AMERICAN ATHEISTS, INC.
                P.O. Box 140195  Austin, TX 78714-0195
                           (512) 458-1244

http://www.atheists.org                               For Immediate Release
PRESS RELEASE                                         June 23, 1997

            ATHEISTS REGRET HIGH COURT DECISION ON AGUILAR
     "By not defending the First Amendment, the Supreme Court has
    authorized a raid on the public treasury by religious groups..."

    American Atheists expressed regret over today's Supreme Court ruling
which struck down the 1985 AGUILAR v. FELTON decision, and declared that
public monies may now be used for "remedial education" of private and
religious school students.
    Ellen Johnson, President of American Atheists, said: "By not defending
the First Amendment, the Supreme Court has, in effect, authorized a raid on
the public treasury by religious groups."  She noted that today's ruling "can
only lead to further erosion of state-church separation, and opens the
floodgates for more government funding of religion."  Ms. Johnson cited
school voucher schemes as another potential abuse.
   "We have to agree with the dissenting opinion in this case," observed
Ron Barrier, National Media Coordinator for American Atheists.  "To use the
minority term, it is a "sham" to say that government monies can be selectively
used for nonreligious purposes when given to religious schools or other
institutions."
    Mr. Barrier also noted that the ruling, and other efforts to funnel money
to religious schools through disingenuous schemes such as vouchers, comes at
a time when the nation's public schools system is cash-strapped.
    "Why are we making it easier for sectarian, religious schools to thrive,
when our public schools desperately require a new commitment from the American
people?  It's obvious that this is just another scheme to advance religion
over education."
   Ms. Johnson expressed hope that at some future date, the court would again
return to its original finding on behalf of state-church separation in Aguilar.
"It took religious and political groups over a decade to reverse this decision;
those defending the wall of separation betwen government and religion will
simply have to make a similar effort."


For more information please contact:
Ms. Ellen Johnson, President   (201)334-4033    Email: ej@atheists.org
Mr. Ronald Barrier, NMC        (718)356-8658    Email: rbarrier@atheists.org