Supreme Court to hear case on Maine tuition program that bars money for religious education

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to take up a case on a tuition assistance program in Maine that bars the use of state money for religious schools, setting up yet another battle in the high court on the intersection of religious freedom and school choice. 

The previous case, Espinoza v. Montana, was considered a major win for religious liberty advocates. But the Maine program includes different language that, if upheld, could effectively neuter Espinoza. The state says it can't discriminate against schools based on their status of being connected to religious institutions. But it says it can ban money from going to the school if it promotes a certain religious view to its students – something many religious schools do.