Today, the South Carolina Education Association (The SCEA) President Sherry East released the following statement on the South Carolina Supreme Court ruling to strike down the state’s unconstitutional voucher program:
“We are grateful that our court has confirmed that public funds are confined for public education. This decision today by our state’s highest court is a great victory for public educators and families across the state who support South Carolina’s public schools. Thanks to the parents, the South Carolina State Conference of the NAACP and to all who joined us to advocate the importance of investing in public schools rather than diverting critical funds away from them.”
This is the second time in which the state Supreme Court has had to intervene on a bill signed by Gov. Henry McMaster to siphon off public dollars towards private schools. In 2020, there was an egregious attempt to use federal COVID relief dollars to fund a similar private school voucher program. Despite that clear ruling, the South Carolina General Assembly passed S.39 which would take away state funding from public schools to directly benefit private schools.
This decision marks a significant win for public education supporters and stewards of good governance, ensuring that funding remains focused on public schools and students.
The SCEA remains a steadfast advocate for public schools and will continue to protect their success for the future of our students and local communities in South Carolina.
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