Court Opinion

ID: 9722062
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 09:16:06.757738+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:24:30.425487
License: Public Domain

TOML JANOVICH, Justice
(concurring specially).
I agree with the judgment of the majority, but not its reasoning.
The majority concludes that the structure and the words of the state constitution indicate that public education is a right of fundamental importance. I agree with this conclusion. As the dissent properly points out, when a fundamental right is at issue, we are to apply strict scrutiny analysis, not rational basis analysis. I believe that the funding-decision the legislature has made in the statute before us survives strict scrutiny analysis.
The question in this case essentially is whether it is constitutionally proper for the state legislature to allow local governments to augment the funding for public education provided by the state. The fundamental right conferred by the state constitution is to “a general and uniform” education. The plaintiffs in this case do not argue that they receive inadequate educations. Thus the question before us is whether the education funding system is “uniform” within the meaning of the state constitution.
Under the funding system in question, the state provides the same amount of funding for each student. Thus, I believe the state is fulfilling its constitutionally imposed duty to provide a uniform system of education for Minnesota’s students attending public schools.
In applying strict scrutiny analysis the state must have a compelling interest and must choose a narrowly drawn method of achieving that end. I believe the state has a compelling interest in encouraging additional public money to be spent on education. Allowing localities to augment the state contribution is a carefully crafted method furthering this goal. This means, of course, that some students ultimately have more money spent on their educations because they live in districts which are either wealthier or choose to spend a larger portion of their tax revenues on education. As I have explained, I do not believe that this funding scheme infringes a fundamental right. Nor does it impact on a suspect class. As the majority explains, the United States Supreme Court has not deemed economic classifications to be suspect classes within the meaning of the Equal Protection Clause. Furthermore, while wealth may play a factor in whether a district will be willing and able to augment the state funding, it is clearly not the only factor.
In sum, the state provides an adequate and uniform education, which it allows localities to augment. Because the state’s portion of the funding is equally distributed — and provides the funding for an adequate education — I believe the requirements of strict scrutiny have been met. The method the legislature has chosen is narrowly tailored to the end of having as much money spent on education as is feasible while at the same time providing a funding floor beneath which the education of any individual student may not sink.
I concur in the judgment of the court.