Jindal gains victory as court puts hold on voucher block in Tangipahoa

The Times-Picayune ^ | 1/15/2013 | Lauren McGaughy

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's school voucher overhaul racked up a victory Monday when a panel of appellate court judges granted to stay a federal district court judge's ruling to block the program's implementation in Tangipahoa Parish.

Tangipahoa appellate court voucher ruling U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit The ruling means the 50 students currently enrolled in the program in Tangipahoa Parish will not be removed from schools.

Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan said while he was pleased the ruling mentioned the wider court case of his and various other teachers organizations against the state, he was disappointed with the 5th Circuit ruling.

"The 5th Circuit repeatedly refers to our case. First, they note that a ruling by the Louisiana Supreme Court may render the Tangipahoa federal case moot," Monaghan said early Tuesday.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

The union is unhappy, so I'm happy. Some good news in another bleak year under Zero, the preezy.

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In anticipation of the argument that vouchers will destroy private schools, here's my counter-argument.

In the worst-case scenario, schooling will revert to its present form. It's impossible for a voucher system to make schooling worse.

Let's assume that the teacher unions attempt to force on private schools the same government school curriculum. They could attempt this. But why don't they do it now? Private schools could be destroyed through the accreditation process today.

Secondly, under a voucher program, an enormous constituency of parents interested in the freedom of their chosen school will be created. Baptists will defend Baptist schools. Hipsters will defend hipster schools. Montessori parents will defend Montessori schools, etc. If we've learned anything from Obama, it's that constituencies are formidable political forces.

But let's assume the worst. Suppose that private schools are smothered with red tape, and become as bad as government schools. There will then arise a market demand for non-voucher-redeeming private schools, i.e., the current state of private schooling. So, in this worst-case scenario, our system of schooling will revert to the status quo.

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I'd love to hear from Louisiana Freepers on this. What's going on? Are parents talking?