August 26, 1999

ORTHODOX UNION CRITICIZES
FEDERAL COURT INJUNCTION OF CLEVELAND VOUCHER PROGRAM

Today, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America - through its Institute for Public Affairs - criticized the decision of a federal district judge to enjoin Cleveland's school voucher program pending his determination of whether the program is constitutional.  Judge Solomon Oliver, Jr. issued the preliminary injunction the day before the new school year placing more than 3,800 children in the program in educational limbo.  Supporters of the voucher program have taken an emergency appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Nathan Diament, director of the Institute for Public Affairs, issued the following statement in the wake of the injunction:

The decision yesterday by the federal district court to enjoin the Cleveland voucher program is truly disappointing.  This program has already been ruled constitutional by the Ohio Supreme Court. Nevertheless, opponents of education reform insist on tying up this effort to afford children greater educational opportunities.  We  are hopeful that the Court of Appeals will act quickly to reverse this injunction.  We now look forward to the federal courts issuing clear statements that voucher programs are constitutional so that the  litigation may end, and the learning may begin.

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• Cleveland Voucher Program

• THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF VOUCHERS