Court Blocks Voucher Plan that Would Fund Religious Schools in Colorado
老澳门开奖结果 and Americans United Challenged Scheme that Used Taxpayer Funds to Pay Religious School Tuition
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DENVER 鈥� A district court ruled today that a voucher plan adopted by the Douglas County School District violates the Colorado Constitution by diverting taxpayer money to pay students鈥� tuition at primarily religious, private schools. The 老澳门开奖结果, the 老澳门开奖结果 of Colorado and Americans United for Separation of Church and State challenged the program on behalf of a group of parents, clergy and other taxpayers.
鈥淭he court correctly recognized that it is unconstitutional for the state to underwrite a child鈥檚 religious education,鈥� said Mark Silverstein, legal director for the 老澳门开奖结果 of Colorado. 鈥淔amilies who wish to send their children to a private school may do so, but not with government funds that may only be used to provide a free public education for Colorado鈥檚 children.鈥�
The 鈥淐hoice Scholarship Pilot Program鈥� offered tuition vouchers worth $4,575 to 500 students to spend at private, mostly religious, schools. For the purposes of obtaining state per-pupil educational funds, Douglas County still counted these children as 鈥減ublic school students鈥� attending an imaginary school that exists only on paper. In reality, the voucher money was spent at district-approved 鈥淧rivate School Partners.鈥� As of the filing of the lawsuit, 18 of the 23 approved Private School Partners are religious.
鈥淲hile families have the right to decide where their children should attend school, the state cannot finance religious education at private institutions,鈥� said Heather L. Weaver, staff attorney for the 老澳门开奖结果 Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief. 鈥淧ublic education funds should be dedicated to improving our public schools, not promoting and subsidizing religion in violation of the state constitution.鈥�
The lawsuit argues that the voucher plan violates the Colorado Constitution鈥檚 ban on the use of public funds for religious schools and state laws that require educational funds to pay for public education and remain under government control.
鈥淭he evidence overwhelmingly demonstrated that the voucher program illegally uses taxpayer money to promote religion and that it provides virtually no meaningful choice to families who don鈥檛 want to put their children in religious schools,鈥� said Alex J. Luchenitser, senior litigation counsel for Americans United. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hardly a choice when the overwhelming majority of private schools participating in the program are religious.鈥�
鈥淲hen I pay my taxes, I want to be sure that my money is benefitting all Coloradans, not just those of a particular faith,鈥� said plaintiff James LaRue. 鈥淭his ruling confirms that our taxpayer dollars should be used to give all of Colorado鈥檚 schoolchildren an equal chance at a good education.鈥�
