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.

[jern]

The 5-4 ruling led by the court's conservative majority

[AppyPappy]

YES!!!!!

[mrs9x]

Good...our conservative majority hung on.

[PhiKapMom]

Taking Back America one step at a time! A real win for our side!

[RCW2001]

MORE...

The court endorsed a 6-year-old pilot program in inner-city Cleveland that provides parents a tax-supported education stipend. Parents may use the money to opt out of one of the worst-rated public schools in the nation.

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.

Bush has been a staunch advocate of school vouchers, and emphasized the issue in his campaign for the White House.

Congress last year shelved that effort. But Bush resurrected the idea, proposing in his 2003 budget to give families up to $2,500 per child in tax credits if they choose a private school rather than a failing neighborhood public school.

Following the court's hearing on arguments in February, Education Secretary Rod Paige said he would continue advocating on behalf of both improved public schools and school choice.

Republican lawmakers in Congress agreed with Bush's stance.

In another schools case Thursday, the court approved random drug tests for many public high school students, saying anti-drug concerns outweigh an individual's right to privacy. That vote also was 5-4.

MORE

[twntaipan]

I just heard a death-groan from the NEA.

[KantianBurke]

:> Great news and right in time for the Pledge Decison!

[mwl1]

Huge... the civil rights decision of our generation.

[RCW2001]

MORE...

Key to the court's reasoning in the voucher case was that children in the Cleveland program have a theoretical choice of attending religious schools, secular private academies, suburban public schools, or charter schools run by parents or others outside the education establishment.

The fact that only a handful of secular schools and no suburban public schools have signed up to accept voucher students is not the fault of the program itself, Ohio authorities say.

The court majority agreed.

"We believe that the program challenged here is a program of true private choice," Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote for himself and Justices Sandra Day O'Connor, Antonin Scalia, Anthony M. Kennedy and Clarence Thomas.

[Kryptonite]

WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!

[ladtx]

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

[Pokey78]

WOO HOO!

[Blood of Tyrants]

Good decision. If there is a demand for secular private schools, then someone will start them.

[3AngelaD]

NEA, eat hot death.

[bvw]

Hooray!

[hchutch]

This is GREAT!! We just turned the corner on education, now let's bust into their backfield!

[anniegetyourgun]

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

[Tribune7]

YES!!!!!!!

[AAABEST]

YES!!!!!

Yes is right. Good news warms the heart, and God knows we need some heart warming around here.

Every time state control is taken away or government shrinks, it's like having a big rock removed from our asses. Great news.......most excellent great news.

[ShadowAce]

I wonder how much yesterday's ruling on the Pledge affected today's ruling on vouchers....

[newsperson999]

Thank GOD
Let the Supreme Court Know what you really think Click

[Tribune7]

Ping

[Scott from the Left Coast]

Is it still OK for vouchers to be used at private schools if they say the Pledge at those schools?

/sarcasm

[mwl1]

Yesterday's decision on the pledge had zero to do with today's decision, which was made weeks ago by the court.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

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

Obviously.

The 5-4 ruling [by] the Supreme Court

proved that 4 votes can be gleaned on the SCotUS for just about anything.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

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

Obviously.

The 5-4 ruling [by] the Supreme Court

proved that 4 votes can be gleaned on the SCotUS for just about anything.

[Mr. Thorne]

YEAH BABY!!

yes yes yes yes yes!!!!

[Lizavetta]

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

As opposed to the government schools, which are a fraud meant to siphon money from struggling taxpayers.

That said, I've always thought that what the government funds, they will eventually control. As much as I like to see the liberals have a cow, I'm not a voucher supporter for that reason.

[hchutch]

Well, if you want more rulings like this, we need to get Leahy OUT as Senate Judiciary chair so Bush's nominees can sail through. Here in VA, Warner's safe (although I've not forgiven him for stabbing Ollie North in the back), so I might ship in a small contriubtion where it can knock off a Rat or two.

Any ideas?

[FairWitness]

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.

Good for the Supremes (at least good for 5 of them!). This is the right decision.

[cmak9]

"The 5-4 ruling led by the court's conservative majority lowers the figurative wall separating church and state "

Nice bit of editorializing isn't it? What a bunch of idiots. These people call themselves journalists; what they are in fact is a bunch of inept morons. Products of the socialist public school system (as am I), which is killing this once great nation. Hopefully this decision will go a long way toward saving it.

[Kevin Curry]

Wonderful. And perfect timing, too. With the ACLU, NEA, and GLSEN hell-bent on imposing their government-subsidized, atheistic, amoral, pro-perversion, anti-pledge, anti-education agenda on a captive audience, this decision not only provides an escape but levels the playing field.

[Dog Gone]

We MUST keep the US Supreme Court in conservative hands. There is no higher priority for us.

[Kay Soze]

Great News! In a dark world. A little control back form the all encompassing Big Govenrment.

HA! Eat that Union liberal NEA members.

Go study the CBEST so you can pass it on your fourth or fifth attempt!

[ShadowAce]

OK--I didn't know when the actual ruling was made. I'm not much on Court procedure.

[A2J]

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

Yep.

[Khepera]

Where do I get my voucher for my homeschool?

[FairWitness]

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

Good grief! I only read the headline and then started reading comments. Your comment sent me back to finish reading the "article". You are so right - this article could be used as an exhibit for Ann Coulter's book, Slander.

[r9etb]

I just heard a death-groan from the NEA.

To paraphrase Churchill, it's not the beginning of the end for them, but it is the end of the beginning.

The NEA's problem with vouchers is that it loosens their grip on curriculum and political power.

I'd bet that probably 80% of parents one talks to would love to have the option of vouchers, even if they chose not to use them. The option to leave means that the NEA can no longer count on running a closed shop.

Public schools will probably never be perfect, but prior to the rise of the NEA as a Democrat funding group the schools were a lot better than today. Vouchers won't return them to their former glory, but they can't hurt.

[Tribune7]

a divisive education idea dear to political conservatives and championed by President Bush.

I like this phrase better. The media makes me sick. Thank God (heh, heh) for FR.

[goodieD]

LOL! loved that zinger, and I'm with you! This was a good decision. We needed this after yesterday.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

WASHN: to work. -AP Breaking News
(06-27) 07:46 PDT (AP) -- "It's important for the Supreme Court to occasionally send a shot across the bow to state prisons," said Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University. "It does send a message that the Su...

WASHINGTON: supporters noted. -AP Breaking News
(06-27) 07:46 PDT (AP) -- Thursday's ruling continued a trend of the court in recent years to ease the path toward state support of religion. In a case two years ago, the court ruled that providing educational equipment to relig...

[Steve_Seattle]

"the court's conservative majority"

If the issue were abortion, and the court was upholding that right, the spin would not be about the philosophical leanings of the court. No, we would be told: this is the law of the land!!! The court has spoken!!! The Constitution is sacred!!!

[Kevin Curry]

First the fierce public backlash against the liberal-inspired goof-ball decision against the Pledge of Allegience, and now this victory for parents opposed to subsidizing the secular humanist agenda in the public schools. This is indeed a dark and depressing day for liberals everywhere.

I'm almost tempted to go to DU to peek in on the weeping-and-wailing fest.

[katana]

As opposed to the government schools, which are a fraud meant to siphon money from struggling taxpayers

Damn, that's well said.

[RJCogburn]

The court endorsed a 6-year-old pilot program in inner-city Cleveland that provides parents a tax-supported education stipend

In another schools case Thursday, the court approved random drug tests for many public high school students

You win some and you loose some.

[Wphile]

This is WAY cool! Now, let's see some legislative action!!

[Pharmboy]

And a major win for the inner city minority communities and a big loss for the teacher bolsheviks...