Private-school voucher program on hold for NC Supreme Court

By EMERY P. DALESIO
Associated Press

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — A program that uses taxpayer money for private and religious school tuition faces a second straight year of uncertainty until North Carolina’s Supreme Court decides whether it’s legal.

The Supreme Court on Thursday did not include its decision on whether the voucher program can continue. The court is not scheduled to issue opinions again until late August, about the time classes resume for the new academic year.

Traci Martin of Gastonia says she’s facing weeks of uncertainty about which school her four children will attend. She says her disabled son and two other children had great success at their Christian school this year.

A judge ruled the vouchers are unconstitutional because religious schools can reject children depending on their faith and private schools are not required to meet teaching standards.

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