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North Carolina Education Expense Grants and Local School Suspension Votes Amendment (September 1956)

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North Carolina Education Expense Grants and Local School Suspension Votes Amendment

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Election date

September 8, 1956

Topic
Race and ethnicity issues and School choice policy
Status

OverturnedOverturned

Type
Legislatively referred constitutional amendment
Origin

State legislature



North Carolina Education Expense Grants and Local School Suspension Votes Amendment was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in North Carolina on September 8, 1956. Voters approved the constitutional amendment. In 1996, a three-judge federal district court panel held the state constitutional amendment to violate the federal constitution.[1]

A "yes" vote supported this constitutional amendment to:

  • allow for education expense grants using public funds for a child's private nonsectarian education when (a) no public school is available or (b) the child is assigned to a racially integrated public school against the parent's wishes and 
  • provide that voters can decide on local ballot measures to suspend the operation of public schools.

A "no" vote opposed this constitutional amendment to allow for education expense grants using public funds for a child's private nonsectarian education in certain situations and provide that voters can decide on local ballot measures to suspend the operation of public schools.


Aftermath

In 1966, a three-judge federal district court panel held the state constitutional amendment to violate the federal constitution, writing, "The school boards of this state may not escape the obligation to comply with the mandate of Brown vs. Board of Education."[1]

Election results

North Carolina Education Expense Grants and Local School Suspension Votes Amendment

Result Votes Percentage

Approved Yes

471,657 82.25%
No 101,767 17.75%
Results are officially certified.
Source


Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Education Expense Grants and Local School Suspension Votes Amendment was as follows:

[ ] FOR constitutional amendment authorizing education expense grants for private education and authorizing local vote to suspend local schools. [ ] AGAINST constitutional amendment authorizing education expense grants for private education and authorizing local vote to suspend local schools.

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.


Path to the ballot

The North Carolina State Legislature can refer statewide ballot measures, in the form of constitutional amendments and bond issues, to the ballot for statewide elections.

North Carolina requires a 60% vote in each legislative chamber during a single legislative session to refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 72 votes in the North Carolina House of Representatives and 30 votes in the North Carolina Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

Statutes, including bond issues, require a simple majority vote in each legislative chamber during one legislative session and the governor's signature to appear on the ballot.

See also


External links

Footnotes