AP
A push by Orthodox Jewish, Catholic and other religious leaders to allow disabled children to be educated in private schools at taxpayers’ expense failed on Tuesday, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo vetoed legislation that would have authorized school districts to reimburse parents for tuition costs.
Public school funding advocates, who opposed the measure, called it an expensive step toward a voucher program, which isn’t allowed in New York.
“This bill unfairly places the burden on taxpayers to support the provision of a private education,” Cuomo said in his veto message. He said far more special education students would be placed in nonpublic schools under the bill at considerable cost to taxpayers.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the bill would have created “unsustainable financial burdens” for the state and city.
“The proposed legislation would have imposed another unfunded mandate on taxpayers across New York,” Bloomberg said.
Supporters of the measure passed by the Legislature said it would require school officials to consider the home life of a student with disabilities when placing them in a school. Some Orthodox Jewish and Christian leaders and parents of disabled students had supported that as best for a child raised in a religious home.
There was no immediate comment from the Orthodox Jewish leaders who led the fight.
“We believe that parents have the fundamental right to direct the education of their children,” said Dennis Poust of the New York State Catholic Conference. “This bill would have had a beneficial impact on many vulnerable children and their families, which is why it passed both houses of the Legislature. We will continue to fight for all children and families.”
The bill would have required a school district committee to consider the differences between a public school setting and the child’s religious home life and pay for nonpublic school tuition if that’s the best place for the child. A school district would have 90 days to grant or deny a parent’s choice and reimburse families for tuition.
The bill stated the fiscal impact was “undetermined.”
The vote in the Senate and Assembly appear to make an override of the veto unlikely.
Our Property tax pays 12,000 per public school student on average.
We all pay property tax, we should all have our (English) education paid for.
Just like in many other states across the US.
I am the author of No.3. You are incorrect. Special Education is different from general education and is covered under the law IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act). For general ed children, you might have an argument; the choice to go to a private school is there. For a child with special needs, a normal private school with 20+ children in a classroom is not an option. Going to a special ed school is sometimes a necessity. When the government demands that the child give up their religion or culture, this causes undue hardship on the child. Political correctness aside,… Read more »
BS”D
People, the monies kept from us by the government is the core of our chinuch crisis – let’s wake up and do something about it!!!!!!
Like T Goldman said, parents will continue to bring these cases to court. Board of Ed vs parents of children with special needs is costly to the state as well. Only parents who have traveled this rout understand the consequences of this veto. Although I am finished with the Board of Ed ,I was hoping that things would change for this generation. May Hashem give these parents the strength, patience ,wisdom and money to fight and win these cases .
D Reichman
special education costs the same whether the child goes to a private or public school, so why does it matter to the gov’t if they pay $90,000 to the public school special ed program or $90,000 to the special ed private school? the $90,000 is being spent regardless, so why loose the right to choose??
Like T Goldman said, besides the $90,000 the govt spends thousands of additional dollars on fighting e. case – at least $10,000 additional per case!
There law doesn’t state a religious education will be provided by the state. The fact is, is it even constitutional. The way the laws are set up- if you send your kids to any private schools the state is not responsible for providing anymore. You have basically signed out AMA. You made that choice. Would I love such a thing to help us? Sure! I am pay 2 tuitions for my kid to get sped. However, from a legal standpoint, I don’t have any standing to expect the gov. to pay for it since I CHOOSE a private school. I… Read more »
I am saddened that this bill was vetoed. I have a special needs child who must go to a special Ed school. The money, stress, and daily living is really hard. This would have made our lives and our children’s life much easier. So many have no understanding of what the fight is. Thank Hashem that there is friendship circle, which needs more donations, because they run great programs for the kids, siblings, and families. Please donate so that we can still have these special services, bcz for some of our children this is the only drum atmosphere they are… Read more »
There are NO BUDGET PROBLEMS IN AMERICA! IT’S A BIG LIE! The cost of crime in America is $1.7 Trillion Dollars a Year! Each American pays $5,000 per year for crime! There is no deficit…only a deficit of heart…and proper planning. Do we LOVE crime? If not…GET RID OF (MOST) OF IT! Is The American Criminal Justice System a ‘Fiefdom’ Unto Itself? The Aggregate Burden of Crime in America http://www7.esc.edu/vvernon/AggregateBurden_Anderson99.pdf ‘The 7 Noahide Laws’ N O W ! C I V I L I Z A T I O N NOW! ‘SAVE YOURSELVES AMERICANS…NOW…FROM YOURSELVES! If there were (G-d forbid)… Read more »
alternative marriages and domestic partnerships are legal but things like religion which promote family values and a traditional life are not acceptable right? oh puleeeeeeese, of course this special ed bill would never pass in NY it’s promotes conservative, traditional values and as we all know, NY is not exactly a bastion of conservatism.
very disturbing, disgusting and sad.
signed,
parent of a special ed child
DOES IT MEAN SIET IS OVER
It is unconstitutional to tell a child with a handicap the he will only be serviced in a setting that conflicts with his culture and upbringing. The IDEA law states the word ‘appropriate’ which Cuomo’s way is clearly not. The financial aspect is totally irrelevant as the government has the duty to provide jewish children just as much as non jewish children. They are even willing to spend the money so long as the child enters the public school system. In essence what Cuomo is sayingis, “being that you want your child to be raised as a religious jew, we… Read more »
Really stupid move on Cuomo’s part. It would be better to spend state money sending children to the proper placement to begin with than waste state money fighting the decisions school districts make. The fight to get this bill approved must be supported.
T Goldman
i really hope he has a suggestion for a better solution! at the very least give these families vouchers for their kids to go to camp! The kids would grow more there anyway!