Florida will try to undo two court rulings to give public money to private religious schools.

[madfloridian]

I think it is outrageous how Florida's leaders often thumb their noses at the judiciary. They don't mind trying over and over again to figure out a way to nullify the two rulings from Florida courts.

The amendment being proposed would go against the two rulings that banned state aid to religious institutions.

Amendment idea would partially lift ban on aid to religious groups.

TALLAHASSEE | An unconstitutional school voucher program could be restored and a ban on state aid to religious organizations and institutions could be at least partly lifted through a proposal introduced Friday.

The proposed state constitutional amendment would undo two court decisions that threw out one of former Gov. Jeb Bush's pet projects in 2005. The Opportunity Scholarship Program gave students from failing public schools vouchers to attend religious and other private schools at taxpayer expense.

Looks to me like this is also intended to make it easier to fund faith-based providers of services.

Taxation and Budget Reform Commission sponsors said their proposal, though, will serve a broader purpose of ending bias against faith-based providers who offer all kinds of public services.

"To get rid of that religious discrimination that's in our constitution you have to ensure that there's choice for health care, for elder care, for juvenile justice care, for substance abuse, for homelessness," said Commissioner Patricia Levesque.

Levesque is executive director of two foundations Bush has established to advance his educational policy goals. She sits on the commission's Governmental Procedures and Structure Committee, which introduced the proposal.

I think our county is using private religious schools for Pre-K programs now...providing public money to those schools with little accountability. I don't know if accountability has been added since I last read about it. Correct me if I am wrong.

I am little surprised that the Florida Education Association does not plan to fight this. This is our public tax money going to private institutions, even religious schools.

[madfloridian]

1. An NEA article indicates three court rulings against vouchers to private schools

using public tax money.

From 2004:

http://www.nea.org/vouchers/flappealscourt.html

"A Florida appeals court has confirmed that the state's original school voucher law runs afoul of the state constitution by providing public funds to religious schools. This is the third court ruling to find the Florida "Opportunity Scholarship" voucher program unconstitutional.

A spokesperson for Gov. Jeb Bush, a champion of private school voucher schemes, said the state will appeal the 1st District Court of Appeal ruling and the District Court itself asked the state Supreme Court to review the issue, according to an Associated Press report published by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

...""Advocates also have claimed that denying vouchers to religious schools amounts to an attack on the free exercise of religion because it penalizes religious schools. But the implication that public money is necessary for religious schools and churches to fully sustain themselves and for students to fully realize their faith should be abhorrent to religious institutions.

"The real attack, with vouchers for religious schools as a principal weapon, has been on public education, which Florida 's courts should continue to defend."

[madfloridian]

2. Update: they are planning to expand corporate vouchers

Raise your hand if you have any doubt they are plotting to do away with public schools.

http://www.sptimes.com/2008/01/24/State/Bigger_writeoff_for_s.shtml

"Florida would nearly triple the amount of tax credits it allows for corporate vouchers under a bill filed Wednesday by state Rep. Trey Traviesa, R-Tampa.

HB 653 would increase the current cap by $30-million each year over the next five years, from $88-million now to $238-million in 2012. It also would increase the amount of individual corporate tax-credit vouchers from $3,750 to $4,500.

Voucher opponents were quick to pounce. "Imagine what they'd do ... if it wasn't bad economic times," Mark Pudlow, spokesman for the Florida Education Association, said Wednesday. "You're in a situation where you're cutting hundreds of millions of dollars from the education budget because of lower-than-anticipate revenues ... yet we're going to expand corporate vouchers."

Voucher supporters argue the opposite. Since it costs the state less to pay for a voucher than to support the same student in a public school, "We're saving the money," said Denise Lasher, a spokeswoman for Step Up for Students, a group that advocates for tax-credit vouchers. The legislation "helps with the budget crisis ... and class size."

[geomon666]

3. Yup. Bringing in religious institutions to raise and indoctrinate our kids.

This state is a cesspool.

[PassingFair]

4. What the HELL, Florida!

What's the PROBLEM down there?

Is it too many disengaged seniors?

[dysfunctional press]

6. i've given up fretting about florida...i'm anxiously awaiting the melting of the greenland ice sheet

it's going to be fun to watch that cesspool slip under the waves.

[Malikshah]

7. Partly, and a Dem "Leadership" that tarts itself up before it

goes on "dates" (negotiates) with the Republicans. They keep forgetting to ask for the money upfront.

First McBride ("sacrificial lamb")
Then the primary debacle (it's been shown numerous times by madfloridian that this is to be laid at the feet of the Dem "leadership")
Now this...

[PassingFair]

8. How do you explain Wexler?

How did you manage HIM?

Damn, I feel like sending him a CARE PACKAGE!!!

[Malikshah]

9. He and Wasserman-Schultz are good up to a point...

But there are certain topics on which both have proven quite hawkish.

Wasserman-Schultz has much to explain with her not willing to discuss impeachment issues when she's back in FL

[me b zola]

5. k&r

:(

[McCamy Taylor]

10. Is this something that will be on the ballot this fall? Like honey to attract GOP voters?

They know it will be struck down, but putting it on a ballot would be a way to aid Republican candidates.

[madfloridian]

11. They want to put it on November's ballot.

And they might get to do it.

[Malikshah]

12. They did try and get the ban on gay marriage on the ballot, but

failed w/ the petition in the recent run.

They'll try again though. Good old Rovian tactic.