Voucher foe in 'lion's den'?

Published: Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2007 12:02 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Voucher proponents are hoping to march into enemy territory next month at the Utah Education Association convention and present their side of the issue in hopes of garnering support for the controversial voucher law that will be on the Nov. 6 ballot.

Richard Eyre, spokesman for Parents for Choice in Education, has asked to present the pro side of the voucher debate to the nearly 18,000-member teachers organization that opposes vouchers and is currently working to ensure a voucher program is not implemented in Utah.

"I want to go right into the lion's den," Eyre said. "I really believe a large number of teachers are in favor of more choice for parents and of vouchers, but they can't be very open about it because their union, that does a lot of good for them, has vehemently opposed.

"I don't see why they would oppose me coming — I am going to present the other side and they are a democratic institution so they ought to welcome a chance to hear the other side. And if they are so confident of their position, then what are they afraid of?"

Eyre admitted he is a little miffed that it has been nearly a week since he sent the request, and he still has not heard a response from the UEA, which is also a member of Utahns for Public Schools, the anti-voucher coalition of teachers, education leaders and community members.

Story continues below

And though a formal response has yet to be sent, that isn't likely to happen, according to UEA leaders.

"We kind of think (Eyre's request to speak) is more of a public relations ploy than anything else," said Susan Kuziak, UEA executive director. "From our perspective, we start planning that convention the day the prior year's is over, and our schedule of sessions has been set for over two months, the program has been printed and already distributed, so we are not able to adjust that program, anyway."

She said for someone with Eyre's experience with large events to make that request weeks before the convention occurs is questionable.

Even so, Eyre told the Deseret Morning News on Monday there are plans to challenge voucher opponents in a series of at least five debates in the days leading up to Election Day.

He said the move would really turn the voucher campaign around and would allow the public to get deeper into the issue and hear more of the facts than just a few snippets heard in media ads from both sides of the issue.

In a related matter, the Sutherland Institute, a conservative public policy think tank and a strong voucher supporter, released an essay penned by director Paul Mero that documents Utah's education history. It points out that the idea of voucherlike school reform is not new in Utah, specifically in the state's early beginnings.

Recent comments

Remember.........Charter schools ARE public schools, NOT private.

Charter IS public | Sept. 20, 2007 at 7:39 a.m.

"unless that is their particular focus"

Exactly. The parents of...

To K | Sept. 19, 2007 at 5:42 p.m.

Jim, Where do you think the money for the vouchers will come from,...

K | Sept. 18, 2007 at 11:46 p.m.

previousnext

Latest comments

Guess what?!! The rest of the world thinks MORMONS ARE NOT MORAL!!!

It's rotten in Baghdad

@If I were Obama | 7:25 a.m. So funny. LMAO with this comment. Just...

"Fight the Power" is trying to make a civil rights analogy here that...

Utah Jazz finances not quite so bleak

To imply that seniority is any substitute for effort under Jerry Sloan is...

Jazz brass debate Millsap match

Both for us fans and Jazz management. Millie was a great 2nd round pick,...

Like so many laws suits, Utah will loose. This use isn't any violation of...

Let's control borders

"The Sutherland institute study shows that 96% of the immigrants lead crime...

continued: But most important, her gaffes reveal one who is woefully lacking...

suffers from a terrible case of 'god complex' wherein he thinks he is god the...

Biden or Sarah Palin? Looking at a catalogue of Biden’s gaffes, one is...

Advertisements