Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Judge: Religious Services In Schools Can Continue, For Now
By
Garth Johnston
Published Mar 1, 2012
Modified Mar 1, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Jen Chung/Gothamist
By
Garth Johnston
Published Mar 1, 2012
Modified Mar 1, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Though it looked for a hot second like it was settled, the ongoing fight over having church groups worship in public schools is far from over. Yesterday a federal court went and upheld an injunction issued Friday that lets the services continue. For now!
The battle over religious groups using school property for services on the weekends has been raging since 1995—but really only in New York, since most other school districts don't seem to mind the practice. "This is resurrection from the dead that is kind of amazing," Jordan Lorence, senior counsel at the Alliance Defense Fund, the lawyer for the church that spearheaded the case, the Bronx Household of Faith, told the Times. "We are overjoyed; it gets it through the school year."
The gist of the religious groups argument is that this isn't just about the first amendment, it also is about the right to the free establishment of religion (not that Mayor Bloomberg sees it that way). They'll soon be putting that opinion to the test again as the case moves up the courts. In the meantime, religious services in schools are back on.
Tagged
church
department of eduction
DOE
mayor bloomberg
religious groups
Garth Johnston
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
2 pedestrians killed in Bronx crash after driver ran red light, police say
The NYPD said the investigation is continuing and no one had been arrested Saturday.
By
Brittany Kriegstein
and
Ann Givens
Published Oct 10, 2026
Rain could put a damper on NYC’s long weekend. Here’s when it will clear.
Remnants of Hurricane Isaias could bring more than an inch of rain, gusty winds and even a thunderstorm Sunday before conditions improve Monday.
By
Brittany Kriegstein
News
Rain could put a damper on NYC’s long weekend. Here’s when it will clear.
Remnants of Hurricane Isaias could bring more than an inch of rain, gusty winds and even a thunderstorm Sunday before conditions improve Monday.
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Holy civics! NYC schools' own comic books in the spotlight at Comic Con
By
Jessica Gould
What we know about the ICE shooting in NYC
By
Karen Yi
DSA to Mamdani: Fire NYPD commissioner if ICE doesn't leave NYC
By
Elizabeth Kim
,
Brigid Bergin
and
Ben Feuerherd
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .