Davis County Clipper Party Lines: Both sides dig in over voucher debate

By Richard Watson

Last week, Mark Shurtleff, Utah Attorney General, offered his own legal opinion on the proposed referendum for citizens to vote on the private school voucher program. According to Mr. Shurtleff, even if Utah voters choose not to support vouchers, the voucher program may stand on its own. What Mr. Shurtleff is referring to is another bill, HB174 which is an amendment bill to HB148. In his opinion, HB174 would keep the voucher program intact, even if voters reject the voucher program as stated in HB148. In spite of that, Shurtleff is saying that there is nothing we can do and that the petition drive might be a waste of time. In other words, the top elected Utah Republicans could care less what the people of Utah want.

Shurtleff also commented that there may be some constitutional questions over the legitimacy of the voucher program. Even with legal questions, according to our Attorney General, HB174 adjusts the previously passed voucher bill with “sensible” amendments along with “mitigation monies” which would help the voucher program to continue.

Fortunately, other legal opinions are in favor of the “people”. A former Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice, Michael Zimmerman, cites that the Utah Constitution forbids using public funds for religious education. Other attorneys also agree with Zimmerman and believe the voucher program will more than likely be defeated in the courts. What’s more, the Florida Supreme Court struck down their voucher program for the same constitutional reasons.

But regardless of what the legal questions are surrounding vouchers, a more important question needs to be addressed. What about the will of the people? Over the years, so many polls have shown that Utahns are against private school vouchers. Yet, our elected leaders and Republican controlled legislature are comfortable in ignoring what the citizens want. Instead of “We the People”, Republican lawmakers believe that they “Are The People”. If our elected leaders feel that they represent Utah and they feel that vouchers are justifiable, then why are they worried about a referendum?

Yet, in the past few weeks, Parents For Choice (PCE) has sent letters to their Republican “friends” and urging all good Republicans to not sign the petition. Using their usual “evil liberal” vocabulary, they are implying that the “liberal” petition supporters are trying to overturn a law passed by the Republican-led legislature. The letter also states that the “liberal education unions” are trying to force their “liberal” agendas on our children. As I read the letter, sent out by Doug Holmes, PCE Chairman, I could not help but chuckle over his choice of words. Since when did underpaid teachers (“unions”) have a monopoly on education?

A quote from President Kennedy’s historian, John Kenneth Galbraith, sums up the intent of PCE and our Republican controlled Legislature. He said, “The modern conservative is engaged in one of man’s oldest exercises in moral philosophy: that is the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.”

To read Republican Vice Chair Todd Weiler's article click here.

Tax dollars taken from public education deserves vote

All Utahns benefit from an excellent public education system. Our youth enter the work force among the most literate and skilled in the world. But to hear Writers Group columnist Joe Baker and other voucher supporters, you would think our education system was a complete failure.

Utah's schools are not a complete failure. Utah - and specifically Southern Utah - has some of the very best public schools around. Furthermore, there is no proof that a private school produces "better results" than a public school.

According to a National Center for Education Statistics study, public school students show little to no difference in performance, and in some areas tend to do better. It is only in head-to-head comparisons where private schools' ability to reject students that don't meet their standards that private schools outperform public schools.

Vouchers are promoted as the solution to overcrowded schools. To relieve this pressure, there would need to be enough affordable private schools in Utah to absorb the demand for private schools that voucher supporters claim exists. But Utah doesn't enjoy a large number of private schools - let alone affordable ones.

A Google search of private schools in Utah shows Cedar City has exactly one private school listed on www.allprivate schools.org. With 16 students (all from out of state) it is a school for "at risk youth." Under the voucher law a school must have at least 40 students to qualify and at least one of the student's parents must live in Utah.

In Washington County, five schools are listed. The majority of these schools are for "at risk teenagers" whose parents live out of the state. There is neither significant demand for private schools in our region nor much capacity to relieve pressure on the public school system.

Baker claims that with vouchers, private schools will be "affordable to all Utah parents." It is not clear whether vouchers will lower the price of a private education enough to entice parents away from public schools, especially when the majority of Utah parents are happy with them.

According to the National Association of Independent Schools, the median tuition for its member private schools is $14,000. The maximum a low-income family could expect to receive under Utah's voucher legislation is $3,000. Assuming Utah's few private schools could approach the national median tuition, it is hard to accept Baker's claim that all parents in Utah could afford to send their children to a private school even if they wanted to.

Polls show an overwhelming majority of Utahns favor placing vouchers on the ballot. They are happy with their local neighborhood schools, and have consistently advocated for improving public education rather than funding private schools with public funds. Many Southern Utah parents have nothing but praise for their public schools, using words like "wonderful" and "excellent" when they describe their children's teachers.

Voucher proponents recently sent out letters telling voters that they "must not sign" the referendum. What do they fear? Why not let the people decide? It's our tax dollars in question, we should be given the opportunity to vote on how we want our tax dollars spent.

Utah spending (per capita) on public school students ranks 51st (below the District of Columbia.) We have a lot of kids to educate with limited resources. Why divert one penny of those precious resources to subsidize an industry that doesn't need and doesn't want the influx of students? Why not do everything we can to support the neighborhood schools that open their doors every day to all of our children?

Those of us who are opposed to using public money for private education have no problem with private schools. But when something affects how our tax dollars are spent and the future of our neighborhood schools, we just want to cast our ballot.

Emily Bingham Hollingshead is a Cedar City resident, a small business owner and a mom to two sons who attend Cedar City public schools.

KSL is just a little bit confused

KSL has taken the position that the Voucher Referendum petition is too "divisive"

"Divisive", they should know what this word means since they broadcast Sean Hannity's "divisive" rhetoric every weekday from 1 to 4 p.m.

But wait, doesn't KSL promote Sean as the guy whose opinions "Just Make Sense"?

Divisive: creating disunity or dissension.

Sense: conscious awareness or rationality.

So what they are really saying is that the Voucher Referendum "Just Makes Sense".

I guess they are just a little bit confused. It can happen.

Bob Van Velkinburg Says: Utah has the best legislators that money can buy

Hopefully, within the next few weeks someone will contact you and ask you to sign a referendum petition to repeal HB148.

Sign it!

HB148 is the legislation recently passed in the last session that would use taxpayer money for parents who want to send their children to private schools. It is not my purpose to discuss here the many things that are bad about vouchers but I would like to zero in on this question.

Why would so much money be spent on this voucher issue? It is estimated that almost $500,000 was spent by people and organizations who favor vouchers.

Even more curious is why would an organization based in Wisconsin called "All Children Matter" want to spend $290,000 of their money to support this issue in Utah? Of course this organization is heavily funded by the Wal-Mart and Amway Heirs but what dog do they have in this fight?

Then there is the local Utah organization called "Parents for Choice." They paid back the Republican Party $70,000 for the cost of their dirty tricks flyers. Another $110,000 in direct contributions to their candidates. Parents For Choice PAC shelled out $58,000 to their picked candidates. Another $58,000 to elect their School Board candidates.

So you can see why Utahns can say with some degree of pride, "We have the best Legislators that money can buy."

Go to www.utahnsforpublicschools.org for more information.

Bob Van Velkinburgh

Salt Lake Tribune: Ultimate choice: Utahns should get chance to vote on voucher law

Tribune Editorial
Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated:03/08/2007 08:22:44 PM MST

It isn't unusual for the Utah Legislature to pass laws contrary to what Utahns say they want. Polls show people want tougher penalties for animal torture; legislators killed the bill. In special session last year, legislators failed to restore dental benefits for Medicaid patients, despite widespread protests.

The list could go on.

Like "mother deafness" in a teenager, constituent-deafness among legislators can be frustrating. This year's voucher law is a notorious example. Polls have consistently shown that Utahns oppose taxes going to private schools. Only one poll in several years showed support approaching 50 percent.

That is one reason to support a referendum to bring the new law before voters. The other is the scope of the law and its potential to divert resources and focus away from public education.
The law just passed, and heedlessly signed by Gov. Jon Huntsman, initiates the nation's first universal voucher system, allowing vouchers for all children not currently enrolled in private school. The Legislative Fiscal Analyst estimates it will cost taxpayers $429 million over its first 13 years.

Its impact is largely unpredictable, yet it will be evaluated only after five years. It represents a major shift in Utah's educational philosophy, which firmly supported public education since before statehood.

Any such sea change, especially one not supported by most of the people it will affect, should be put to a vote.

But the diverse coalition behind a referendum petition to force that vote faces a monumental task. The group has 40 days to collect nearly 92,000 signatures, representing 10 percent of all the votes cast for governor in the most recent general election in 15 of the state's 29 counties. Organizers believe getting enough signatures may be the easy part. If the referendum makes it onto November's ballot, they expect deep-pocketed, out-of-state groups to spend wads of cash to defeat it.

They have reason to worry. Parents for Choice in Education pumped roughly a half-million dollars into last year's election. That outside cash played a major role in the law being passed, by one vote, in the Utah House after being defeated in six previous tries.

Voucher supporters chant the mantra of "choice" in education. Well, voters should have the choice to undo a reckless law foisted on them by legislators and a governor who chose to be deaf to the majority's wishes.

Polls have consistently shown that Utahns oppose taxes going to private schools.

Read: Voucher Referendum not dead, but those opposed to it do raise some interesting questions

By Utah Democratic Chair, Wayne Holland Jr.

There was a flurry of articles in this morning's papers regarding the possibility the voucher referendum just launched to overturn House Bill 148 creating the most extensive voucher program in the country may be dead almost before it really got started. See the Deseret Morning News' New fight over vouchers, the Salt Lake Tribune's Loophole may ensure vouchers go forward, or the Daily Herald's Anti-voucher drive may be dead.

Voucher supporters seemed almost gleeful arguing those initiating the referendum should have filed to overturn House Bill 174, which amended the original law- House Bill 148- creating the voucher program in the first place. "It appears they filed a referendum against the wrong piece of legislation" crowed Senate Majority Leader Curtis Bramble in the Salt Lake Tribune. In the Deseret Morning News Bramble argued "The only big difference [between the two bills] that I am aware of is the hold harmless...

Click here to read Wayne's article in its entirety on the Utah State Democratic Party blog.

Apostle Paul Endorses Parents for Choice

In a stunning announcement, the Apostle Paul, author of several books in the New Testament, has formally endorsed the efforts of Parents for Choice in Education in fighting back Big Union efforts to destroy the future of Utah schoolchildren.

When the fiery Apostle learned of the wealthy ideologues’ plight, he granted them leave to quote on their web site any scripture they liked to bolster their followers. “What better way to battle the forces of Big Union than to quote the Holy Book. I am so pleased with their dedication to conveying the sacred word in these trying times.”

The witness continued, “I’m particularly pleased they chose the phrase in Galatians 9:6 ‘never weary in well doing.’ I’m gratified to see them include this simple message on their web site and I hope it provides a much-needed boost to those tired disciples battling Big Union and their sheep-like minions, the public school teachers of Utah.”

In response to questions of mixing public policy with church worship, the champion of righteousness responded, “Although I’ve never been a big fan of politics and religion combining forces after that whole Pharisee fiasco, I confess I was drawn in once they explained to me the nefarious deeds of Big Union and their anti-child agenda. Big Union *says* they actually like children. Their drone-like members *say* they teach because they want what’s best for their students. But I know it’s all a lie. They are actually Agrippa-like power mongers who are intent on depriving parents of their constitutional right to receive money in exchange for sending their children to a private school. What could be more reprehensible than that?”

Joseph Smith, first prophet of the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times, also lent his ringing endorsement to the group’s efforts. In a brief statement, the Prophet proclaimed “When I, through revelation, quoted the Apostle Paul in Section 64 of the Doctrine and Covenants, I could see a real boost in morale amongst the Brethren headed out to Missouri to face certain persecution. It’s heartwarming for me to see that Parents for Choice has ‘likened the scriptures’ to their own struggles against Big Union. I wish them well.”

President Hinckley could not be reached for comment.

Voucher Proponents "Running Scared"

Ethan Millard from SLCSpin has a post titled, Referendum Problems.

He states that referendum filed by Utahns for Public Schools may be DOA.

I disagree.

The enabling legislation is HB148.

HB174 was only meant to tie up some loose ends; loose ends that should have been taken care of on HB148.

Utah's Democratic Senators tried to bring amendments on the floor that would have tied up these loose ends, but they were completely ignored by the Republican majority who would not chance sending HB148 back to the House (remember, it only passed by one vote).

If the required signatures are collected to put vouchers on the ballot, and if the public votes vouchers down, then the Utah Legislature should respect the voice of the people regardless of this technicality.

No true representative of the people will let a technicality hold back the will of the people.

My suggestion: Utahns for Public Schools should move straight forward with their referendum petition.

Don't allow these scare tactics and the fear that public schools will not be left monetarily harmless stop your great movement.

Let the people of Utah decide this issue, once and for all.

Utahns for Public Schools website

Click here to check it out!

To sign the voucher referendum petition click here!