McCall vs. Scott Lawsuit on Tax Credit Scholarships Thrown Out

justiceJudge Reynolds disallowed the FEA lawsuit against the Florida tax credit scholarship program today.  The ruling has been anticipated for months.

What is his rationale?

The question of standing for the lawsuit relied on the argument that public school funding was diminished by potential corporate tax dollars that were diverted for private school scholarships.  These are the scholarships administered by Step Up for Students.  The Leon County circuit court judge stated that the evidence that either districts or students were harmed by the program was not convincing.  The FEA is considering an appeal.

Yes, this is the lawsuit that the League of Women Voters joined.  A broader lawsuit, filed by Citizens for Strong Schools is active.  This suit questions the constitutionality of school choice based on the provision that the State must provide a uniform, efficient, safe, secure and high quality system of free pubic education for all students.  The suit survived a similar motion to dismiss that was appealed to the Florida Supreme Court.  The plaintiffs won the appeal, and the case will come to trial in March 2016.

More information is reported by the Sunshine State News.

 

Posted in Florida, Lawsuits, Public Education, Tax credit scholarships.

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