School Board Under Pressure from Lawmakers, Parents and AG
None by KCPW
(KCPW News) Yesterday was to be the day Utah began offering tax-funded vouchers for private school tuition. But the State Board of Education opted to delay the program, looking instead for additional legal opinions. That delay prompted hundreds of people to converge on Capitol Hill yesterday in protest. KCPW's Julie Rose reports:
The Utah Attorney General has ordered the State School Board to implement vouchers immediately. The Board appears to be preparing for a court challenge over its decision to delay starting the voucher program. Members of the board have been asked to be ready for an emergency meeting Thursday night or Friday afternoon to discuss hiring legal representation.
Earlier this month the Board delayed implementing the program until it received legal counsel regarding the impact of a pending referendum on vouchers. If the Board does not move quickly to comply with the law, Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble says the Legislature could press charges.
A private group, such as Parents for Choice in Education, could also sue the state school board to implement vouchers.
Yesterday the group held a rally for hundreds of children and parents in support of school choice.
Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2008 KCPW
1. Paul said:
"No one loses with vouchers."
Does the funding for vouchers grow on the money tree? The money to fund vouchers has to come from somewhere. Perhaps if the state of Utah has so much extra money to spend every year they could have given even more money to improve the public school system, which still rates as one of the lowest per student and per teach spent in the country.
3. Bob said:
So, what happens when parents can't afford tuition after the voucher has been spent? The go right back into public education. That appears to be double dipping. Maybe vouchers don't impact education funding yet, but they will. They will eventually be trying to get their share of any state surplus. Budget analysts have predicted $430 million in the next 12 years to fund vouchers. Where is the state getting that money from? Will they sacrifice our roads or other public services to fund it? If it won't hurt public education, you can bet it will hurt something else. Obviously, you need to do more math.
2. Lisa M. said:
Paul,
Yes the money does come from somewhere but it is NOT from education funding. The state can either give me my $2,000.00 voucher (based on my income) and let me send my child to the private school of my choice OR it can spend $7,500.00 and pay for my child in public school and that does come from the education fund. Hmmmm . . do the math!!!!