State judge rules Louisiana school voucher program unconstitutional

FOX NEWS ^ | 11-30-12 | ap

[TurboZamboni]

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's private school tuition voucher program has been ruled unconstitutional by a state judge.

State Judge Tim Kelley said Friday that the program improperly diverts money allocated through the state's public school funding formula to private schools. He also said it unconstitutionally diverts local tax dollars to private schools.

Kelley ruled in a lawsuit backed by teacher unions and school boards seeking to shut down the voucher program.

The state education department and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education said the programs were funded and created in line with the constitution.

[TurboZamboni]

Keeping the status quo is easier than innovating. If vouchers are going to "siphon money from government schools" why isn't the same true in higher education? I don't hear state college professors running around crying about Pell grant("government dollars") money "unfairly" being used to attend St.Thomas,Gustavus,St.Johns,Notre Dame or other private religiously affiliated schools.

What happened to the magic wall between "church and state" there?

Since government doesn't create wealth and only consumes it, how can it "give parents back" what was always theirs anyway?

Part of the beauty of being an American is choices.Look in the yellow pages. Thirty-one flavors or thirty thousand attorneys to choose from. Variety is a good thing.

Some may choose for proximity,some for class size,some for shared belief systems,or a class for gifted mathematicians.Why is choice and competition considered good in everything EXCEPT education?

[GeronL]

I think government schools are unconstitutional.

[Rusty0604]

teachers unions dont want to lose dues, they dont care about the kids.

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[Washi]

Just another case of the left protecting their own.

We wouldn't want the teacher's union to have to compete.

[BenLurkin]

...diverts money allocated through the state's public school funding formula to private schools....local tax dollars to private schools.

The Constitution says that kids HAVE to be educated in public schools? Nonsense.

Suppose a locality wants to hire a private janitorial company to empty the waste baskets at city Hall. Would that "improperly divert" tax dollars away from government janitors?

[KittenClaws]

Tell that judge to screw off. He is in no position to rule anything unconstitutional.

Really. What do you think got us in this mess? Listening to little pissant judges....that’s what.

[andyk]

Am I the only one who expects these articles to include the part of the constitution the judge claims is being violated, along with the reasoning?

[andyk]

I’m assuming he’s claiming a violation of the state constitution, but in typical AP fashion, we’ll never know.

[RedMDer]

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[terycarl]

how come “choice” only applies to killing your child, not educating him???

[DonaldC]

Welfare diverts money to private business...is it unconstitutional?

[BBell]

I don't know about Milwaukee but voucher programs have been very effective in New Orleans. Katrina was actually a blessing in disguise as it flooded so many Schools. While the public schools were struggling to reopen the voucher schools were springing up all over. They are so popular in NOLA that lottery's have to be held because the demand for getting your kid in one is so great. There have been articles written and a mini documentary done where independent groups have gone in to check these voucher Schools out and found the kids, mostly low income blacks, are very bright and especially well disciplined.

Louisiana probably has the largest number of Catholic schools per capita then any other state and the Catholic Schools do receive vouchers. Another odd thing about La. is that you can get a tax break for the tuition you pay for your child to attend a private school. I've lived all over the Country and La. is definitely the most unusual state I've lived in.

This issue is all about the teachers union. Voucher schools are not unionized. The unions tried to unionize them but the unions were rejected. Plan B for the Unions was to take it to the courts.

[mykroar]

11. Thou shalt not stray from the government mind.

[wintertime]

I think government schools are unconstitutional.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Bingo!

It is impossible to have a religiously neutral education and all schools must suppress First Amendment Rights just to maintain order and safety. They must strictly censor speech , press, assembly, and free expression of religious belief.

So?....Why then would government be involved in pushing a non-neutral religious agenda ( currently atheistic) on captive children? Why should the government be in the business of crushing the First Amendment Rights of children?

This fundamental conflict between government schooling and the First Amendment and freedom of conscience CAN NOT BE FIXED!

Solution: Abolish government schools.

[GeronL]

I agree

[GeronL]

Public schools are not more entitled to those dollars than private or religious schools.

[wintertime]

how come “choice” only applies to killing your child, not educating him???
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Corollary:
A 12 year old is mature enough to find a safe abortuary but her parents are too dumb to use a voucher wisely.

[GeronL]

That state has one too many judges, time for spending cuts