Supreme Court gives go-ahead for school vouchers!

Associated Press / SFGate

[RCW2001]

(06-27) 07:30 PDT (AP) -- ^Supreme Court gives go-ahead for school vouchers, lowers wall between church and state=

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Constitution allows public money to underwrite tuition at religious schools as long as parents have a choice among a range of religious and secular schools, the Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

The 5-4 ruling led by the court's conservative majority lowers the figurative wall separating church and state and clears a constitutional cloud from school vouchers, a divisive education idea dear to political conservatives and championed by President Bush.

Opponents call vouchers a fraud meant to siphon tax money from struggling public schools.

[AnnaZ]

Wow. That's not a biased report, is it? (/sarcasm)

 

The court majority said the program does not put the government in the unconstitutional position of sponsoring religious indoctrination, even though more than 95 percent of the vouchers are used to subsidize Catholic or other religious schooling.

It is sick, isn't it. I hate the media.

 

Amen and amen.

[sanchmo]

lowers the figurative wall separating church and state
What a bunch of jackasses.

They should have written:
lowers the monopolistics barriers to entry erected by the governement in the education market.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Today's ruling is a good one, so it hardly seems productive to start trashing two of the justices who made the correct ruling for conservatism in a close vote.

[CDHart]

I would love to see Jean Carnahan go down -- Missouri --

Carolyn

[onedoug]

Especially if she's for vouchers.

How's this playin' over there?

[hchutch]

This decision is the Brown v. Board decision of the 21st Century.

[southern rock]

And a major win for the inner city minority communities

Who can now proceed to destroy the private schools, the way they have the public schools.

[Yardstick]

As much as I like to see the liberals have a cow, I'm not a voucher supporter for that reason.

Ditto your whole post. You captured my thoughts in a perfect nutshell.

The Citadel, which once had only male cadets, is now co-ed because of government money and the influence that comes with it. If government money can cause the Citadel do an about face on something so at-the-core of its history and tradition, then just imagine what government money would do to some little private elementary school.

Government money has way too many strings attached and this is a very slippery slope. I fear the ultimate result of vouchers will be the importation of the public schools' problems into the private schools.

[Hacksaw]

Today's ruling is a good one, so it hardly seems productive to start trashing two of the justices who made the correct ruling for conservatism in a close vote.

Yes it is a good decision. But that hardly makes Partial-Birth-O'Connor and Kennedy conservative.

The SC has 4 liberals, 3 conservative, and 2 people who can't figure out what the hell they are.

[summer]

Thanks very much for this ping! VERY interesting news here today!!!

[windcliff]

They're probably passing out tissues right now.

[Austin Willard Wright]

Well...I tend to agree but nothing is guaranteed. I guess my main quibble is with the many freepers who are willing to forgive Dubya and the GOP for *any* other sin as long as conservative justices are appointed.

[RonF]

"Now we should push for 'no strings attached legislation'"

TANSTAAFL

In other words, that's not possible. If my tax money goes to support an organization, I have some kind of say in how that organization uses the money. You can't give that away.

The Feds NEVER give money away. Take the Federal money, meet the Federal standards. This is why so many religious organizations oppose vouchers, or any other kind of direct grants to religious/faith-based programs. They know that once they get dependent on the government, the government will start telling them how to run their operations.

[Theo]

lowers wall between church and state ...

False. It lowers the wall between parents and choice.

[Hacksaw]

Who can now proceed to destroy the private schools, the way they have the public schools.

Without a doubt, there will be lawsuits trying to force government regulations on private schools who accept vouchers. I support vouchers, but I am concerned about the eventual outcome of this.

I have always thought the best solution is a tax credit for parents who private or home school. Maybe this will work out - I will be hopeful.

[Pharmboy]

Me: And a major win for the inner city minority communities...

You: Who can now proceed to destroy the private schools, the way they have the public schools.

No--absolutely not. The PC public school administrators never wanted to offend the sensibilites of the inner city folks and let them get away with way too much; and, of course, the media was complicit.

Now, the private schools will be able to tell them to hit the road if they don't like it. Do you know of any private school that was "destroyed" by minorities? There certainly are many minority-predominant Catholic schools in urban areas...I am unaware of their destruction.

[connectthedots]

This decision combined with the one on judicial elections makes this a great day in America.

[southern rock]

I've always thought that what the government funds, they will eventually control.

It's not just a thought, it's a fact. Vouchers will destroy private schools, not only through government intervention, but by forcing them to accept the public school dregs.

[RonF]

"If there were, public fireman would be prevented from fighting fire in a church."

Poor example. A burning building poses a public danger no matter who owns the building. Thus, the public has an interest in extinguishing it in a timely fashion.