A radio advertisement running in New Orleans harshly criticizes state Rep. Karen Carter Peterson for her fight against a Jindal administration bill that would let some of the city's school children attend private schools at taxpayer expense.

A transcript provided by All Children Matter, the national organization that takes credit for the ad, states: "Almost every New Orleans leader is working for our recovery. But one politician is trying to block a plan to give our kids a better opportunity for a quality education. It's Karen Carter Peterson."

It gives a phone number, for those who support the bill, to call Peterson.

"We are pointing out just the issue that her rhetoric is very dangerous to our cause, and that's offering children more choices," Polly Broussard, a former state education board member who is the Louisiana contact for ACM, said Monday. She said ACM is the only organization paying for the ad.

In Baton Rouge on Monday, Peterson blasted the ad as a personal attack and said she believes Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration supports the ad.

"Our governor, and the people surrounding him -- who I believe may be bringing him down -- may want to change course," said Peterson.

Jindal's spokeswoman, Melissa Sellers, did not respond when asked whether chief of staff Timmy Teepell or other administration officials were aware of the ad by All Children Matter.

Peterson noted that ACM has supported her in the past. On Monday afternoon her name remained on an ACM Web site listing her among "supporters of meaningful education reform."

Peterson also took specific aim Monday at Believe in Louisiana, a private group headed by publisher Rolfe McCollister that supports the Jindal agenda.

McCollister said his group paid for a different "completely positive" ad that ran on New Orleans radio stations last week. That ad, according to a transcript, does not mention Peterson by name but does criticize lawmakers for "still arguing about" the program.

Peterson remained critical of both groups later Monday, saying she believes they are working in concert.

Rep. Austin Badon, D-New Orleans and the House sponsor of the Jindal bill, also criticized the ads. "I reject these ads. I denounce them," said Badon.    Jindal has proposed spending $10 million from the state's general fund this year to send up to 1,500 children from low- to moderate-income families to private schools that meet certain requirements. The House and Senate education committees have each approved versions of the proposal. The full House is scheduled to take a vote on Badon's version on Wednesday.

Backers say the measure is a scholarship plan that will provide a needed choice to escape a long-failing school system.

Opponents say it is a "voucher" program similar to others that have been rejected in the past. They note recent improvements in student test scores and say that families now have numerous education choices in the city, thanks to post-Hurricane Katrina changes that put most New Orleans public schools under state control -- with many of them handed over to private "charter" organizations. They argue that the $10 million would be better spent on more public school improvements.