Judges to Discuss Church v. State at Special Schemel Forum Class

        The University of Scranton's Schemel Forum will host a special session of its course on the separation of church and state.

        U.S. District Court Judges Thomas Vanaskie and John E. Jones III will join Morey M. Myers, Esq., for a class on Sept. 30 at 6 p.m. in the Pearn Auditorium on the 2nd floor of Brennan Hall at The University of Scranton. The fee for this session is $10.

        Judge Vanaskie was recently nominated by President Barack Obama for a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the third Circuit. Judge Jones was appointed by former President George W. Bush and is most famous for his presiding role in the Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District case, in which the teaching of intelligent design in public school science classes was ruled to be unconstitutional.

        This is a special session of a five-week long class presented by Myers, examining the U.S. Supreme Court's interpretations of the First Amendment concerning prayer in schools, religious symbols in public places and numerous other present-day church-state issues.

        Sessions meet on Wednesdays from 6 to 7:15 p.m., through Oct. 14.

        For more information contact Kym Balthazar Fetsko at 570-941-7816 or fetskok2@scranton.edu.