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California court fight begins for parents wanting funds for special needs

“Loffman v. California Department of Education” challenges state law preventing financial support for certain students at religious schools.

The California Department of Education building in downtown
Sacramento. Credit: ZikG/Shutterstock.
The California Department of Education building in downtown Sacramento. Credit: ZikG/Shutterstock.

A trial starts on July 21 in order to support Orthodox Jewish children in overcoming mental and physical challenges in their quests to learn. The plaintiffs argue that all students deserve the same level of state support, regardless of whether they attend a faith-based or public institution.

Loffman v. California Department of Education will be argued on Friday beginning at 10:30 a.m. PST at the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles.

The Becket Fund for religious liberty has sponsored the suit on behalf of three couples of Orthodox Jewish parents: Chaya and Yoni Loffman; Fedora Nick and Morris Taxon; and Sarah and Ariel Perets. Two Becket lawyers, Laura Slavis and Nick Reaves, will present arguments.

Back in March, Eric Rassbach, Becket vice president and senior counsel, said of the case: “It takes a special kind of chutzpah to deny Jewish kids with disabilities equal access to special-education benefits.”

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