Reading Room Document

CETA Programs in Religiously-Affiliated Schools

In light of a recent disagreement, this opinion reviews a prior OLC opinion, which had held that federal job trainees and employees in sectarian elementary and secondary schools under the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act could not serve in certain positions, due to the Establishment Clause. This opinion reaffirms the OLC's previous conclusion, citing that positions in sectarian schools would indeed produce a primary effect that advances religion, and it was proper for the OLC to advise the Department of Labor accordingly. The OLC does not provide release dates for its opinions, so the release date listed is the date on which the opinion was authored. The original opinion is available at https://justice.gov/olc/page/file/1085351/download.

May 15, 1979