State Scholarship Schools Threatened With Possible Lawsuit

Private schools that take part in Louisiana’s state voucher program are being threatened with a possible lawsuit. A letter from Blackwell & Associates, sent on behalf of the Louisiana Association of Educators, asks participating schools to sign a document agreeing to withdraw from the program by 4 p.m. on Friday to avoid being sued.

Hosanna Christian Academy is one of the schools named in the dispute. At the start of registration, nearly 300 new students who have been awarded state scholarships are enrolling there this year.

Parents have voiced strong support for the program. Tiranny Howard, a parent, called the opportunity “like a prayer, a miracle for us to see our children go to a school where they will be educated well.” Howard has joined the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO) at the state capitol to fight for her children’s right to a better education.

The voucher program has received approval from state and federal leaders. Some organizations, however, insist that transferring public dollars to private schools is unconstitutional. Eric Lewis, state director of BAEO, responded to the letter by calling it “extremely absurd, asinine.”

Hosanna Christian Academy school administrator Josh Lasage said the school will not withdraw. “We’re going to participate in this program,” he said, adding that the Supreme Court has decided public funds may be used to provide education for children at private and parochial schools. Lasage said those who continue to challenge the scholarship program are losing sight of its purpose. “This is not about Hosanna Christian Academy. This is about the children,” he said.

9News called Brian Blackwell, the attorney who sent the letter to the schools, but his calls were not returned. Hearing both sides before a dispute becomes public is a basic act of fairness (Proverbs 18:17).

Source: Read the original report