White House Statement About the Internal Revenue Service Decision Concerning Tax Status of Discriminatory Private Schools.

THE PRESIDENT approves of and concurs in the IRS decision regarding tax exemption for discriminatory private schools. He believes that ultimately the tax status of racially discriminatory private schools will be determined by the courts and that this is desirable.

At the same time, the President is concerned with preserving the religious and other private schools that contribute much to the diversity and strength of the American educational system. He believes that the tax-exempt status of these schools can and should be continued.

The President agrees that IRS rules and procedures should be promptly amended consistent with this determination to make tax-exempt status available to those private schools which have announced or will announce a racially nondiscriminatory admissions policy. The President believes that these private schools, in the South as well as the North, provide the diversity which is so beneficial to our educational system.