Comments about ‘My view: Nobody's in charge of governing Utah education’

This would perhaps be acceptable if the law / constitutional amendment also precluded the State Legislature from passing any legislation with regard to curriculum or policy, and limited them strictly to voting on budgets. If we are going to be clear about who is in charge, let's be clear. That means that if the Governor and the State and Local School Boards are responsible for managing education, the Utah House and Senate are not.

"At statehood, the federal government wanted to ensure a Mormon governor could not wield church influence over public education."

That concern still exists, and is valid.

I find it inconsistent that Senator Stephenson (unfairly) compares Utah public education with centrally-controlled Communist agriculture, but then turns around and proposes a consolidation of power over higher education into the centralized Governors office so that there is only one set of hands on the steering wheel.

Perhaps the senator should have attended more classes in social science, history, and philosophy - but I'm confident he considers those part of the "degrees to nowhere".

When Utah's Legislators suggest an amendment to Utah's Constitution, IMO, the citizens of Utah should be wary. Very, very wary.

Don't put the State Board under the Governor. Eliminate it! It's just one more level of bureaucracy that puts more regulations on teachers. While we're at it, refuse national control of education (by refusing their money) and divide our huge districts into community-sized districts. That would be the best deregulation and improvement we could ever do for education.

Chuck E. Racer,

Sounds good, but while taxing its citizens, the feds would cut other non-education funding. That's how Utah got mandated with standardized testing.

As soon as Senator Stephenson quits his day job as the president of a lobbying firm, I'll take him seriously. Until then, his personal dealings as both a lobbyist and a senator cancel each other out.

How much money does the Parents for Choice in Education funnel into the Utah Taxpayer's Association? How much do they funnel into Senator Stephenson's re-election coffers?

Re: "How much money does the Parents for Choice in Education funnel into the Utah Taxpayer's Association? How much do they funnel into Senator Stephenson's re-election coffers?"

More importantly, how much does UEA/NEA funnel into Democrat and anti-choice coffers?

@procuradorfiscal

Fair enough. I just don't see the president of the UEA holding an elected office in the state senate playing both the lobbyist as well as the senator.

Our governor does not have a college or university degree. I wonder how many of our legislators (especially those on the Education Committee) do not hold a college or university degree.

NO ONE without a college or university degree should hold a position that dictates how our public school system should be run. Without the higher-ed experience, how could our governor make decisions that will affect college/university students.

Mr. Stephenson, with your history and current efforts to destroy public education, how dare you write a column demanding anything regarding public education. How the knowledge of how your actions hurt students in K-12 and higher ed must weigh on your conscience. Shame on you. Shame on those who re-elect you.

Procuradorfiscal, I will answer your question. PCE contributed over $270,000 to all Republican candidates. UEA $80,000 60% Democrats 40% Republican. Your bias against UEA is based upon rhetoric not facts.

You would blame UEA if it were raining.

The best place for control of education is with the local school board.

Wow. Sen Stephensen's argument is full of fallacies. The most obvious is the claim that turning over this power to the governor "will end the confusion . . .,enabling an efficient, seamless education system." The problem I see is there are still many hands on the wheel. for this to work, the legislature must abandon their attempts to control all non-budget items (curriculum, hiring/firing practices, etc.) The Leg. must take their hands off of the wheel.