Community Reacts to Alabama Accountability Act Being Overturned

by WAKA Action 8 News

A Montgomery judge has overturned the Alabama Accountability Act, saying parts of the act are unconstitutional.
But with a new school year beginning in just months, how will this ruling affect students who had planned to take advantage of the tax credits or scholarship money? 
 

Some people are thrilled with this ruling and others are outraged. But the fact is, there are children in the center of all of this who are now in limbo. The Alabama Accountability Act gives tax credits to parents moving their children from failing schools into private or non failing schools but now that’s on hold.

Father Manuel Williams directs Resurrection Catholic School in Montgomery, a school that’s accepted new students under the Alabama Accountability Act. He says there’s a level of uncertainty now that the Act has been overturned.

“As we prepare for the 2014-2015 academic year, we already have about 40 new applications.”

Williams says this past year, more than 60 families took advantage of the scholarship opportunities provided by the act.

“The harm to us is that it does not allow individuals to make contributions to those SGLs, to those granting organizations.”

Montgomery County Circuit Judge Gene Reese ruled the law unconstitutional because it covers more than one subject. But State Representative John Knight says there’s more that’s wrong with it.

“What’s morally wrong with it, is the way that it was done,” he says. “To try to limit debate, try to keep people from being able to add amendments. ”

The Southern Poverty Law Center has filed a suit challenging the act on equal protection grounds. Deputy Legal Director Jerri Katzerman says she’s pleased with the judge’s ruling.

“We believe the plantiffs in the case were vindicated, that the circumstances around the passage of the Alabama Accountability Act were suspicious and questionable,” she says.

Though those who support what the act did are upset. Duncan Kirkwood worked to enroll students under the Accountability Act, and says he’s now disheartened.

“Everything that is about education in Alabama seems to be associated with politics,” he says. “As opposed to it being associated with what’s best for our children and that model has consistently failed our kids.”

The Institute for Justice will appeal the ruling. Senator Dick Brewbaker says he believes an appellate judge will uphold the Accountability Act.

“I have a feeling that as it’s appealed to the Alabama Supreme Court, that the Accountability Act will remain in force,” he says.

52 students statewide have transfered to private schools under the Alabama Accountability Act.