Opponents argue constitutionality of state vouchers for private schools

Opponents to Indiana’s Choice Scholarship voucher program presented oral arguments to the State Supreme Court on Nov. 21.

Teachers and parents, along with Indiana State Teachers Association Vice President Teresa Meredith, filed suit in July 2011 and claimed the voucher program is unconstitutional because it pays state funds to private and religious schools.

More than 9,000 Indiana students received state-issued vouchers in 2012. According to the Indiana Department of Education’s website, nearly all of the 289 private schools that admitted students using vouchers were religious.

Although the state constitution prohibits state funds from supporting religious institutions, state lawyers who defended the program said the state isn’t directly funding religious schools because parents choose where to use their children’s vouchers.

Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction-elect Glenda Ritz is a plaintiff but said she will break from the case when she takes office in January.

— Gage Bentley