As controversy over Louisiana’s state school voucher program continues, questions and concerns regarding the program’s effects on schools under desegregation court orders lead the conversation.
Formally known as the Louisiana Scholarship Program, the program offers students who are from low-income households, in particular failing school districts, to use public money to attend private schools. Roughly 8,000 students are attending private or parochial schools through the voucher program this fall, capped at $8,500.
Most recently, the Department of Justice filed suit against the program in U.S. Eastern District Court in New Orleans for what it deems a violation of desegregation orders. The department claims the program hurts desegregation efforts in at least 22 school districts under desegregation orders.
According to court papers from the department, in 2012-13, the state distributed vouchers to almost 600 students in school districts which were still under desegregation orders.
The Jindal administration, according to the department, has agreed since the suit, to provide information to the federal government on the program.
An opponent to the voucher program, faculty senator Dr. Gerlinde Beckers, said the department is using the desegregation suit as a way to cripple the program altogether.
“That’s probably the only stand the DOJ has is the desegregation order,” said Beckers.
The department claims that in one instance an elementary school lost five white students from a predominately black school because of the program. This, according to the department, furthered the notion that the school is majority black.
Proponents of the voucher program assert that students should not be forced to continue at a failing school just to adhere to federal racial guidelines. Also, proponents question how the removal of minority students hurt a predominately white school academically.
“Academically, it probably doesn’t hurt the public school if minority kids are taken out of the failing school,” said Beckers. “But statistically and demographically, yes for those people who are concerned.”
Although Beckers said the desegregation orders unintentionally injects race into school districts, she claims the clause must be dealt with.
“They can’t just say ‘Oh, we’re not dealing with this anymore,'” said Beckers.
However, Beckers said her main argument against the voucher program is that it uses state funds on private and parochial schools rather than public schools.
“If you choose to send your children to private or parochial, it is your responsibility to fund that, not the state’s responsibility,” said Beckers. “I think that we should put the money into our schools and to empower our teachers.”
According to Beckers, the state’s main priority should be focused on why particular schools are failing, something she attributes to teachers who are educated solely off of fast-track programs rather than four year degree programs.
Beckers said research shows that many of the failing schools within the state employ the so-called “fast-track teachers,” which, she said, has essentially demoralized four year degree educators.
“You wouldn’t go to have surgery from a doctor that went through a three-week medical program,” said Beckers. “You would turn around and say ‘I don’t think so.’ Yet, this is happening to our schools and kids. This is having a lasting effect on our kids.”
Nonetheless, advocates of the voucher program emphasize its importance of giving low-income parents options when their child is at a failing school.
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor stated that the program was a “civil rights solution” which allowed students stuck in failing schools a chance to escape a poor education.
The accountability aspects of the voucher program, though, are questioned because the private schools, in which low-income students flee to, are not required by the state to undergo the same school and teacher evaluations, as well as state standards.
Beckers said it is similar to comparing apples to bananas.
“How can you deal with the numbers of the kids after attending the private school because they are not dealing with the same tests as the public schools,” said Beckers. “There is no way to know if those students are doing better.”
Over 30 private or parochial schools have opted in to accept students on vouchers, including Our Lady of Prompt Succor, Greater Baton Rouge Hope Academy, St. Joan of Arc School and John Paul the Great Academy.
The suit will be brought to court in Nov. under U.S. District Court Judge Ivan Lemelle. The relevance of the desegregation court orders in the voucher program will be argued, in addition to possible amendments to desegregation orders to guarantee the voucher program’s legality.