Indiana Supreme Court to hear arguments on school voucher law

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - The state's school voucher program is up for debate before the Indiana Supreme Court Wednesday.

The court will determine if the program violates the state constitution by amounting to government support to churches by compelling taxpayers to pay for religious schools.  The state attorney general's office and other defenders say no one is compelled because parents can send their kids wherever they want.

One of the named plaintiffs in the lawsuit is former Lafayette School Corporation superintendent Ed Eiler.  He plans to be in the courtroom.  Eiler said with the appointment of new justices, including Tippecanoe County's own Lorretta Rush, it's tough to guess where they will come down on the case.

"The issues before the court, one can only hope that the justices will look at it as a question of legal argument and that politics does not enter the conversation," Eiler said.

A lower court has upheld the voucher law.

Eiler said if his side loses, he anticipates that it will be challenged on different constitutional arguments by other people.