Posted on 01/05/2006 1:45:36 PM PST by fuyb
The Florida Supreme Court struck down a statewide voucher system Thursday that allowed children to attend private schools at taxpayer expense - a program Gov. Jeb Bush considered one of his proudest achievements.
It was the nation's first statewide voucher program.
In a 5-2 ruling, the high court said the program violates the Florida Constitution's requirement of a uniform system of free public education.
About 700 children are attending private or parochial schools through the program. But the ruling will not become effective until the end of the school year.
Voucher opponents had also argued that the program violated the separation of church and state in giving tax dollars to parochial schools, and a lower court agreed. But the state Supreme Court did not address that issue.
Under the 1999 law, students at public schools that earn a failing grade from the state in two out of four years were eligible for vouchers to attend private schools.
Chief Justice Barbara Pariente said the program "diverts public dollars into separate private systems parallel to and in competition with the free public schools," which are the sole means set out in the state constitution for educating Florida children.
The ruling was a victory for public schools across the state and nation, said Ron Meyer, lead attorney for a coalition that challenged the voucher program.
"Students using vouchers will now be welcomed back into Florida public schools," Meyer said in a statement. "It decides with finality that the voucher program is unconstitutional."
The governor had no immediate comment on the ruling.
Anticipating the possibility of such a decision, Bush has been working on a backup plan to keep voucher students in private schools by providing tax credits to corporations that give students scholarships.
Clark Neily, an attorney who argued the case for voucher advocates, called the decision "a setback for those parents and children trapped in failing schools."
The U.S. Justice Department filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support the state. Voucher opponents included the state teachers union, the Florida PTA, the NAACP and the League of Women Voters.
The ruling did not directly affect nearly 30,000 students in two other voucher programs for disabled and poor children, but it could be cited as a precedent.
On average, what would you say the public school cost per student is?
Whatever the case, parents have the "choice" on how to raise their children and how they are educated. They are the main influence or lack of it in their own child's lives.
Good points.
It is not failing students, as I misread, but failing schools.
Either way, I just don't get it. I just looked up that in my state, it costs just under $7,500 per student in the public schools.
That would not cover the cost of private school in my area. So how does it work ?
I'm not going to wade too deep into this as it is not in my state and I do agree that things like the state and church thing don't really apply too much .
I will just say that I am pretty dang shaken up right now. I sent you an email on this, but will say it publicly too. This kid in the neighborhood is on death's door. He had cancer when he was born. He had to have a leg amputated some years ago. He has been a WONDERFUL boy, full of life, who tries hard to succeed in the classroom and out despite his difficulties. The cancer left for some time, but now has returned. The doctors had to amputate the other leg recently and found a HUGE tumor that is just pretty much taking all of him so to speak. The kid is only about 12 years old.
You want to talk about lack of choice, try talking to his mom. Actually, if you talked to the kid, I'll bet he wouldn't be complaining too much. A lot of these kids who have cancer are just the most wondrous souls one could imagine as they teach us all so much about the dignity and preciousness of life.
I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to shut the heck up about all of my whining, blaming things on others, being negative, stop my fault-finding, and so on. I'm going to go home and thank the Lord that I've got what I've got and the "choice" to have my own life. I haven't had the "choice" to have kids yet either, but I'm not even going to complain about that. I'm going to see if there's anything I can do for this family and for other kids in similar circumstances.
It about took my heart out the first time I went through this with a child I knew very closely, but this one just seems to have hit particularly hard.
My prayers are with him and his family.
You have a wonderful sense of humor. You must cheer up a lot of people. And no, I'm not being sarcastic.
You make a good point, and some who favor private education have said that with a voucher-type program may come a trainload of new requirements attached to public money -- free condoms program, diversity training, etc. and so on. In the end, the loss of freedom may not be worth the infusion of public funds.
That is probably the biggest thing wrong with vouchers. The state will want to impose a bunch of stuff on the private schools.
At least you've admitted that you don't know much about the issue. That's a good start. Now, do some research.
You may live in an area where the public schools are generally good, but many of us do not. Inner city schools, particularly, are woeful. And they cost the most (generally, $10,000-15,000 per student). Religious schools (a lot of them Catholic) and Charter schools (where they are allowed) can educate the students for far less. For one thing, they don't have the union imposed bureaucracy, nor the job security for failing teachers.
In addition, many of the public schools (particularly inner city schools) can't expel problem students, so they can't even keep the students safe. The attendance rates in those schools are really low.
The argument is mostly about whether we should provide job security for the teachers and administrators or an education for the kids. Which side do you support?
Ideally, vouchers represent freedom and choice. But when was the last time government actually allowed a publicly funded program that enhanced freedom and choice?
Thanks. Here a couple of the religious schools have already started to lose some of their originality with "interfaith" services. I want a Lutheran School to be kept just that (not talking discrimination, but character of the school here).
are more concerned about how students feel than what they learn.
I haven't seen the self-esteem crap around here at least for over a decade. Can't say about other areas.
No, the $10,000 is no longer needed by the school district to educate a child because they are no longer in the system.
I completely agree with this.
Thank you. I probably enrage as many as I might cheer up.
:-)
The FL constitution pretty much micromanages the schooling of children and it essentially mandates public schooling. It was adopted in 2002 and sounds like it was written by the NEA:
Adequate provision shall be made by law for a uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and high quality system of free public schools that allows students to obtain a high quality education and for the establishment, maintenance, and operation of institutions of higher learning and other public education programs that the needs of the people may require.
The constitution of the state that I live in says that the state will establish and maintain a public school system. It does not say that the state will subsidize private schools. If people don't like it then change their state constitution.
If the state is going to subsidize those parents and provide them something that they are unable or unwilling to pay for themselves then what is next? Will the state provide $10,000 for health care? A better home? A new car?
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