Update: Surovell says opportunity scholarships would be unconstitutional
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Surovell says opportunity scholarships would be unconstitutional
In an update to the story just published on Republicans’ proposed opportunity scholarship proposals, Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, pointed out that their proposal would be unconstitutional.
Article VIII Section 10 of the Virginia Constitution prohibits the use of public funds to support schools that are not owned or controlled by the state.
"Private school vouchers are expressly prohibited by the constitution of Virginia," Surovell said. "The language was inserted when they wrote the Constitution in 1970 to prevent exactly what happened during massive resistance when the General Assembly funded students going to the Prince Edward Academy and other schools to avoid desegregated public schools."
"It's offensive that we're having to revisit this issue when it's exclusively controlled by our Constitution," he continued.