Tuesday, April 05, 2011
Orlando Sentinel
The U.S. Supreme Court today upheld an Arizona tax-credit scholarship program that had been challenged as an unconstitutional way to funnel public money to private, religious schools.
But the divided court rejected that argument, noting the money for the program was from tax credits, not direct appropriations of state money.
The ruling was cheered by choice advocates as one that should ”give state legislatures wide discretion in adopting school choice programs.”
Its impact in Florida isn’t clear. Florida’s tax-credit scholarship program has never been challenged in court, and some choice advocates told me previously they doubted the narrow Arizona case — even if it had gone the other way — would impact the program here.
But those who want more choice in public education — including more voucher programs and more charter schools — were thrilled.
“This has been a year for school choice. Legislatures are embracing tax credit programs and vouchers, and this ruling should encourage even more of this educational choice,” said Robert Enlow, president of the Foundation for Educational Choice, in an emailed statement.
The Indianapolis-based foundation was started by Milton Friedman, who first proposed the school voucher plan decades ago.
