BATON ROUGE, La. -- Louisiana should spend $10 million in taxpayer money to get New Orleans children out of failing schools and into private schools, the House voted on Wednesday.

The bill is a favorite of Gov. Bobby Jindal and fiercely opposed by public school advocates, who argue that state money should be spent on improving existing public schools. Rep. Patricia Smith compared supporters of the bill to Judas, saying they were betraying children and the public school system.

"I urge you not to sell out the children of our state," said Smith, D-Baton Rouge.

The measure would pay private school tuition costs for lower income parents of 1,500 children in one of the worst school systems in the country.

Supporters argued the state should take advantage of that city's well-regarded system of private schools.

"I think that this gives families an opportunity to make a valid choice for their children," said Rep. Michael Jackson, D-Baton Rouge.

The House sent it to the Senate with a vote of 60-42.

The sponsor, Rep. Austin Badon, fought off a string of amendments and a procedural move from opponents, who sought to stall the proposal or make it unpalatable to other lawmakers. Rep. Karen Carter Peterson, D-New Orleans, failed in an attempt to send it to a second committee; Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-New Orleans, tried unsuccessfully to make the bill applicable statewide, rather than in New Orleans only.

The measure is key to Jindal's agenda for the legislative session. The governor included the $10 million for the idea in his budget proposal before Badon filed his bill.

The proposal would apply to children in kindergarten through third grade in the 2008-09 school year, with subsequent grades added each year thereafter. Children from families earning up to 2.5 times the current federal poverty level -- or about $53,000 for a family of four -- would be eligible. If there are applicants at a school than there are available seats, the school would choose participants randomly.

Backers said it would provide them with needed choices to escape the city's most dismal schools. Badon, D-New Orleans, stressed that the $10 million would not come from the state education budget known as the Minimum Foundation Program.

Opponents noted that the New Orleans school system has been overhauled since Hurricane Katrina hit in August 2005, with the state taking over numerous schools and allowing private "charter" organizations to run many. Others said it's wrong to divert state money to private schools when more money is needed for public schools.

"I know things are broken down there in New Orleans, but I really, honestly believe that our public school system can go down there and fix what's broken," said Rep. James Armes, D-Leesville.

A similar bill, by Sen. Ann Duplessis, D-New Orleans, awaits a vote in the Senate.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

APTV 05-14-08 1946CDT