No more funding fads

Cato Institute
by Adam B. Schaeffer

“Only school choice puts parents in charge of their children’s futures, so naturally, supporters hope this shift in funding opens the door to a voucher program that allows parents to send their children to religious and independent schools. Unfortunately for New Yorkers, a voucher program is likely to run into a heap of legal trouble because the state constitution explicitly bans any government funds from being used at religious institutions. The Blaine Amendment, so named for 19th century House Speaker James G. Blaine, isn’t always a death sentence for vouchers, but it will surely scare some supporters away and give cover to many others. Since education tax credits are private money, not public funds, they don’t run afoul of state constitutional restrictions like vouchers might.” (02/05/07)

http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=7354