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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 10, 1998

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- National Education Association (NEA) President Bob Chase called the Wisconsin supreme court decision allowing the use of taxpayer-funded vouchers to send Milwaukee children to religious schools "a bad decision."

"We believe the decision is flatly wrong and bad for children," said Chase. "Vouchers are no better today than they were yesterday. They simply distract us from working on reforms that will make a difference for our students."

The state supreme court ruled 4-2 to allow a voucher program in the city of Milwaukee to include religious schools. "These tax dollars could be better spent on smaller classes, modernizing Milwaukee schools, and helping teachers become the most qualified they can be -- improvements that will help every Milwaukee child," said the NEA president.

"It is important to remember that this ruling is limited to Wisconsin," Chase continued, "and does not legalize the use of vouchers to send children to religious schools in other states."

NEA General Counsel Bob Chanin indicated that NEA will continue the fight in the courts, saying, "This may be the final word on the Wisconsin Constitution, but it is certainly not the final word on the First Amendment. We will file a petition for review with the U.S. Supreme Court," Chanin said, "and are hopeful that the Court will overturn this poorly reasoned and incorrect decision."