Newsweek said Clarence Thomas may be given a new opportunity to reverse a Supreme Court ruling he opposed 22 years ago.

The case centres on a student petition asking the court to reverse a decision barring public aid for religious studies.

That petition gives the court a chance to revisit that previous decision.

A separate but related matter involving Virginia military chaplains underscores continuing legal friction over freedom of religion and government funding.

The developments point to the court revisiting longstanding precedent on the line between state support and religious education.