TALLAHASSEE -- Invoking images of God, civil rights and apple pie, Republican leaders urged thousands of cheering parents and children to lobby lawmakers for what may be a final battle over the nation's only statewide voucher system. The state's Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that the Opportunity Scholarship Program is unconstitutional. The program uses taxpayer money to pay private school tuition for about 700 children in schools that fail to meet testing guidelines.

While some detractors say the program violates the separation of church and state by using public money to send students to church-run schools, the court didn't address that issue. Instead, it ruled the program unconstitutionally created a separate but unequal school system because private schools don't have the same requirements as public schools, such as teacher qualifications and the mandated use of the FCAT assessments.

It was a striking scene Wednesday as a predominantly black crowd outside of the Capitol cheered as white, millionaire politicians promoted the voucher plan as an antidote to class and racial inequalities.

"In Florida and the United States today, if you've got money, you can make a choice," said Gov. Jeb Bush. "What about the children whose parents don't have the ability based on income to make that choice? Don't they have the same dreams? God gives every child the ability to learn. God does that."