Supreme Court takes up religious rights case from Maine

By MARK SHERMAN
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is hearing arguments in a challenge from parents in Maine who want to use a state tuition program to send their children to religious schools. The parents argue that their exclusion from the state program violates their religious rights under the Constitution. Teacher unions and school boards say a ruling for the parents would be a blow to public education. The case, being argued Wednesday, is the latest test of religious freedoms for a Supreme Court that has favored faith-based discrimination claims. The Supreme Court could use this case to resolve the extent to which religious schools may use public funding for explicitly religious activities.