Upcoming LDS seminary building on Cienega HS campus brings mixed reactions
The Church wants to have a seminary building on a high school campus but residents are concerned that such a religious bulding should not be build on school property.
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Many Vail neighbors say they're concerned about the separation of church and state with the seminary being on campus. Vail Unified School District's director of communications, Darcy Mentone, says it's the students' choice to participate.
The Vail School District would be allowing religious classes to be taught on a public school campus by unvetted persons during the school instructional day.
In the 1948 case McCollum v. Board of Education [oyez.org], the court established that religious groups CANNOT teach religious classes inside public schools. In 1952 Supreme Court ruled in Zorach vs. Clauson that release time for religious instruction did not violate the constitution as long as the classes were held OFF of the school site. Our Arizona Revised Statutes echos this sentiment by stating in ARS 15-806 that “Any religious instruction or exercise takes place at a suitable place away from school property.”
This building, wanting to be built on tax payer funded school property, which according to Darcy Mentone has been in the works for thirteen years, yet VUSD parents and community members were never informed of this until March 11th, 2025 during a school board meeting, when most parents were not in town as it was held during spring break for the district, will violate the law if used during instruction time to teach religion."
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Has there been any other situations where a seminary building was located on school property?