A North Carolina judge on Friday blocked a new law that would have allowed taxpayer money to go for tuition at private or religious schools. Wake County Superior Court Judge Robert Hobgood ruled Friday that awarding annual grants of up to $4,200 a year per student violated the state constitution. Attorney Christine Bischoff with the North Carolina Justice Center fought the program.

Bischoff said, "We're just very thankful that the judge enjoined the program, so that they can't continue to take public money out of our public schools and put that money into private schools." 

North Carolina Rep. Paul Stam of Wake County sat in on the ruling Friday. According to WTVD, Stam said, "This is only the second quarter of the game, and we can fix the problem that Judge Hobgood discerned in the statute in the short session."

More than 4,000 families had applied for the grants that were scheduled to be awarded next month. Stam predicts the legislature will appropriate $10 to $12 million to public schools to replace the money for the voucher program.

Meanwhile, a lawyer representing two parents, who want the grants, says an appeal is planned.