SK> -> *6   THE CARTER CASE:  A SPECIAL-ED DILEMMA FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS   
SK> A
SK> -> 1993 U.S. Supreme Court decision that requires school
SK> -> districts to reimburse parents of special-needs children for any
SK> -> private school tuition if the public school system is seen as
SK> -> inadequate has caused financial stress to many school districts
SK> -> (Belluck, N.Y. TIMES, 10/27).  The case, Florence County School
SK> -> District 4 vs. Carter, was viewed as "a blow to public schools,"
SK> -> when, in a unanimous decision, the court decided to award parents
SK> -> public funds when they transferred their special-needs children to
SK> -> private schools, even ones not approved by the local school
    This case will destroy parent support for public schools.
    Parents of "regular" kids will resent the fact that their family does not 
have the same right to what amounts to a voucher to attend the private school 
of their choice as any parent lucky enough to get his kid designated 
special-needs.
   
SK> -> but I don't see any easy way out of this one," commented Norman
SK> -> Fruchter, director of the Institute for Education and Social
SK> -> Policy of New York U.  "The ability to demonstrate that kids
SK> -> aren't getting what they need in the public system is one that
SK> -> any parent with a good lawyer can make," he added.
    But parents of "regular" kids don't get the same "right" to make the same 
arguments, which in many districts _any_ parent could make.  And public 
support for public schools will drop precipitously as the vast majority of 
parents realize they are being forced to fund vouchers that they cannot get 
for their kid.
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