Contact: J.P. Duffy, 866-FRC-NEWS; Onsite Contact: Darin Miller, 202-445-0015; both with Family Research Council 

BRONX, N.Y., Jan. 12, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- Today at Noon ET, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins will join New York City Council Member Fernando Cabrera, and New York religious leaders at a rally to protest Mayor Michael Bloomberg's decision to evict houses of worship from public schools. Family Research Council has launched a nationwide petition drive calling on Mayor Bloomberg to reverse his eviction plans.

In New York, as in most American communities, the smaller congregations and synagogues rely on public schools for meeting space. Most--if not all--pay a monthly rent to use the facilities for weekend services. But after a long, drawn-out legal battle, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to weigh in on an appeals court decision that allows Mayor Bloomberg to evict 68 churches from local schools.

WHO: New York City Councilman Fernando Cabrera

           Religious Leaders

           Family Research Council President Tony Perkins

           Alliance Defense Fund Senior Counsel Jordan Lorence

WHAT: Prayer Rally Opposing Mayor’s Decision to Evict Houses of Worship from Public Schools.            

WHEN: Thursday, January 12, 2012 12:00 PM EST

WHERE: Morris High School, 1100 Boston Rd. (at corner of 167th St.), Bronx, New York

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins made the following comments:

"Excluding religious groups is a violation of the Equal Access Act. It also jeopardizes a longstanding cooperation between cities and faith-based groups. If you trace the roots of some of America's largest churches, like California's Saddleback, most of them started in rented schoolrooms. Now, it seems a struggling system like New York City's would rather turn away income than allow for the free exercise of religion.

"New York's Department of Education has long given congregations the option to hold their weekend services in any one of the city's empty school buildings provided, of course, they pay to use the facilities - a nice benefit to the cash strapped public education system.

"By disallowing some groups over others because, in this instance, they are religious, Mayor Bloomberg has engaged in nothing other than viewpoint discrimination.

"Community groups, fraternal societies, churches and other voluntary associations have been the hallmark and backbone of our society, fostering networks of support and civic engagement. We should be encouraging not evicting these congregations," concluded Perkins.

For more information, visit www.righttoworship.com