Random Thoughts From Marybeth

Florida Supreme Court Blocks School Vouchers

In its ruling, the Florida court cited an article in the State Constitution that says, "Adequate provision shall be made by law for a uniform, efficient, safe, secure and high quality system of free public schools."

The Opportunity Scholarships Program "violates this language," the court said.

"It diverts public dollars into separate private systems parallel to and in competition with the free public schools that are the sole means set out in the Constitution for the state to provide for the education of Florida's children," the ruling said. "This diversion not only reduces money available to the free schools, but also funds private schools that are not 'uniform' when compared with each other or the public system."

The vouchers were for children who had been attending failing schools so it's obvious that the public schools aren't 'uniform' either.

I'm just wondering - if all the people involved in this suit had spent the time that they worked on it volunteering at the failing schools as tutors, teachers aides, mentors, or helping out in whatever way was needed - what would the result have been?