Three Catholic families filed a lawsuit on August 24 in DeKalb County Superior Court challenging a rule in Georgia's Promise Scholarship Program that requires a student to attend public school for at least two semesters before becoming eligible for the program's aid. The scholarship, worth up to $6,500 a year, can otherwise be used for private school tuition, homeschooling, or therapy services.
The families, represented by the Thomas More Society, argue the requirement forces them to set aside their religious obligation to give their children a Catholic education in order to qualify. The state already exempts military families and incoming kindergartners from the rule but offers no religious exemption. The families are asking the court to act quickly, since the application window for the coming semester closes August 31.