Michigan Dem Backs Off Plan to Give Free Federal Land to Christian School

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Rep. Bart Stupak[D-Mich.] has reconsidered earlier legislationthat would have given several acres of Coast Guard property in Cheboygan [Mich.] to a Christian school free of charge after constitutional law scholars pointed out that the land transfer would violate the First Amendment separation between church and state.

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After Michigan Messenger reported on this issue in August, Americans United for Separation of Church and Statecontacted Stupak’s office and informed them that the legislation as written was unconstitutional.

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Last week, Stupak, a Democrat from Menominee, wrote to the group and told them that he was changing the bill to require that the property be sold to the school at fair market value as required by law.