Judge Blocks Wyoming School Choice Program For Now

A  Laramie County District Court Judge on Friday issued an injunction against the first payouts of a program that would would make $7,000 available for parents to pay for homeschooling or private schools for their children.

The Wyoming Legislature passed the Steamboat Legacy Scholarship Act earlier this year. You can read the bill here.

The Wyoming Education Association and nine parents of public school kids asked Judge Peter Froehlicher to block the implementation of the act. Friday's injunction puts the distribution of funds to families on hold until he can issue a written order, which will probably happen in mid-July.

The WEA opposes the bill because they say it violates the Wyoming Constitution's requirements for a quality, uniform education for all Wyoming students and because it gives money to schools that are not under state supervision.

But supporters of the measure say no one is harmed by it's implementation.. They say that on the other hand, blocking it deprives Wyoming families of the ability to get the best possible education for their children.

Freohlicher's injunction will block the first round of payments to families under the bill, but applications for the program and other administrative functions can continue. Those payments would have started going out on Tuesday, July 1.

Reactions To The Ruling

Americans for Prosperity-Wyoming, which supports the program, issued the following statement on the injunction:

“Today’s injunction is the latest effort by self-absorbed teachers’ union officials to stand in the way of Wyoming families’ ability to secure the best education possible for their children. Thousands of families will now be prevented from accessing critical dollars for tuition, therapies, tutoring, and other expenses."
“The teachers’ union’s reprehensible crusade proves that these officials are not advocates for Wyoming children. They are advocates for themselves.”

Needless to say, the Wyoming Education Association does not agree with that opinion:

We respect the court’s careful approach in temporarily pausing the program,” Wyoming Education Association President Kim Amen said. “Preserving the status quo allows time for a thorough review of the legal and constitutional issues involved, which are of great importance to Wyoming’s public education system. We believe it’s critical that public funds remain dedicated to supporting the public schools that serve 93% of Wyoming’s students.”