Last year the North Carolina General Assembly passed and Governor McCrory signed legislation creating the Opportunity Scholarship program. The program provides vouchers of up to $4,200 to low income students to attend the school of their choice. Over 4,500 families qualified and applied for the program and were anxiously awaiting the opportunity to attend a new school this fall. In late February however, Wake County Superior Court Judge Robert Hobgood issued an injunction blocking implementation of the law. The injunction prevents the state from awarding about 2,400 vouchers for the 2014-15 school year.
The judge’s actions freeze the hopes or aspirations of thousands of families who were counting on the Opportunity Scholarship as a vehicle for a better education. The families and students who applied for the scholarship are real people who are often trapped in difficult circumstances. The Opportunity Scholarship is a powerful tool that empowers parents and students to take control over their education.
Our friends at Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina have started a new campaign that chronicles the stories of the North Carolina parents who qualified for and applied for the Opportunity Scholarship but were subsequently denied when a judge’s injunction stopped the program from moving forward. The campaign is titled, One of 4,500.
Listen to their stories; hear of their hopes and disappointments and learn why North Carolina should move forward with the Opportunity Scholarship Program.
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