Judge sides with state in school finance hearing
Education Legal Alliance and other plaintiffs weigh response
Published: January 25, 2011
Alameda County Superior Court Judge Steven Brick on Jan. 14 sustained the state’s demurrer challenging Robles-Wong v. California, the school finance lawsuit filed last spring by CSBA’s Education Legal Alliance, the California State PTA and the Association of California School Administrators, as well as a broad coalition of nine school districts and more than 60 individual students and their families.
“We strongly disagree with the court’s decision, and are strategizing on how best to push this lawsuit forward. The harmful effects of California’s irrational education funding system on schools are all too real, and regardless of this ruling, I believe every parent, teacher, and school district would agree that our students deserve the resources that will provide an equal opportunity for all to meet California's learning expectations,” said Education Legal Alliance Director Richard Hamilton.
The lawsuit argues that the California Constitution provides a fundamental right to an education and that the current irrational and insufficient school finance system has failed to deliver that education to our students. The coalition that brought the lawsuit will assess further legal options and decide how best to move forward. Updated on the developments Jan. 22, CSBA’s Board of Directors voted unanimously in support of attorneys’ continued study of the most promising and effective legal avenues available.
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