High court might hear NM textbook case

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A defendant in a New Mexico lawsuit about the state’s practice of buying textbooks for private schools has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case.

The New Mexican reports that the Supreme Court will decide at a Sept. 26 conference whether it will accept the case.

New Mexico’s Public Education Department allocates federal funds for private schools, both secular and religious. The state Supreme Court decided last year that the practice violates the
state constitution.

The case started with a 2012 lawsuit by Cathy “Cate” Moses of Santa Fe and Paul Weinbaum of Las Cruces, parents of public school students who claimed the practice takes money away from public schools.

Eric Baxter, a lawyer representing the private schools, says the money should be available to people of all religious beliefs.