Written by Don Byrd
A new school voucher program in North Carolina is the subject of litigation scheduled for a hearing in late August. Opponents argue the “Opportunity Scholarships” improperly divert public funds to religious and other private schools. The state’s supreme court in May lifted an injunction temporarily halting the program, opening the door for voucher funds to be distributed even while courts debate their constitutionality.
The Associated Press reports that not only is the state going forward with the funding, it is moving up the date.
The state agency in charge of the Opportunity Scholarships late last month advanced to August 15 the date it planned to distribute tuition funding to families of students who won a lottery. That date is a month earlier than the North Carolina State Educational Assistance Authority previously projected and a week before a scheduled court date intended to debate the law’s constitutionality.
The educational assistance authority isn’t setting its timetable based on the legal dispute, executive director Steven Brooks said Thursday.
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But distributing the money before a court hearing late next month would cause needless chaos, said Burton Craige, an attorney for plaintiffs who are challenging the voucher program.
“It’s taxpayer money. It makes sense to have a ruling on whether it’s constitutional before we release that money to private schools,” Craige said. “Once money is paid out, it’s hard to get it back.”
