Court rules against Louisiana vouchers

Gov. Jindal

A district judge ruled Friday that Louisiana’s statewide voucher program is unconstitutional because of the mechanism it uses to send public funds to private entities, prompting groans from school choice supporters, cheers from teachers unions and promises of an appeal from Gov. Bobby Jindal.

“Today is really significant,” said Steve Monaghan, president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, according to Reuters. “What the governor was doing was unprecedented and unconstitutional under Louisiana law.”

The reaction from Jindal: “Today’s ruling is wrong headed and a travesty for parents across Louisiana who want nothing more than for their children to have an equal opportunity at receiving a great education,” he said in a statement reported by the New Orleans Times Picayune. “That opportunity is a chance that every child deserves and we will continue the fight to give it to them.”

More coverage from Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Baton Rouge Advocate, Houma Today, Alexandria Town Talk, Christian Science Monitor, Education Week.

Reaction from American Federation for ChildrenFriedman FoundationLouisiana BAEO, Dropout Nation, Time-Picayune columnist Andre Perry and the Louisiana School Boards Association.


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BY reimaginED staff