NYT: Florida Court Rules Against Religious School Vouchers ("bellweather")

[DeepModem Mom]

Florida Court Rules Against Religious School Vouchers
By GREG WINTER

Published: August 17, 2004


A Florida appeals court ruled yesterday that a voucher program for students in failing schools violated the state's Constitution because it sent public money to religious institutions.

In a 2-to-1 decision, the First District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee found that the "vast majority" of students with vouchers used them to enroll in the kind of "sectarian institutions," or religious schools, that are barred from receiving state money under the Florida Constitution.

Most state constitutions prohibit or restrict state money from being spent on religious institutions, and that remains one of the principal legal barriers to the widespread adoption of school vouchers.

The United States Supreme Court has said the nation's Constitution does not bar school vouchers. But it also ruled this year that states that gave money for secular education were not compelled to support religious instruction as well, essentially leaving the issue to state courts.

That has placed a focus on the battle over Florida's voucher program. Not only does it take place in a populous state, but it is also one of the first legal contests since the Supreme Court affirmed the role of state constitutions in deciding the fate of vouchers.

"The Florida case is really the bellwether that everyone is looking at," said Mark E. DeForrest, an assistant professor at Gonzaga University School of Law, whose research was cited by the Florida appeals court. "It's something that almost all the other states will look at closely. They're not going to be bound by it, but they're definitely going to be influenced by it."...


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/17/education/17voucher.html

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Is it true

that the private schools in FL aren't required to make their students take the state test? I thought I read this somewhere. If this is the case, how can Jeb Bush say that religious schools are superior to public ones?

The article states:
In its decision, the Florida court acknowledged that the voucher law barred religious schools from forcing voucher students to pray or "profess a specific ideological belief."

But on NPR I heard it stated that the students attending such schools could be required to take religion classes. Sorry, but that sure sounds like religious indoctrination to me, and a very good reason not to allow vouchers to be used to send kids to religious schools in FL.

[Florida_Geek]

2. It is true

Jebbie does not want to burden private schools with all the red tape that he forces the public schools to do....

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. Are you sure

that the real reason isn't so that folks can compare the private schools with the public ones? The way it is now, any bozo could set up a private school, have the kids sit there all day watching TV, and pocket the money, since there is no accountability.

My thoughts are that Jeb is afraid to find out that kids that have a hard time learning in public school still have a hard time learning in private school. Just my thought.

[Florida_Geek]

4. YES I am sure

he does not want them to be tested, they do not have to take the FCAT but he talks of Red Tape but your reason and others are the real reason.

no accountability is jeb.

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. Neither are the private schools

required to account for how they spend the money they receive from vouchers.

Some of the private schools have been caught using the money to buy themselves new cars and such.

Just another way for Jeb & Co to enrich their fat cat friends, while they destroy public education.

[MichiganVote]

6. Private schools are not subject to same accountability

Private schools may call upon public school staff to assess and provide services for Special Education students. Little known fact that people usually don't know.

[Moderator]

7. Duplicate

Please add this article if it adds more infomation to:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=754957