The Council on American-Islamic Relations Texas (CAIR-Texas) today welcomed a federal judge’s order that the application period for the state’s voucher program be extended to March 31, citing concerns about fairness and equal access.
U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett granted a temporary restraining order to extend the application window for families seeking school vouchers. In his ruling, Judge Bennett called it “troubling” that no Islamic schools have been approved to participate in the program. A group of Islamic schools and Muslim parents are suing the exclusion of Islamic schools from the program.
SEE: Judge extends voucher application window amid block on Islamic schools
SEE ALSO: Texas is losing its religion by excluding Islamic schools from voucher program – San Antonio Express-News
Earlier this year, CAIR-Texas sent a letter to the Comptroller and called on the community to urge the Attorney General and Comptroller to end the exclusion of Muslim families in TEFA.
SEE: CAIR-Texas Letter to Comptroller
In a statement, CAIR-Texas said:
“We welcome the court’s decision to extend the application deadline and recognize the serious concerns raised about the exclusion of Islamic schools from Texas’ voucher program. We commend the plaintiffs in this case, along with their legal counsel, for bringing forward this challenge and ensuring these inequities are addressed.”
“The lack of approved Islamic schools raises important questions about whether the program is being implemented in a fair, inclusive and nondiscriminatory manner. We urge state officials to take immediate steps to ensure that faith-based schools, including Islamic institutions, are given a fair opportunity to participate.
“CAIR-Texas will continue to monitor this issue closely and advocate for the rights of Muslim students, parents, and educators across our state.”
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: Shaimaa Zayan, CAIR-Austin Operations Manager, szayan@cair.com, 512-785-7105; Mustafaa Carroll, CAIR-DFW Executive Director, mcarroll@cair.com, 469-531-3844; Sameeha Rizvi, CAIR Austin Civic Engagement Organizer, srizvi@cair.com, 512-893-1371; Imran Ghani, Director, CAIR-Texas Houston, ighani@cair.com, 713-922-5270