Institute of Justice
A public interest law firm based in Washington D.C. that litigates on cases where people’s civil rights are being restricted.
Category: Poverty & welfare
The National Marriage Project
The National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia conducts research and analysis on marriage issues. Brad Wilcox is director.
“Court Throws Out Florida School Voucher Program”
Listen to a Jan. 16, 2006, story from National Public Radio’s Morning Edition about the Florida Supreme Court ruling that the voucher program violates the state constitution and the difficulties the voucher movement faces.
“Comparing Private Schools and Public Schools Using Hierarchical Linear Modeling”
Voucher critics said the U.S. government report “Comparing Private Schools and Public Schools Using Hierarchical Linear Modeling,” released on July 14, 2006, shows that private schools are not significantly outperforming public schools, while U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings discounted the study. The study examines math and reading scores of private and public school students.
“Republicans Propose National School Voucher Program”
On July 18, 2006, Republicans proposed a $100 million national school voucher program that would let low-income children in underperforming schools move to a different public school or a private school, including religious ones.
“Louisiana Supreme Court rules school voucher funding unconstitutional”
On May 7, 2013, The Supreme Court of Louisiana ruled that the state’s voucher system was unconstitutional. The court said that the money going towards the program and the private schools the vouchers are used towards should be used towards the public school system instead.
Jennifer Jones-Bridgett
The Rev. Jennifer Jones-Bridgett is executive director the Louisiana chapter of People Improving Communities through Organizing, also known as PICO Louisiana or PICO LIFT (Louisiana Interfaith Together). This network of more than 100 faith communities has developed a “Covenant to Rebuild Louisiana,” which calls for clergy to work together with government leaders.
Jim Pate
Jim Pate is executive director of New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity, which worked to clean up homes damaged by Katrina and to build hundreds of new houses.
Roberta Avila
Roberta Avila is executive director of Steps Coalition and former executive director of the Interfaith Disaster Task Force of South Mississippi.