LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) – The State of Ohio plans to appeal a Franklin County judge’s ruling that declared the state’s school voucher program partially unconstitutional.
The program in question is the EdChoice Scholarship Program. According to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, the program awards eligible kindergarten through 8th grade students $6,166 and 9th through 12th grade students $8,408. The ruling stems from the “Vouchers Hurt Ohio” lawsuit, which includes a coalition of public school districts claiming the use of state money for the EdChoice program is illegal and unconstitutional. Lima City Schools is named as a plaintiff in the lawsuit.
“We actually are a plaintiff in the lawsuit, so we are named directly in the lawsuit. We've seen those voucher numbers just explode so that they are millions of dollars funneling to private schools who have zero accountability for the money that they receive,” says Jill Ackerman, Superintendent, Lima City Schools.
On Monday, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost reaffirmed his support for the voucher program and said he will file an appeal in Ohio’s 10th District Court of Appeals on Wednesday. Also, on Monday during a press conference, Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman voiced his continued support for the EdChoice program, citing Article I of the state’s constitution as a defense.
“Religion, morality and knowledge, however, being essential to good government, it shall be the duty of the general assembly to pass suitable laws to protect every religious denomination in the peaceable enjoyment of its own mode of public worship and to encourage schools in the means of instruction,” says Matt Huffman, Ohio House Speaker, (R)- Lima.
For now, the judge has stayed the decision, meaning the voucher program will remain in place as the legal battle moves forward.
