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Arizona Appellate Court Strikes Down School Voucher Programs

By Howard M. Friedman

In Cain v. Horne, (AZ Ct. App., May 15, 2008), an Arizona appellate court found that two school voucher programs that were enacted by the state legislature in 2006 violates the Arizona Constitution. At issue are voucher programs for students with disabilities and for students in foster homes. The court held that the neutral programs do not violate Art. 2, Sec. 12, the Religion Clause of Arizona's constitution which bans appropriations to support religious instruction. However, the court held that the voucher programs do violate the Aid Clause of Arizona's Constitution, Art. 9, Sec. 10 that bars appropriations to aid private or sectarian schools. The court rejected the argument that the "true beneficiaries" of the voucher payments are the students rather than the private and parochial schools that receive the voucher checks made out to pupils' parents or guardians. Today's Arizona Daily Star reports on the decision.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on May 16, 2008 (boomark / email).