Submitted by George N Spitz, Oct 26, 2007 03:52

The Blaine Amendment Adopted by the New York State 1894 Constitutional Amendment prohibiting Aid Relgious Schools was aimed in period of Anti-Catholic Bigotry was aimed larged at relgious schools and charities operated by the Catholic Church. It was based on proposed amendment to the US Constitution by James Blaine, a Republican Senator from Maine and unsuccessful candidate President in 1884, that failed of passage in Congress and thus was never submitted to the States. As time went on, In New York it Blaine hurt not only Catholics, but Lutheran, Greek Orthodox, and Orthodox Jewish parents who desire that their children obtain a religious education. It is unfair that they are denied the same approximately $8500 a year towards their children's tuition as parents sending their children to Charter Schools

Blaine was modified to permit New York State busing of religious school students by the New York State 1938 Constitutional Convention. Originally Conservative Republicans were in the forefront of promoting Blaine nationally and in New York State, but in recent years Liberal Democrats, notably New York's Reform Democrats and defunct Liberal Party were in the forefront of opposition to long over due repeal of Blaine, which is one of last, if not only, remenant of bigotry remaining in New York"s Constitution.

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