Churches challenged on use of public schools

Every Sunday morning, P.S. 144 elementary school in Queens, like
dozens of schools in New York City and thousands more nationwide, is
transformed into a house of worship for a few hours, hosting the Forest
Hills Community Church with its prefab pulpit and portable baptistery.

There's
no tally of how many churches, synagogues and mosques convert public
school spaces into prayer places. What's clear is that there has been a
steady rise in numbers as congregations find schools to be available,
affordable and accessible to families they want to reach.

Critics,
including some courts, are concerned that these arrangements are an
unconstitutional entanglement of church and state. They say these
bargain permits effectively subsidize religious congregations that would
have to pay much higher prices on the open market. They also note that
the practice appears to favor Christian groups, which worship on
Sundays—when school spaces are most often available.