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Florida Voucher Program Has Another Chance
from the August 05, 2008 eNews issue
CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING AN ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION, OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF…
True educational freedom had a small but important victory in Florida this week, when a circuit court judge gave school vouchers another chance.
Circuit Judge John C. Cooper ruled Monday that pro-voucher amendments could remain on the November 4 ballot. Voters will be able to decide whether to amend the state constitution to once again allow students to use vouchers to escape failing public schools.
School vouchers have been a major area of contention in the state of Florida. Off and on, from 1999-2006, Florida’s Opportunity Scholarship Program allowed state funds to pay for students to attend private schools. In general, voucher programs not only give public schools more competition and therefore more accountability, but also free up overburdened public schools. People assume that voucher programs take money from already troubled schools. Instead, they offer public schools more breathing room. Most importantly, they give underprivileged kids the opportunity to get a great education when their public schools fall short.
Because many private schools are also religiously oriented, however, opponents of the voucher program insist that paying to send kids to private schools violates the separation of church and state. The United States Supreme Court ruled in Zelman v. Simmons-Harris (2002) that the First Amendment does not prohibit voucher programs if they meet certain free choice requirements. Individual states may still reject voucher programs, though.
The Florida Supreme Court struck down the state’s school voucher program as unconstitutional in January 2006. The court cited the state's constitution, which says, "Adequate provision shall be made by law for a uniform, efficient, safe, secure and high-quality system of free public schools," and stated that the Opportunity Scholarship Program, "violates this language." Legislators have been working to get the important program running again by amending the state constitution.
Circuit Judge John C. Cooper offered pro-voucher groups hope on Monday when he ruled that amendments to change the state constitution could remain on the November 4 ballot. The statewide teachers union – which has been fighting the voucher program since 1999 – promises to appeal the ruling.
"It's very sad the teachers union is trying every possible maneuver to prevent the people from voting on these two important issues," said Patricia Levesque, one of the sponsors for the proposals.
The anti-religious Left has worked hard for decades to keep God out of the public sphere. There were relatively few private schools in America until the Supreme Court ruled against prayer and Bible reading in public schools in the 1960s. Since God was kicked out of public education, private schools have sprouted across the nation to fill the obvious void. Americans have been told to keep religion out of U.S. public life.
The basic problem with the liberal concept of the separation of church and state is that, rather than simply protecting basic religious freedom, it actually acts as an anti-religious force. The Supreme Court has ruled several times in recent years in favor of a truly neutral view of church state separation. To fund only secular charities, or vouchers for students only if they attend secular private schools, would be discriminating against religion. The Supreme Court has recognized that being truly neutral means treating institutions equally, regardless of whether they are religious or secular. There are many more battles to fight to protect our nation's religious nature and heritage, but we should not lose heart.
As for us parents, we are told our own personal responsibility in the education of our kids:
"And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." - Ephesians 6:4
Related Links:
- Judge Keeps Voucher Issue On Ballot - AP
- Florida Court Strikes Down School Voucher Program (2006) - The New York Times
- School Voucher Plan Struck Down (2000) - The Washington Post
- Zelman v. Simmons-Harris (2002) - Oyez
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