I've lost the "breaking news" aspect of this, since it happened last Friday, BUT a Denver district court judge issued an injunction to stop the implementation of the Douglas County voucher program. I think this is the correct result, based on the legal arguments. Interestingly, even though the plaintiffs only asked for a preliminary injunction (meaning, a temporary halt to the program while its legal implications were sorted out), the judge issued a permanent injunction. That means that the program is over, unless Douglas County decides to appeal.
Here's a link to the judge's ruling (pretty much a home run for the plaintiffs). I don't expect you to read it because it's 68 pages, but it's a thorough explanation of why this program violates the Colorado state constitution. And it also includes some fascinating details about some of the actions taken by the private schools - like how one school reduced the financial aid package for a student in the exact amount of the voucher. How nice. How helpful to lower-income families.
And here's some information about the implications of the decision from EdNewsColorado, a great website about educational issues, but it is focused primarily on Colorado. Since it's so close to the start of the school year, a number of families already planned to use the vouchers to attend the private schools. So, what those families will now do is murky.
Congrats to the ACLU, but really, I still think the better argument lies with the Legal Center.
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