With the future of Floridas Tax Credit Scholarship hanging by a thread, a statewide coalition is sending a message to the Florida Education Association and the Florida School Board Association: Dont get rid of the states voucher program.
On Wednesday, a group of parents, faith-based leaders and school choice advocates, forming the Save Our Scholarships Coalition, announced it would be launching a new campaign to urge the FEA and the FSBA to drop its lawsuit against the Tax Credit Scholarship program.
The FEA and FSBA have filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of the program, which was created in 2001 and served nearly 70,000 students last year. The teachers' unions suit seeks to shut down the voucher program, alleging it conflicts with Floridas duty to provide a uniform, efficient, safe, secure and high-quality system of free public schools.
Save Our Scholarships Coalition is making sure its voice is heard loud and clear at the states capital -- it placed a full-page ad in the Tallahassee Democrat spelling out the benefits the scholarship program has for participating students as well as the state.
It sends a strong and undeniable message to the FEA and the FSBA to drop their lawsuit threatening to take away scholarships from thousands of Florida children, said Julio Fuentes, president and CEO of Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options.
For Fuentes, the program offers otherwise unattainable opportunities for needy students across the state.
There are far too many parents in Florida desperately looking for a way to provide a better chance for their children to succeed in a classroom and reach their potential in life, Fuentes said.
Faith Manuel, an Ormond Beach mother of three whose children have participated in the program, said she had always dreamed of sending her children to a private school, but she simply couldnt afford to do so as a single parent. But with the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program, Manuels vision of sending her children to a private school became a reality.
I remember when I got the scholarship award that I actually jumped for joy, she said in a conference call.
Her oldest son thrived in the program -- he became a chaplain at Calvary Christian Academy. He joined the track team. He graduated. Now, hes a sophomore at Florida State College in Jacksonville, where hes on the deans list and the presidents list.
Its truly the time for all of us to make our voices heard loud and clear, said Manuel. Whats at risk is far too precious for me to just stand by.
Rev. H.K. Matthews, a civil rights leader from Pensacola, is one of 60 African-American ministers involved with the coalition. He said each Floridian has a responsibility to provide all of Floridas students with what they need to succeed in the classroom.
Matthews said the lawsuit threatens the futures of the states poorest students, who might not have the same opportunities as those who come from wealthier families. Matthews said the voucher program can bridge that gap.
The truth is that wealthy children have always had choices, he said. If a private school is a better fit for a student, then if we have the opportunity ... why should we not provide that privilege to those of meager financial needs?
