Monday, January 09, 2006

...But Sometimes Justice Prevails

FLORIDA COURT STRIKES DOWN SCHOOL VOUCHERS

GREG TOPPO, USA TODAY - Florida's highest court on Thursday handed public school advocates a decisive victory, striking down a Florida program that gives students taxpayer-funded tuition vouchers to private schools. It was the first time a state Supreme Court has said states have a duty to educate students in public schools. The ruling acknowledged as well that vouchers have the potential to drain funding from needy public schools.

The vouchers, known as Opportunity Scholarships, are a cornerstone of Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's education agenda, but in a 5-2 opinion the Florida Supreme Court rebuked Bush's approach, declaring the program unconstitutional and saying it funnels tax dollars into "separate private systems parallel to and in competition with the free public schools."

Two Bush appointees dissented.

Article...

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