Islamic school scandal sparks voucher review in Ohio legislature

Church & State, Mar 2000

Lawmakers in Ohio are considering new legislation that would place additional regulations on private schools participating in the state's voucher program, in the wake of reports that an Islamic school received tax money for students it had never enrolled.

A state audit found last year that the Islamic Academy School of Arts and Sciences had received $70,000 from the state by claiming to have enrolled students who were in fact not attending the institution. The school, which also had a convicted murderer on staff, shut down in the wake of the disclosures. State Auditor Jim Petro later issued a report saying that the Academy owes the state $69,967 for voucher payments it received for non-existent students. The Academy also billed the state $11,723 for utility bills and $5,250 in taxi fares to transport the fictitious students.

"It boils down to we've moved too much, too fast:' George Boas, a legislative aide to state Sen. C.J. Prentiss, told Education Week. Prentiss' bill would require that all voucher schools undergo site visits by the Ohio Department of Education. It has already passed the state Senate.

In other news about vouchers:

New Jersey residents are looking for another big push for vouchers. The Newark Star-Ledger reported in January that Jersey City Mayor Bret Schundler (R) has teamed up with Democratic Newark City Councilman Cory Booker and Peter Denton, a wealthy businessman, to push for religious school aid in the state.

Schundler, Booker and Denton have formed a group called Excellent Education for Everyone (E-Cubed), which they have used to court Jersey City black leaders who are angry over the poor performance of the public schools. In late January the three traveled to Milwaukee to talk with voucher supporters there. While there they met with Mikel Holt, a radical black nationalist and newspaper publisher, who explained that he "pimp slapped" voucher opponents.

For a list of states facing voucher bills, visit Americans United's website at www.au.org.

California School Vouchers 2000 is circulating petitions in an effort to win a spot for a voucher initiative on the California ballot this fall. The drive is headed by Tim Draper, a Silicon Valley businessman. Under Draper's plan, the state would authorize vouchers, called "scholarships," worth $4,000 to subsidize private school tuition.

A retired Catholic bishop has written a letter to Vice President Al Gore, complaining about an anti-voucher television ad Gore has been airing in early primary states. Bishop Mark J. Hurley of Santa Rosa took issue with Gore's use of language when the vice president said in the ad, I think it would be a big mistake to drain money away from public schools with vouchers that give money to private schools." Gore adds that private schools are fine but says they should not be funded "with money designated for public schools, where 90 percent of our American children go."

Hurley said Gore's use of the words "our" and "American" implied that "religious schools are not really 'ours' and are just a bit less than fully 'American."' He also accused Gore of lying by saying that voucher plans would take money from public schools. Lastly, he accused the vice president of "skirting on the cusp" of anti-Catholicism in the ad.

A new poll shows that most Americans oppose tax aid to private and religious schools. The January survey, conducted for CNN and USA Today by the Gallup polling firm, found that 60 percent said no when asked, "Should the government spend money to assist lowincome families who want to send their children to private or religious schools?" Thirty-six percent said yes.