Parents of private school students cannot be part of a lawsuit over whether the state can send taxpayer money to their kids’ schools. Michigan Public Radio’s Cheyna Roth reports.
The state wants to give religious schools money to cover things the state requires like background checks and safety drills. Several public school organizations sued to stop the payments. They say the state constitution prohibits public money going to private schools.
Several religious organizations, lawmakers and parents tried to join the lawsuit with the state.
The Court of Appeals says they can’t do that.
Dan Korobkin is an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union. He says letting the other people join the lawsuit would bog the case down with other issues.
“It’s not like the state was failing to defend the appropriation." Korobkin says. "The Attorney General’s office came in and they did their job.”
The religious organizations and parents argued they had a right to be included in the case because they would be affected by the outcome.