The Southern Poverty Law Center is suing Mississippi over charter-school funding, describing it as an unconstitutional scheme that diverts public tax dollars from traditional public schools. The lawsuit, filed by the advocacy group on July 11 on behalf of seven Jackson Public Schools district parents, seeks to close the existing charter schools and prevent any more from opening. It calls for the court to strike down the funding provisions of the Mississippi Charter School Act.

The Mississippi constitution requires schools to be under the supervision of the state and local boards of education to receive public funding. But under the act, charter schools receive public funding even though they are exempt from the oversight of the state Board of Education, the Mississippi Department of Education and local boards of education.

More than $1.85 million was diverted from the Jackson district to fund the charter schools in one school year, an amount that could have paid the salaries of 42 public school teachers, according to the lawsuit.

The Clarion-Ledger, July 12