Supreme Court To Decide On School Vouchers

(Indianapolis, Ind.) - The legality of Indiana’s school voucher program will go to the state supreme court.

The court announced Friday it will hear the case.

A group of parents and teachers are suing Governor Mitch Daniels and Indiana Superintendent Of Public Instruction Dr. Tony Bennett, arguing the Indiana School Choice Scholarship Program is unconstitutional because the vouchers unfairly takes away public-school funding to benefit religious institutions.

More than 250 schools across the state are participating, most of them Christian or Catholic. The Indiana Department of Education said in August that more than 2,800 children have been approved for the first-year voucher program.

Depending on their income level, families participating in the Choice Scholarship program can receive part of the money that would have other been allocated to a public school district to send their child to a private institution.

In January, Marion Superior Court Judge Michael Keele sided with the voucher program.

In his ruling, Keele compared the program to a state scholarship fund for college, where students can attend either private or public institutions. It is not considered a direct tax to support specific churches.

LINKS:

Judge: Indiana Voucher Program Can Stay

Arguments Heard In Ind. School Voucher Lawsuit

Bennett Touts Popularity of Voucher Program

Judge: Indiana Voucher Program Can Stay

Arguments Heard In Ind. School Voucher Lawsuit

Daniels Signs Charter, Voucher Bills Into Law