Tax money siphoned from GA public schools to anti-gay religious schools, suit claims
Georgia’s tax credit program siphons off much-needed funds from the state’s public schools by allowing taxpayers to donate scholarship money to private religious schools, according to a lawsuit.
Four taxpayers filed the suit, claiming the state has failed to adequately fund its underachieving public schools while helping to pay for religious instruction, in Fulton County Superior Court,reported Courthouse News.
The suit claims Georgia’s “scheme” allows individual taxpayers and corporations to receive dollar-for-dollar tax credits for donations and contributions made to private Student Scholarship Organizations, which then distribute the redirected tax funds for scholarships to private schools.
Lead plaintiff Raymond Gaddy claims the scholarship organizations violate the state constitution.
“Absent the constitutionally required state administration, the SSOs and the private schools that receive their funds are free to do virtually as they please,” the suit claims.
The suit claims private schools deny student admission at their discretion, while Georgia public schools must admit any student who wishes to attend.
“In this regard, although supposedly intended to benefit underprivileged children, the SSOs and private schools receiving the funds can, and generally do, award scholarships to students who already can afford private schools,” the suit claims.
Attendance at these private religious schools is often conditional – and students are sometimes expelled if they are perceived as gay.
“Many enrollment decisions are conditioned on commitment to specific religious beliefs and practices,” the suit claims.
According to an October report in Rolling Stone, many of these schools require students to sign a pledge that they won’t engage in acts of sexual “impurity,” which can be defined as