Florida School Board Meets Regarding Anti-School Choice Lawsuit

Florida Jewish students opposed to anti-school choice lawsuit attend school board meeting —

View of some of the students at the Miami-Dade school board meeting

View of some of the students at the Miami-Dade school board meeting

Agudath Israel of Florida and other advocates joined with Step Up for Students to bring more than 100 students and faith leaders to Miami-Dade County’s school board meeting. The meeting was called to debate a resolution expressing opposition to the lawsuit filed earlier this year by the teachers union and the Florida School Boards Association. The lawsuit contends that the Corporate Tax Scholarship Program that awards low-income students a scholarship to attend the school of their choosing is unconstitutional.

A resolution was filed by school board member Carlos Curbelo that would have allowed for a public debate and a show of opposition to the continuing attempts to undermine one of the nation’s largest school choice programs.

The school board attorney spoke before the resolution was introduced and expressed that it would violate a board policy requiring the board to get his approval before weighing in on a pending lawsuit. The Miami-Dade school board chose to avoid the showdown by tabling the resolution and prevent any debate on the issue.

Agudath Israel of Florida voiced its disappointment to board members and will continue to work to defend and protect the choice programs which are benefiting thousands of students in our State.

We would like to thank school board members Carlos Curbelo and Martin Karp for their continued commitment to the program and to Yeshiva Elementary School and Toras Emes Academy for sending their fifth grade students to rally in support of the scholarship program.