SEATTLE – Liv Finne, Washington Policy Center’s Center for Education director, is praising the State Supreme Court’s ruling today that affirms the constitutionality of Washington’s charter school law.

Finne issued the following statement:

Today's court decision is great news for charter school families and should end the WEA union's political effort to shut down their schools. Now we need to make sure that charter school families receive equitable funding and fair treatment within the public school system.  If we want to truly educate every child in the state we need to give parents and students choices. Our public charter schools are serving over 3500 students whose needs were not being met by their traditional public schools.  These charter schools give hope to over 1000 kids who are currently on the waiting lists to attend them.  Children don’t all learn the same way.  Charters recognize that and give parents options to find the best fit for their child.

Last night at WPC’s Eastern Washington Annual Dinner in Spokane, former vice-presidential candidate  Joe Lieberman called for members of his party to support educational choice.

Lieberman explained, “In a lot of [state] legislatures... when you look at those votes on school choice, more and more Democrats are supporting school choice because they know that’s what their low-income, minority constituents and their consciences tell them that’s what they should be doing.”