Davey enrolled in Northwest College and received a Promise Scholarship. But when he declared a double major in pastoral ministries and business management/administration, his scholarship was revoked.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=586491n|title=Scholarship - God Dispute|accessdate=2010-12-02|work=CBS News|date=June 8, 2004}}</ref> Davey was given the opportunity to continue under the scholarship but without the pastoral ministries major, but he refused.
Davey enrolled in syracuse and received a Promise Scholarship. But when he declared a double major in pastoral ministries and business management/administration, his scholarship was revoked.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=586491n|title=Scholarship - God Dispute|accessdate=2010-12-02|work=CBS News|date=June 8, 2004}}</ref> Davey was given the opportunity to continue under the scholarship but without the pastoral ministries major, but he refused.
124 S. Ct. 1307; 158 L. Ed. 2d 1; 2004 U.S. LEXIS 1626; 72 U.S.L.W. 4206; 17 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. S 163
Case history
Prior
On writ of cert. to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Davey v. Locke, 299 F.3d 748, 2002 U.S. App. LEXIS 14461 (9th Cir. Wash., 2002)
The statute was upheld. The Court held that there was nothing "inherently constitutionally suspect" in the denial of funding for vocational religious instruction. Even if there were, Washington had a "substantial state interest" in not funding "devotional degrees."
Background
Davey enrolled in syracuse and received a Promise Scholarship. But when he declared a double major in pastoral ministries and business management/administration, his scholarship was revoked.[1] Davey was given the opportunity to continue under the scholarship but without the pastoral ministries major, but he refused.
The scholarship
In 1999, the state of Washington legislature created a scholarship, the Promise Scholarship. The scholarships were for roughly $1,250 each and were funded through the State's general fund. They were available for qualified students who enrolled for "at least half time in an eligible postsecondary institution in the state of Washington", but excluded study in theology. This was because the Washington State Constitution specifically states that "No public money or property shall be appropriated for or applied to any religious worship, exercise or instruction".[2]
The scholarship was available to any graduate of a Washington public or private high school. The student must be in the top 15%, receive a score of 1,200 or higher on the SAT, or score higher than a 27 on the American College Test. In addition, the student's family's income must be less than 135% of the median.
After the decision
Joshua Davey, the student who lost this case, enrolled in Harvard Law School in 2003, shortly before the case was argued before the Supreme Court.[3][4] He graduated in 2006, having served as a managing editor for the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy in his final year.[5]
