The Florida Education Association has filed a lawsuit Wednesday in a state circuit court in Tallahassee challenging a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow state funds to go toward religious institutions.
“This is a shady way of opening the door for school vouchers for all,” said Florida Education Association President Andy Ford, in a written statement.
Also known as the “Blaine amendment,” the state constitution bars taxpayer dollars from being used to aid religious institutions. The proposed constitutional amendment known as Amendment 7 would effectively repeal that provision.
The group is also alleging that the ballot summary adopted by the Legislature is misleading.
“This is a violation of the requirement that the summary be clear and unambiguous, and must state the legal effect of the ballot proposed,” said FEA attorney Ron Meyer.
The lawsuit is challenging another new law passed by the Legislature that allows the state attorney general to bypass a court decision and rewrite ballot summaries on constitutional amendments.
FEA is joined in the lawsuit by several individual and groups affiliated with schools and religious institutions. They include several rabbis; presidents of the Florida School Boards Association and the Florida Association of School Administrators; a reverend from the United Church of Christ; and a retired Baptist minister.
Developing Story……
Reacting to the lawsuit filed today, Rep. Scott Randolph (D-Orlando) stated:
“Throughout the 2011 legislative session, Republican legislators disguised the proposed constitutional amendment as one that would merely protect religious freedom and end religious discrimination. But in actuality, this proposal has one purpose: to allow the unlimited use of taxpayers’ money to send children to private schools instead of building a quality public school system.
“Unfortunately, the proponents of this legislation have shrouded their support for vouchers under a bogus argument of religious protection. Such tactics are shameful, and I only hope the court sees through their charade and strikes from the ballot this defenseless attempt to trick voters.”
