Section 12. Education expense grants and local option

Education expense grants and local option

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution, the General Assembly may provide for payment of education expense grants from any State or local public funds for the private education of any child for whom no public school is available or for the private education of a child who is assigned against the wishes of his parent, or the person having control of such child, to a public school attended by a child of another race. A grant shall be available only for education in a nonsectarian school, and in the case of a child assigned to a public school attended by a child of another race, a grant shall, in addition, be available only when it is not reasonable and practicable to reassign such child to a public school not attended by a child of another race.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution, the General Assembly may provide for a uniform system of local option whereby any local option unit, as defined by the General Assembly, may choose by a majority vote of the qualified voters in the unit who vote on the question to suspend or to authorize the suspension of the operation of one or more or all of the public schools in that unit.
No action taken pursuant to the authority of this Section shall in any manner affect the obligation of the State or any political subdivision or agency thereof with respect to any indebtedness heretofore or hereafter created.