UEA urges teacher ranks to vote down voucher

Describing the law as a threat to public schools, about 500 teachers rallied against an upcoming referendum on private school vouchers.

The rally this morning occurred during the 2007 Utah Education Association convention, although teachers did not receive licensure credit for attending the rally.

"No issue is more important to the future of our students, our careers and our schools than this one," said Kim Campbell, president of the UEA, as she urged teachers to fill out informational cards and donation envelopes to help fight the proposal that would start a voucher program in Utah.

In the spring, lawmakers passed what has been described as the nation's most generous voucher law, giving up to $3,000 per child, depending on family income, to be used for tuition at a private school. However, enough signatures were gathered on a petition to force the issue to a vote.

Voters can embrace or reject Referendum 1 on Nov. 6.

Teachers at the rally also received a list of legislators who voted for and against the voucher law. During the rally, which was held a the Salt Palace, they were urged to call supporters from cell phones and thank them.

Bingham High teacher Janice Voorhies left a message for Jim Bird, R-West Jordan, her representative.

"He's been very supportive of education," she said.

However, not all teachers attended the anti-voucher rally.

Just two flights of stairs below the rally were teachers talking with textbook and school-supply vendors. Many teach at private schools. Some of them support vouchers. .

"I think it's great," said Rebecca Camara, a teacher at the Montessori School of Murray, who wishes her children's private school tuition would be covered by the law. (The voucher law will not grandfather in students already attending private schools.)

Montessori Teacher Debbie Williams also believes vouchers could be positive because taxpayers spend more than $3,000 to educate a child in Utah, meaning not all the education funds will follow the child to the private school.

"I don't know if it will directly affect us," Williams said. "We only have 85 kids and we're a preschool through 3rd grade school."

---

E-mail: lhancock@desnews.com