School Vouchers, Programs Gain Popularity Across States (FOX, 2002)
Following Zelman v. Simmons-Harris, 536 U.S. 639 (2002), a case decided by the United States Supreme Court that tested the allowance of school vouchers in relation to the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, in which a divided Court chose to uphold an Ohio school voucher plan, some 20 states plan to introduce bills that would allow taxpayers’ money to pay for tuition vouchers that parents would be able to use to pay for participating non-public schools.
Florida’s voucher program is cited as being shut down, according to judge’s ruling (citing state constitution), “No revenue of the state… shall ever be taken from the public treasury directly or indirectly in aid of any church, sect, or religious denomination or in aid of any sectarian institution.” These laws and establishment laws similar to it are called “Blaine Provisions”, named for the racist legislator who originally proposed the law.
While voucher proponents claim the law to outdated citing its basis as bigoted & draconian, those who oppose vouchers say the law’s origin doesn’t matter; it still must be followed and that the voucher law undermines public schools.
CER Founder Jeanne Allen gives commentary on the law’s foundations in this coverage of the growing movement of school choice.
