The Michigan Supreme Courtwill take another look at whether it’s ever OK for taxpayer dollars to go to private or parochial schools. As Rick Pluta reports, the court is responding to a challenge against state budgets.
Those budgets were adopted when Republicans controlled the Legislature and the governor’s office. The budgets set aside a small amount of money to reimburse private and parochial schools for costs not directly related to classroom instruction. That’s being challenged by the ACLU and public school groups.
Don Wotruba is with the Michigan Association of School Boards. He says the budgets violate the Michigan Constitution’s ban on public funds going to private schools.
“We support the right of parents to send their parents to send their child to private and parochial schools, but if they make that choice, we don’t believe that should be supported by taxpayer dollars.”
Wotruba says it’s in everyone’s interest to settle this question once and for all.
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— Rick Pluta is the Managing Editor and Reporter for the Michigan Public Radio network. Contact WEMU News at734.487.3363 or email us at studio@wemu.org
