Opinion ID: 1147963
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 16

Heading: Extent of Permissible Religious Instruction.

Text: The question as to how much, if any, religious instruction may be given in a public school under the doctrine of an absolute wall of separation of church and state will, we hope, be settled by the Supreme Court of the United States in a case now pending before it, namely, Doremus v. Board of Education, 5 N.J. 435, 75 A.2d 880, decided by the New Jersey court on October 16, 1950. As the highest court of our land has held the provisions of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution were made applicable to the various states by the Fourteenth Amendment, its decision will be binding on this court and the State of New Mexico. We have another case pending before us which involves only one school, Miller v. Mabry, our No. 5250, which will serve as a vehicle for the adoption of the correct rule when it is announced by our highest court. New Jersey has a statute requiring the daily reading, without comment, of at least five verses of the Old Testament of the Bible in each school, and permitting the recital of the Lord's Prayer. The New Jersey court in the Doremus case, supra, in a strong and persuasive opinion, held that as the reading and recital are not designed to inculcate any particular dogma, creed, belief or mode of worship, the practice was not prohibited by the First Amendment of the United States' Constitution. This is the decision which will be reviewed. We think it better to await their decision than to announce a rule on the subject at this time. However, we take this occasion to say that while we oppose the teaching of sectarian religion or the giving of control of the state or any of its agencies to any sect or combination of sects, yet we know religion itself is so intermingled in the daily life of our people and in the administration of and in the affairs of state that no wall of absolute separation of religion and state can be maintained  but few would want it. The judgment of the District Court will be affirmed in all things with the following exceptions: (a) The enjoining of the Sisters where we have found there was no evidence to support a finding they taught religion. The injunction as to them will be vacated. (b) Its refusal to bar the wearing of religious garb by teachers in public schools while in the discharge of such duties. The decree shall be modified in accordance with the ruling of this court. (c) The enjoining of the members of the State Board of Education and the Educational Budget Auditor. The injunction as to them will be vacated. It Is So Ordered. LUJAN, C.J., and SADLER, COMPTON, and COORS, JJ., concur.