US Constitution Seen as Blocking Exclusion of Islamic Schools in Texas

US Constitution Seen as Blocking Exclusion of Islamic Schools in Texas
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The First Amendment to the US Constitution has emerged as a central legal reference in a debate over a new education voucher programme in Texas, amid questions about whether Islamic schools could be excluded. The issue gained attention as Christian and Jewish schools are eligible for public funding under the scheme, raising concerns about equal treatment.

Legal analysts cited by local media said excluding Islamic schools would likely violate constitutional protections on religious neutrality. They argued that once a state provides public funds to religious schools, it cannot discriminate among faiths, as the First Amendment bars the government from favouring or disadvantaging any religion in public policy.

The case has become a broader test of how US authorities apply constitutional principles to religious diversity in education. Observers say it underscores that Islam, like other faiths, is entitled to the same legal protections. Any attempt to single out Muslim institutions, they add, could face significant legal challenges and reinforce debates over religious equality in publicly funded programmes.