Word released Friday evening puts families of more than 22,000 Alaskan students in jeopardy. Families who receive public funding allotments for public correspondence (homeschool) students were dealt a big blow. Judge Adolf Zeman ruled in favor of NEA-Alaska who funded the case against families using the allotments for private vendor purchases. The judge did not tweak or define what was allowable or not allowable with the allotment program but threw out the section of statute altogether.
With 15% of Alaska’s students in correspondence programs, this decision is hugely consequential for these many families all over the state. It also is hugely consequential as far as the state’s budget. If these children were to move back into our brick-and-mortar schools, the cost would be enormous. At present, the average public funds expended for a public correspondence student is $5364 compared to over $22,000 per student attending a brick-and-mortar school.
Blaine Amendment is in Question
Although the Alaska State Constitution says: “No money shall be paid from public funds for the direct benefit of any religious or other private educational institution” the US Supreme Court has ruled that public dollars can be used at religious institutions if the state allows them to be used at private institutions. In other words, the SCOTUS has indicated there are problems with the “Blaine Amendment” that is incorporated into many state constitutions prohibiting public dollars directed to parochial schools.
Alaska’s constitution is a bit different, however. Its “Blaine Amendment” doesn’t just prohibit public dollars from being used for religious institutions but for any private institutions as well.
Hypocrisy at Its Finest
There’s a problem though. In Alaska, hundreds of millions of public dollars have been used for many years for the private non-profit Headstart program, for programs, courses, textbooks, educational materials from private educational institution vendors, for student loan payments to private and religious colleges, private vocational training programs, and more.
NEA-Alaska and others have ignored this distribution of public funds to these private institutions. They’ve turned a blind eye. The fact that this has been happening over the years, however, may be exactly the information needed in the higher courts to fix the mess this judge has created.
Disruptive, Disconcerting, and Disturbing
In light of state dollars having been spent in other venues for decades for private and religious education, to suddenly target K-12 public correspondence students and strike down the use of public dollars for outside vendors is disruptive, disconcerting, and disturbing.
But Don’t Be Distraught
I have no doubt a stay will be requested and granted so the students can finish out the school year. I also have no doubt the State of Alaska will appeal the decision.
Hang in there, homeschool families. With persistence, we will get this straightened out.
