Tuition checks from the government are made out to the parents, who in turn sign them over to the schools. The children use the same textbooks as the ones used in public schools. But here, the school day is a half hour longer so that religion can be taught.

Sister KAREN SOMERVILLE (Principal, St. Francis Elementary School): But it doesn't stop there. I have to be really honest about that.

JONES: Sister Karen Somerville, principal at St. Francis, is upfront about the school's mission and emphasis.

Sister SOMERVILLE: This is a Catholic school, and the whole premise of our school is based on [the] gospel and teachings of Jesus. That impacts everything that we do.

JONES: Richard DeColibus is president of the Cleveland Teacher's Union.

RICHARD DECOLIBUS (President, Cleveland Teacher's Union): They make it quite clear in their mission statement: their job is to bring the knowledge of Jesus through the various academic areas, or acknowledge the existence and the wondrous works of God. They all say things like that. They don't make a secret of it. That's why most of those parents pick those schools. They like that message. And that's fine. But the taxpayer shouldn't have to pay for it.

Sister SOMERVILLE: Children come to our school because they want a good education, not because they want to become Catholic. We work hard to give a good education and develop their character and teach them good morals. There hasn't been a child that's entered the program that's become Catholic.

Mr. FRIEDMAN: The court isn't going to examine the extent to which people are being converted to a particular faith. They're going to be looking at the issue of whether or not efforts in advancing a particular religion are taking place. That's what the court is going to focus on. JONES: Thirty years ago, the Supreme Court established a three-part test to determine constitutionality on church/state issues: the program must have a secular purpose; it must neither advance nor inhibit religion; and it must not result in excessive government entanglement in religion.

Ms. FRENCH: The opposition has conceded that there was a secular purpose, that the general assembly didn't have religious purpose in mind, and they've conceded it doesn't entangle the government in any way. We're really arguing about a fact, and whether it has the primary effect of advancing religion. And we say it doesn't.

JONES: This voucher system has been in and out of state and federal courts for years. The Ohio Supreme Court ruled it constitutional, but a federal appeals court ruled it "an impermissible government promotion of religion," and therefore unconstitutional. And even the top law enforcement officer in the state of Ohio -- the Attorney General -- is unusually candid about her concerns.

Ms. MONTGOMERY: It is very important that we not cross the line between separation of church and state.

JONES: But my question was, "Do you think you've gotten awfully close, but not over?"

Ms. MONTGOMERY: I think we have certainly gotten closer to the line. I don't believe we've crossed it.

JONES: If vouchers are upheld, nothing will change for these kids, but if the court says no, people like Victoria Pope fear their children will have to leave the parochial schools.

(to Ms. Pope): Could you afford to send them there without the voucher system?

Ms. POPE: It would be extremely difficult. I don't know how we'd be able to do it.

JONES: And lurking beneath all the arguments is the question of whether poor children should be able to escape bad schools. Should the Supreme Court consider this?

Mr. FRIEDMAN: If the argument of escaping public schools in the ghetto, where poor performance exists, is raised -- and it may very well be, I think -- pure-thinking justices must dismiss that argument as irrelevant.

JONES: This case will be argued on the basis of constitutional law -- not emotions. The issues are simple and straightforward -- have church and state breached the wall of separation? This is expected to be the case that defines church/state relations for decades to come.

For RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY, I'm Phil Jones in Cleveland.