized and analyzed all available opinions of state attorneys general on issues involving church-state relationships since the Everson decision by the Supreme Court in 1947. That decision held that the religious clause in the First Amendment to the Federal Constitution was equally applicable to the states.
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.
