Black ministers from across South Carolina announced Wednesday that they've formed a new group to support school choice. They're called Clergy for Educational Options, or CEO.

Chairman Dr. Roy Jeffcoat, pastor of St. Luke Baptist Church in Winnsborok, says, "The CEO believes that improving education for all children is the most important issue facing South Carolina today."

But while they support school choice, they won't say they support completely Gov. Mark Sanford's "Put Parents In Charge Act". It would provide state tax credits and scholarships to low- and middle-income families to send their children to another public school, a private school or to teach them at home.

They say black pastors have always been important leaders and spokesmen in their community, so they're joining the debate to make sure their voices are heard on this issue.

While they won't endorse the governor's plan, much of what they will say supports him. "It has been proven in states where choice already exists that school choice will benefit not only the children who are able to transfer out of failing public schools, but the public schools themselves," says Rev. Derrick Hutchins, pastor of Family Worship Center in Columbia.

Critics of the governor's plan say it would drain much-needed money from our public schools. And they say children in rural areas won't have more options because there are few or no private schools nearby.

But CEO members say, "It's immoral and unjust to ask those parents to keep hoping for the best while limiting their options."