Florida Supreme Court
Posted on 05/01/2006 8:37:37 AM PDT by Crackingham
The fate of a seven-year-old private-school voucher program could be decided this morning in the Florida Senate. The chamber is scheduled to vote on whether to send to the November ballot a far-reaching constitutional amendment that would authorize vouchers and make them immune to any further legal challenges. The vote is expected to be close and comes just three days after a group of moderate Republicans joined with Democrats to kill a plan to ease class-size restrictions.
In January, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that the state's opportunity scholarship program, the centerpiece of Gov. Jeb Bush's ''A+ Plan,'' violated the state Constitution. Opportunity scholarships are vouchers offered to the families of children who attend, or are assigned, to chronically failing public schools.
While the ruling dealt with just one of the state's three voucher programs, the ruling could jeopardize the other two. About 30,000 students across the state are enrolled in the three programs.
The measure sponsored by Sen. Daniel Webster, a Winter Garden Republican, states that lawmakers can authorize voucher programs that serve disabled children, low-income children or any other criteria established by the Legislature. The constitutional amendment also says that any education program, from pre-kindergarten to college scholarships, would not violate a separate provision in the Constitution that prohibits any state aid going to religious institutions.
A separate appeals court has ruled that vouchers violated the no-aid clause because many students who received opportunity scholarships attended religious schools. The state Supreme Court did not rely on this ruling in its decision, but backers of vouchers fear the appeals court ruling could be used to challenge everything from the state's one-year-old pre-K program to Bright Futures scholarships.
Opponents of the measure contend the amendment is so broad that it could lead to the state authorizing universal vouchers to anyone who wants them. They also say it could force the state to spend money on all sorts of controversial education programs.
''You cannot pick and choose which religious institutions or religions you are supporting,'' said Sen. Steve Geller, a Hallandale Beach Democrat who predicted groups such as wiccans or Islamic terrorist groups would set up schools at taxpayer expense.
Of course it COULD, but that would be something the legislature would have to pass, and they aren't likely to do that -- and if they did, they could be voted out.
This amendment simply gives the POWER back to the legislature that is elected by the people. Opposition should only come from people who really think the legislature should not be ALLOWED to pass legislation.
The Florida Constitution does not prohibit school vouchers, except in the minds of the Florida Supreme Court justices. I can't imagine they are going to let this happen, given their past willingness to twist the law and the Constitution to suit themselves.
''You cannot pick and choose which religious institutions or religions you are supporting,'' said Sen. Steve Geller, a Hallandale Beach Democrat who predicted groups such as wiccans or Islamic" terrorist groups would set up schools at taxpayer expense"
These are the core supporters of demorats in Florida, what's his real beef?
He doesnt give less then a sh-t about that , he is a spokesman for the teachers union only
The news at the top of the hour on WJNO, Limbaughs station, said 75% of Palm Beach County students FAILED their required FCAT test to move up to next grade or graduate. We spend about $15,000 per student with our budget and get this kind of results. It's not the money. It's the touchy feely liberal curricula.
And that is how the liberal left wants it. Government schooling excels at what it is constructed to do -- to have those that graduate be obedient and misinformed citizens. Obedient citizens are easily led by leftist demagogues. Obedient citizens are easily swayed to believe that all that is good comes from the State. Obedient citizens are convinced that Capitalism is inherently evil. What we call modern government schooling began in the late 1800's with that wonderful Socialist Horace Mann, from Massachusetts. It have evolved exactly as he intended. Read his thoughts on schooling and you will find them in agreement with all those that have an affinity to totalitarianism. To have a true Republic that is vibrant and happy it is vital that there be separation of State and School. That will not happen in our lives or our children's lives. Heck, probably 3/4's of all Freepers would probably be opposed to the outright abolition of government schooling. Isabel Paterson was correct, Freedom has been a rare event for most of human history.
Actually, we only spend about $5000 per student, but I agree with the sentiments.
Personally, I would like to send my kids to a private school, but can't afford it. If they gave me the $5000 instead of making me spend it in the public schools, I'd throw in a couple thousand of my own and be done with them.
Ft. Lauderdale resident here and my daughter has never set foot in a public liberal indoctrination center.
Japan effectively teaches children in classes 3x as large as ours. Class size is irrelevant if you have good teachers and discipline. Less bureacracy helps.
I was spending $1200 a month sending my 2 kids to private school for about 7 years total. At that rate I was running out of time to save for their college fund. Where is the school budget $5000 per student? I'm talking about Palm Beach countys budget divided by the number of students enrolled in the public school system. $5000 a year for private school is about right.
Now why would a state have such a provision in its constitution?
Just another thing they didn't teach in school. Blaine Amendments.
I'm not sure where you can get the statistics for PB. I'm in Orlando, and I remember reading a couple of years ago that we were well below the nat. average on spending per pupil, at right around $5,000. Needless to say, I was not happy. Like you, I can't afford to simply give away $5,000. If they were educating my kid, that would be a different matter, but I feel like they are giving me nothing in return.
If they gave me the $5,000, I'd be glad to add a couple of thousand of my own and send them to a private school, but then, they don't want that.
http://www.ebudget.state.fl.us/bdagencies.aspx?full=1
Education budget at STATE level not counting federal and county is 23.8 billion for 2.7 million students. That's $8900 per student just from the state. The state provides about 50%, county about 40% and the feds about 10%. So in total PB counties budget is about $15k per child.
Florida Supreme Court
It probably has to do with how you measure it. This study by Milton Friedman's organization says $6900 for Orange and $7400 for PB. I'd be happy if they gave me a check for either of those sums.
http://www.friedmanfoundation.org/FloridaStudy.pdf
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