Governor calls judge's decision "wrong-headed and a travesty for parents"
Gov. Bobby Jindal called a judge's decision against his voucher program "wrong-headed and a travesty for parents."
Jindal pledged to appeal the ruling by Judge Tim Kelley and said he always expected the Louisiana Supreme Court to make a final determination about the governor's hallmark education program.
Kelley said the voucher program that uses tax dollars to send students to private schools was unconstitutionally funded through Louisiana's public school financing formula.
Kelley, a Republican, sided with arguments presented by teacher unions and school boards seeking to shut down the voucher program and other changes that would funnel more money away from traditional public schools.
The ruling will not affect students currently participating in the program.
The GOP governor said, "The opinion sadly ignores the rights of families who do not have the means necessary to escape failing schools."
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.)
