Federally funded sectarian institutions should provide child-care services and employ child-care providers without discrimination.
Nonsectarian day care provided by sectarian institutions is another matter, and deserves government support.
In his decision, Judge Davey wrote that the Florida Constitution was "clear and unambiguous" in prohibiting public money from being used in any sectarian institution.
The college continued as a Christian, though not sectarian, institution.
It would allow sectarian institutions to discriminate in the hiring of staff on the basis of religion.
A.D. White noted in his inaugural address, "We will labor to make this a Christian institution, a sectarian institution may it never be."
"The effect of the aid is unmistakably to provide desired financial support for nonpublic, sectarian institutions."
Yet Congress is moving to adopt child-care legislation that allows churches and other sectarian institutions to benefit from public funds.
That such a board would tolerate transformation of the University of Bridgeport into a sectarian institution is beyond belief.
Equally troubling, such voucher programs may jeopardize the ability of the sectarian institution to select its faculty and curriculum without government interference.