The verdict in a federal trial in Texas against a school district accused of allowing a suspected COVID virus transmission from one pupil to another could set the tone for the nation’s health care system and school system.
The decision on Tuesday, by a five-judge panel in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, is expected to determine whether the Texas Public Education Agency, the agency tasked with administering the state’s school-based voucher program, has engaged in a pattern or practice of discriminating against poor students.
Texas is one of a handful of states that have enacted their own voucher programs, and the courts have ruled they have a place in the health care insurance market and can be used for free or reduced-cost care.
But the case will determine whether school districts and public health agencies can be sued in federal court over whether they discriminate based on race, sex, religion, disability, age, and other characteristics.
The court ruling in favor of the voucher program in May of last year led to a wave of protests and protests against the schools and other entities that have been accused of discriminating based on students.
But after the trial ended, the schools were allowed to reopen and continue serving students.