Judge rules NC school voucher program unconstitutional

[G_j]

http://www.wral.com/judge-rules-nc-school-voucher-program-unconstitutional/13911842/

By Matthew Burns and Laura Leslie

RALEIGH, N.C. — A Superior Court judge on Thursday overturned a state law that awards taxpayer-funded vouchers to low-income families who want to send their children to private or religious schools.

Judge Robert Hobgood ruled that the Opportunity Scholarship program is unconstitutional, upholding legal challenges filed by the North Carolina Association of Educators, the North Carolina School Boards Association and dozens of local school boards.

About 5,500 students applied for the annual grants of up to $4,200 per child, and the first $730,000 in tuition money for more than 360 students was released last Friday.

Hobgood issued a permanent injunction prohibiting any more state funds from being disbursed for vouchers. He said it would be up to the Attorney General's Office to determine how the state would recoup the money already handed out if the ruling is upheld on appeal.


Read more at http://www.wral.com/judge-rules-nc-school-voucher-program-unconstitutional/13911842/#sV41GCybHURGecJL.99

[Lex]

1. Freakin' GOP trying to get taxpayer money for PRIVATE schools.

Calling them "vouchers." Bastards. Glad the Judge ruled that it's unconstitutional.

[badtoworse]

2. That's just great!

The folks who filed that suit are really looking out for the kids. I'd be interested to know about the quality of the schools that these kids will now be forced to attend.

[Lex]

3. "forced to attend" ?

They'll be back at public school and not at these religious private schools which have zero standards.

[badtoworse]

4. if you can't afford to pay school tax AND pay private school tuition...

...what choice do you have?

[Lex]

6. You go to public school like the rest of us and quit trying to use taxpayer

money to fund private religious schools and drain what little resources there are left from the public school system.

[TheKentuckian]

8. Fuckin A!

[Starry Messenger]

9. +1

[badtoworse]

11. You left out the ending that happens all too often: Work minimum wage

Last edited Thu Aug 21, 2014, 08:38 PM - Edit history (1)

[Lex]

15. Private schools are no guarantee of success.

I went to public school and state university in NC and that was an asset not a hindrance. I assure you I don't work a minimum wage job. Republicans want to kill public education and privatize it one step at a time. This was one of their ploys to do so. Glad the judge saw through it.

[badtoworse]

19. No, they're not. But too many inner city public schools practically guarantee failure.

[dsc]

12. the same choice that those of us who can't afford private roads have

the same choice that those of us who can't afford private mail service have etc. BTW these schools were permitted, and many did, accept my tax money but refuse to hire gays or serve gay students.

[TheDebbieDee]

5. If these vouchers were going to be used to pay their tuition to charter schools,

Then these kids are better off attending a public school. Charyer schools, and many private schools are staffed by uncertified teachers that setve up a bunch of religious doctrine to go along with white-washed American history.

Why do you want to de-fund public schools?

[badtoworse]

10. I don't want to refund all public schools; just the ones that are doing a lousy job.

There are some great private schools - I went one. I got a good education and have had a great career. I've seen where my childhood friends that went to public school wound up and where lots of inner-city public school kids are winding up today - unprepared to get into a decent college or get anything but a menial job. I would like to see inner-city kids have the same opportunity I had, but I don't believe it will ever happen in many (not all) of our public schools.

[TheDebbieDee]

13. Quite frankly, I feel that most of the blame for poorly educated students in public schools

Falls on the lack of social services avaliable to the students and families of those in public schools. I know that alot of these children are distracted from the educational experience by problems in their homes and neighborhoods.

In decades past, a teacher who suspected a student had issues at home could alert a social worker or someone skilled in helping the student confront and work out their problems. Social services to poor or working class families are either non-existant or cost too much. Teachers are teachers, not social workers. Teachers can only do so much...and they can do even less if school funding is undercut to pay for the tuition of private schoolers.

ETA: Private money is for private schools. Taxpayer is for PUBLIC schools.

[valerief]

7. Another one for Ignore. nt

[WinkyDink]

14. Low-income families are being PLAYED by the privatization Right-Wingers who couldn't care LESS about

the former's LOW INCOME.

[Lex]

16. Just one step in the GOP's plan to kill public education.

They knew the first step couldn't be giving taxpayer money to well to do families. But that would be coming eventually.

[WinkyDink]

17. The cynicism boggles, does it not?

[msanthrope]

18. Excellent! I hope the AG recoups the money from the schools. nt