Contact: Scott Gunderson Rosa, (202) 833-6130

For Immediate Release: November 15, 2000

Washington, D.C. ­ Latino voters rejected a school voucher proposal in California last week with a resounding 77 percent voting against Proposition 38. The proposition would have allocated $4,000 of taxpayer money to any student in kindergarten through 12th grade wishing to attend a private school. The outcome reinforces the commitment to public schools in America.

"I think the Latino community has made it clear that we want our taxpayer money used to improve the public school system," said Rick Dovalina, LULAC National President. "Latinos in California and throughout the country reiterated that public education is the number one issue on the Latino agenda."

Californians overall voted 71 percent to 29 percent to defeat the proposal. Michigan also had a ballot initiative, Proposal 1, that would have granted school vouchers to public school students. That measure was opposed by 69 percent of Michigan voters.

"November 7th not only showed that Latinos are against vouchers, but that the nation as a whole, regardless of race, wants to see our public schools provide a better education and address the problems that we currently face," continued Dovalina. "This was the vote of confidence that the public schools needed."

Voucher advocates spent over $45 million on behalf of their cause and have vowed to continue fighting for pro-voucher initiatives.

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization in the United States. LULAC advances the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health, and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide.