The Michigan Daily - Friday, May 4, 1984 - Page 13
State bans Bible classes during school hours
LANSING (UPI) - Attorney General Frank
Kelley, responding to Michigan's latest church-state
tiff, said Wednesday public schools may not allow
religious classes for students on their premises
during school hours.
Kelley did, however, suggest ways in which such
classes could be legally held.
STATE SCHOOL Superintendent Phillip Runkel
had requested Kelley's advice regarding the Tri-
County Area School District of Howard City which
has allowed Bible study classes for students during
normal school hours.
That program, now completed for the 1983-84 school
year, involved an outside teacher conducting classes
during the lunch hour.
In a letter to Runkel, Kelley cited a U.S. Supreme
Court decision interpreting the U.S. Constitution as
prohibiting student religious instruction during
regular school hours. A spokesman said the attorney
general does not believe utilizing the lunch hour
solves the constitutional problem.
Kelley told Runkel, "I trust you will contact (the
district) to offer your assistance in helping them
devise a constitutionally permissible program." He
said his office would aid in the effort.
Kelley noted the Supreme Court has held that a
released time program in which students are allowed
to leave school during regular school hours for
religious instruction is permissible.
The state School Code specifically permits students
to leave school for religious instruction at the request
of their parents or guardians, he said.
As boys, they made a pact to share their fortunes, their loves, their lives.
As men, they shared a dream to rise from poverty to power.
Forging an empire built on greed, violence and betrayal, their dream
would end as a mystery that refused to die.
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Staming ROBERT De NIRO "ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA"
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Produced by ARNON MILCHAN Directed by SERGIO LEONE
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