Foes seek signatures for referendum petition
By Wendy Leonard
Deseret Morning News
Less than 24 hours after the Legislature adjourned, opponents of the school voucher program applied for a referendum petition that could land a final decision in the hands of voters in the next general election.
Utahns for Public Schools, a group formed to head up the task of gathering nearly 100,000 signatures — 91,998 to be exact — in the next 40 days, filed the application asking Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert to consider their cause.
"This is so important that the people in this state should get to vote on it," said Pat Rusk, former president of the Utah Education Association. "We are going to make sure that the citizens of Utah get to decide if they want their tax dollars going to private schools."
Rusk, one of six whose signatures appear on the application, said the group is made up of thousands of concerned residents and has a "high hurdle" to get that many signatures in so few days. "But we are going to make it our lives until it is accomplished."
The voucher program, formally called the Parents for Choice in Education Act, would give Utah families private school tuition vouchers ranging from $500 to $3,000 per student depending on income. Lawmakers passed the measure, dishing out $12 million to get it started, and the governor signed off on the deal.
Supporters of the referendum believe the money could be better spent making necessary reforms in public schools, including decreasing class sizes and bolstering the quality of Utah teachers.
Nancy Pomeroy, spokeswoman for Parents for Choice in Education, said the referendum was not unexpected and that "greed" is the underlying motive.
"It's the parents and children versus unions and educrats," she said.
However, opponents of vouchers say it isn't about the money, as public education was awarded more than ever before, receiving nearly $500 million in extra funds this year.
"I don't expect a tax break to recoup some money for a private choice," said Granite School District Board President Sarah R. Meier, another who signed the application. She compared the idea of public monies going to private schools to buying books that are already available at public libraries, which are funded by tax dollars.
"I believe it's a bad philosophy for a private choice," she said.
A third signer was Jeanetta Williams, president of the Salt Lake Branch of the NAACP. She said the organization made the decision to oppose vouchers to avoid potential segregation in schools in the future.
"It would take us back to before Brown v. Board of Education, and we'd see more segregation in schools than not," Williams said, adding that those families who could afford to send their children to private schools would most likely be white and minorities would once again be left where they can afford to be educated — in public schools.
Others who added their signatures to the application for a referendum include Utah State Board of Education President Kim Burningham, former state representative Lamont Tyler and Utah PTA President Carmen Snow.
Utah State Code states that anyone can file an application to counter laws made during the general session of the Legislature, but the declaration must be made in writing within five days of the end of the session. Following the 40 days allotted for gathering signatures — which must come from at least 10 percent of the votes cast for governor in the previous election and be representative at least 15 counties — Herbert's office has 15 days to verify the signatures and then five days to declare whether they are sufficient to warrant a referendum on the ballot.
Joe Demma, Herbert's spokesman, said the governor can do one of two things: place the referendum on the ballot for the next general election, which is in November 2008, or call a special election. Most likely, he said, it would be voted on next year because a special election would cost the state $3.5 million.
"It's a rich voucher program, one of the richest in the country, and it's in a state that has the lowest per-pupil spending," Rusk said. "And across the board, the program doesn't do what it promises to do. It's an issue that we should be able to vote on."
Utahns for Public Schools, a group formed to head up the task of gathering nearly 100,000 signatures — 91,998 to be exact — in the next 40 days, filed the application asking Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert to consider their cause.
"This is so important that the people in this state should get to vote on it," said Pat Rusk, former president of the Utah Education Association. "We are going to make sure that the citizens of Utah get to decide if they want their tax dollars going to private schools."
Rusk, one of six whose signatures appear on the application, said the group is made up of thousands of concerned residents and has a "high hurdle" to get that many signatures in so few days. "But we are going to make it our lives until it is accomplished."
The voucher program, formally called the Parents for Choice in Education Act, would give Utah families private school tuition vouchers ranging from $500 to $3,000 per student depending on income. Lawmakers passed the measure, dishing out $12 million to get it started, and the governor signed off on the deal.
Supporters of the referendum believe the money could be better spent making necessary reforms in public schools, including decreasing class sizes and bolstering the quality of Utah teachers.
Nancy Pomeroy, spokeswoman for Parents for Choice in Education, said the referendum was not unexpected and that "greed" is the underlying motive.
"It's the parents and children versus unions and educrats," she said.
However, opponents of vouchers say it isn't about the money, as public education was awarded more than ever before, receiving nearly $500 million in extra funds this year.
"I don't expect a tax break to recoup some money for a private choice," said Granite School District Board President Sarah R. Meier, another who signed the application. She compared the idea of public monies going to private schools to buying books that are already available at public libraries, which are funded by tax dollars.
"I believe it's a bad philosophy for a private choice," she said.
A third signer was Jeanetta Williams, president of the Salt Lake Branch of the NAACP. She said the organization made the decision to oppose vouchers to avoid potential segregation in schools in the future.
"It would take us back to before Brown v. Board of Education, and we'd see more segregation in schools than not," Williams said, adding that those families who could afford to send their children to private schools would most likely be white and minorities would once again be left where they can afford to be educated — in public schools.
Others who added their signatures to the application for a referendum include Utah State Board of Education President Kim Burningham, former state representative Lamont Tyler and Utah PTA President Carmen Snow.
Utah State Code states that anyone can file an application to counter laws made during the general session of the Legislature, but the declaration must be made in writing within five days of the end of the session. Following the 40 days allotted for gathering signatures — which must come from at least 10 percent of the votes cast for governor in the previous election and be representative at least 15 counties — Herbert's office has 15 days to verify the signatures and then five days to declare whether they are sufficient to warrant a referendum on the ballot.
Joe Demma, Herbert's spokesman, said the governor can do one of two things: place the referendum on the ballot for the next general election, which is in November 2008, or call a special election. Most likely, he said, it would be voted on next year because a special election would cost the state $3.5 million.
"It's a rich voucher program, one of the richest in the country, and it's in a state that has the lowest per-pupil spending," Rusk said. "And across the board, the program doesn't do what it promises to do. It's an issue that we should be able to vote on."
E-mail: wleonard@desnews.com
5 comments:
Where and how can we help with signatures Rob?
To get involved, go to www.utahnsforpublicschools.org, or send an email to info@utahnsforpublicschools.org
This would possible become one of the greatest grassroots efforts in this state where people can exercise their right to petition and referendum.
"The initiative right encourages political dialogue and allows the general populace to have substantive and meaningful participation in enacting
legislation that impacts society. It is democracy in its most direct and quintessential form"- Gallivan v Walker (2002)
E-mail, text or call anyone you know to support the referendum and sign the petition.
Sign the petition, but also gather 20 signatures on your own.
Volunteer or make a donation.
Write letters to the editor.
Post on blogs.
Public education has needed a voice because right now, even with the increase, the chief ones being heard are those who oppose public education. Teacher unions can provide some support, but I don't exactly agree with them. What's needed is an association of mainstream Utahns--those who have some principles and can stand up to those who would bully others (of all political notions) to pass their agendas.
For those of us who have to pay for vouchers--will we get to decide how and where they're used? Where's our choice?
Along with this, we need a grass-roots effort in schools--NOT regarding the petition, but in helping them become better and more community-oriented. Each of us needs to ask how we can make our neighborhood school better and how we can contribute. There are a lot of talented people in Utah and we can each find a way to use these talents to benefit others.
It's a thing I'm trying in my own school (which happens to be my neighborhood school) as a teacher. I've had great responses to the chess program I started. Next up is an enrichment program. I'm trying to start a dad and kids program in the community as well as other things. I'm not trying to benefit in any way--it's just that I realized finally that I am in a good situation to contribute to my community so I might as well do it.
Improving education should not be in the form of cut-and-run solutions or political agendas. It needs to be in the forms of effort and attitude.
Effort and attitude are what the pro-active parents of children want; one way of being proactive is giving us a voice in which school our child attends and the ability to take the take the tax dollars for the child along with them in the form of a voucher, whether that school is private or public.
I fail to see why the NEA and UEA and other Clintonesque organizations are trying to increase the strangle hold that teachers, unions and the educational bureaucracy have on our children and maintain the status quote of education, in lieu of giving parents the economic freedom to send their children to school of our choice.
The nation is watching Utah with its vouchers program; here we have the opportunity to be on the forefront of a pro-active movement in education – why are you trying to stop us?
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