Everson v. Board of Education (1947)

Everson v. Board of Education (1947) concerned a New Jersey statute authorizing local school districts to reimburse parents of parochial schoolchildren (as well as those whose children attended public schools) for fares spent to reach their schools on regular buses of the public transportation system. The appellant, Arch R. Everson, alleged that the use of public money for reimbursing parents of Catholic students for bus fares constituted the use of state power to support churches. At issue for the court was whether the New Jersey law violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. In a 5–4 decision, the court held the statute to be constitutional. It was the first ruling by the Supreme Court to apply the Establishment Clause to the states and consequently ...