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'A sad day for accountability'

Reactions to the state Supreme Court's decision to throw out the state's voucher system that allows some children to attend private schools at taxpayer expense.

By STEVE BOUSQUET
Published January 5, 2006

Gov. Jeb Bush's reaction to the Florida Supreme Court's voucher decision at a news conference on Thursday afternoon in Tallahassee:

"The opportunity scholarship part of the A-plus plan has been one of the important reasons why we have seen rising student achievement. Ninety-four percent of the students that have part in the Opportunity Scholarship Program are either African-American or Hispanic. So this is a sad day for those families. I think it's a sad day for accountability in our state. But we are respectful of the decision of the Florida Supreme Court, and we intend to work with affected parties, and clearly with the Florida Legislature, to develop a strategy to implement what is now the law of the land. And we'll do that deliberately, over time."

Reaction by Ron Meyer, attorney for the Florida Education Association, a teacher union, and other groups that challenged the constitutionality of vouchers in 1999:

"The decision is a landmark decision in every respect, and it's a victory for public schools in Florida. It means that Florida taxpayers will not be forced to pay for schools which are unaccountable. It means that taxpayer money will only be used for public schools. We commend the justices of the Supreme Court who have strictly construed the language of the Florida Constitution and have faithfully adhered to the plain requirements of it. After more than six-and-a-half years of litigation we welcome this ruling by Florida's highest court ... The time has come for the governor to abandon unaccountable, ill-conceived diversions such as voucher programs. Our limited resources must be focused on the Florida public schools."

[Last modified January 5, 2006, 16:33:37]