School Vouchers Suffer Solid Defeat

None by KCPW

(KCPW News) School vouchers suffered defeat in every single county in the state yesterday. Sixty-two percent of Utah voters said they do not want to spend public tax dollars on private school tuition vouchers. KCPW's Julie Rose has this look at the referendum outcome, and what comes next.

 

Sixty-two percent of Utahns said "No" to spending public tax dollars on private school tuition.

But pro-voucher spokesman Richard Eyre thinks voters were more confused than they were opposed to vouchers. And Senate President John Valentine still believes Utahns would support vouchers with the right information.

For now, though, Valentine says lawmakers will go "back to the drawing board" for ways to fund growing needs in Utah's public schools.

Utah Education Association President Kim Campbell says the lawmakers underestimated the commitment their constituents have to the public school system. With vouchers on the sideline, Campbell says the UEA will now push lawmakers to focus on lowering class sizes and giving parents more meaningful ways to participate in the children's public schools.

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