The Mississippi Supreme Court has declined to rule on whether the state is violating its own constitution with a program that would spend $10 million public money on infrastructure grants for private schools. A majority of justices said Thursday that the advocacy group Parents for Public Schools lacked legal standing to sue the state.
A three-judge panel of the Mississippi Supreme Court listens to arguments over a state law that would put $10 million of federal pandemic relief money into infrastructure grants for private schools, Feb. 6, 2024, in Jackson, Miss. A majority of the court’s nine justices ruled Thursday, May 2, that the advocacy group Parents for Public Schools lacked standing to sue the state over the program, and justices declined to rule on the larger question over using public money for private schools.
In a dissent, Justice Leslie King wrote that Parents for Public Schools has proper legal standing because it represents parents of public school students. King also echoed the group’s main argument — that the Mississippi Constitution “forbids funds to be appropriated to schools that are not free.” The grants were put on hold after the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi, the Mississippi Center for Justice and Democracy Forward sued the state in June 2022 on behalf of Parents for Public Schools.
Hinds County Chancery Judge Crystal Wise Martin blocked the law in October 2022 after Parents for Public Schools argued the grants would give private schools a competitive advantage over public schools.
Education Funding Courts General News Domestic News MS State Wire Lawsuits Government And Politics Mississippi State Government Subsidies U.S. News Constitutions N Education U.S. News Politics
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Mississippi Supreme Court Revives 1864 Abortion LawThe Mississippi Supreme Court has revived an 1864 law that prohibits abortion at any time during pregnancy, except to save the life of the mother. The law also imposes prison sentences for individuals performing the procedure, leading to the closure of clinics in the state.
Read more »
Justice Thomas misses Supreme Court session Monday with no explanationSupreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is absent from the court Monday with no explanation.
Read more »
Justice Thomas misses Supreme Court session Monday with no explanationSupreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is absent from the court Monday with no explanation.
Read more »
Former Supreme Court Justice Breyer aims to return as visiting judge on federal appeals courtFormer Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is planning to serve as a visiting judge on the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston. Breyer, who retired in 2022, expressed his interest in a podcast and the appeals court confirmed his plans.
Read more »
Montenegro’s Supreme Court sends Do Kwon’s extradition case back to lower courtThe legal tussles in Montenegro’s courts continue as the country’s Supreme Court sends the question of Terraform Labs co-founder Do Kwon’s extradition back to a high court.
Read more »
Federal Court Strikes Down Mississippi's 'Jim Crow' Felon Disenfranchisement LawBrett Wilkins is a staff writer for Common Dreams.
Read more »