Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Toto · 04-14-2003, 02:24 PM

It took me a while to look this case up, but it is not good news for CS separation.

Faith Works okay for indirect state subsidy

Legal Analysis

Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. v. McCallum and Faith Works, Milwaukee, Inc, 2003 U.S. LEXIS 6301 (7th Circuit, April 2, 2003)

opinion in pdf format:

http://caselaw.findlaw.com/data2/circs/7th/023102p.pdf

Opening paragraph (shudder - you can see it coming):

Quote:

POSNER, Circuit Judge. This is a taxpayer suit to enjoin Wisconsin correctional authorities from funding Faith Works, a halfway house that, like Alcoholics Anonymous, incorporates Christianity into its treatment program. The plaintiffs argue that this funding constitutes an establishment of religion, in violation of the Constitution. The district judge rejected the argument after a bench trial.

emphasis added

It's the old AA story.

Posner goes on:

Quote:

The success of Alcoholics Anonymous is evidence that Christianity can be a valuable element in a program for treating addiction. And alone among the approved halfway houses in Milwaukee, Faith Works offers a nine-month residential program; the secular programs are only three months. The longer term makes Faith Works uniquely attractive to the correctional authorities because they believe that many offenders need the longer period of supervised residence in order to succeed in becoming reintegrated into civil society. So the state waived the usual bidding requirements when it contracted with Faith Works, which it had not done with the other halfway houses in Milwaukee. A similar program has operated in New York, reportedly successfully. If an offender enrolls in Faith Works, the state reimburses a part of the cost in accordance with the terms of the contract, just as it does in the case of offenders who enroll in secular halfway houses. . . .

Question not answered here: was there actual evidence on the record that AA, with its vague talk of a higher power is a "Christian" program? Or that it is actually successful, as opposed to having a successfully marketed image?

This is actually quite disturbing. It is going to be used as support for voucher-type social services, but that is just the opening wedge for churches to get their fingers into the public purse.

Toto · 04-14-2003, 09:00 PM

Earlier history of the case

BibleBelted · 04-15-2003, 09:03 AM

My daughter did a college paper on AA and its' actual effectiveness in treating alcoholism compared to other methods. I don't have the figures at hand, but it was far short of miraculous.

Narconon is even entrenched here in my fundy-infested area. I wonder what the outcry would be if they were told it was based in scientology?

Apparently all that is required is to state that you are anti-drugs and millions of tightasses will indiscriminately throw tax dollars at you. :banghead:

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04-14-2003, 09:00 PM	#2
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	Earlier history of the case

04-15-2003, 09:03 AM	#3
BibleBelted Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Oklahoma, USA Posts: 891	My daughter did a college paper on AA and its' actual effectiveness in treating alcoholism compared to other methods. I don't have the figures at hand, but it was far short of miraculous. Narconon is even entrenched here in my fundy-infested area. I wonder what the outcry would be if they were told it was based in scientology? Apparently all that is required is to state that you are anti-drugs and millions of tightasses will indiscriminately throw tax dollars at you. :banghead:

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