Witters v. Washington Department of Services for the Blind

Washington's blind-services commission (defendant) provided vocational training funds, paid directly to blind individuals rather than to institutions, to help them succeed professionally; Witters (plaintiff), blind and training to become a pastor or missionary, was denied assistance because his intended profession was religious. Washington's courts upheld the denial, reasoning that funding his training would improperly aid religious education.

Whether a government program violates the Establishment Clause if the program has a secular purpose and does not primarily benefit religious persons.